Central PA News

Rep. Perry Stambaugh has called for an investigation into the service issues experienced by CenturyLink customers. Alongside Senators Judy Ward and John DiSanto, Stambaugh addressed a letter to the Pennsylvania Public Utility Commission (PUC) requesting an inquiry into a week-long telephone service outage. This outage was reportedly due to flooding at CenturyLink's Philadelphia offices.

The lawmakers are concerned about whether CenturyLink is adhering to state regulations that mandate service be "adequate, efficient, safe, and reasonable." They highlighted the potential danger posed by these disruptions, especially in emergencies where reliable communication is critical.

Stambaugh emphasized that "CenturyLink has a responsibility to its customers, who pay for a service to be reliable." The group of lawmakers urged the PUC to consider delaying any pending transactions involving CenturyLink facilities until improvements are made. CenturyLink, now operating under the name Lumen, is in the process of selling operations in 20 states, including Pennsylvania.

Stambaugh expressed frustration with the company's handling of operations from Philadelphia and cited numerous reports of unresolved maintenance issues within their service territories. He remarked on longstanding problems such as unrepaired infrastructure and inadequate internet services.

"The collapse of the CenturyLink system after Hurricane Ida is the final straw," stated Stambaugh. He stressed that local phone companies need to contribute positively toward providing quality telecommunications services without additional financial incentives until they show significant progress.

For further information, media contact Jennifer Fitch can be reached at 717-260-6335 or jfitch@pahousegop.com.