South County residents in limbo over broadband

February 15, 2013

There has still been no deadline for high-speed broadband service set for Swall Meadows and Crowley Lake after Verizon backed out of a Jan. 28 deadline and the Public Utilities Commission last week rejected Verizon’s request for a deadline extension.

Calls to Verizon were not returned before press time.

The news that Mammoth Lakes Verizon customers were already getting 4G broadband when Crowley and Swall were stuck indefinitely in the Dark Ages did not go over well with at least one Swall Meadows resident.

“I can tell you if this happens, they are going to hear about it,” said Stephen Kalish.

Kalish was the main force behind Verizon being forced to provide the two small communities service in the first place.

Kalish took Verizon to task several years ago after the communications company failed to get a waiver to put its cables above ground when it strung cable from Bishop to Mammoth Lakes—a violation of the Scenic Highway Act (U.S. 395 is a scenic highway).

The state PUC sided with Kalish and other area residents and Verizon was ordered to provide service—which it failed to do.