Public Services Commission Initiates Probe into Liberty Mobile’s Service Challenges

In a move reflecting escalating concerns over service disruptions, the Public Services Commission (PSC) has commenced a formal investigation into Liberty Mobile’s operational challenges, following its acquisition of AT&T’s local operations. This decision comes in the wake of substantial feedback from affected customers, spotlighting issues encountered during the network’s migration process.

During a recent session, PSC Executive Director Sandra Satori briefed commissioners on a surge of customer grievances, amplified by observations from social media platforms. These complaints predominantly revolve around the quality of calls, delays in text messaging, frequent call drops, and inconsistent area coverage. Notably, Satori emphasized that these service disruptions persisted even after customers received system upgrades, leading to a spike in spam notifications and complications with number portability.

Satori advised the commission to closely scrutinize Liberty Mobile’s acquisition and migration strategies, alongside its efforts to enhance wireless service quality within the territory.

Commissioner Laura Nichols-Samms, who recently transitioned to Liberty Mobile, shared her personal encounter with the migration process. She highlighted the confusion caused by pre-migration communications being issued in Spanish, a barrier for non-Spanish speakers. Nichols-Samms also recounted a significant service interruption she experienced, which necessitated a cumbersome visit to Liberty’s St. Thomas office—a sentiment echoed by many in similar straits.

In response to these concerns, Ravindra Maywahlall, Liberty’s new country manager, outlined several corrective measures. These include prioritizing communications in English, augmenting the number of English-speaking representatives, and introducing “fast track lines” for specific customer groups requiring urgent assistance. Maywahlall also mentioned that compensation for service disruptions is being considered on an individual basis.

Despite these assurances, the commission expressed dissatisfaction, particularly highlighting the inconvenience for customers in St. John, who must travel to St. Thomas for new SIM cards or devices. Commissioner David Hughes stressed the urgency of establishing a local presence on St. John to alleviate customer hardships.

Furthermore, Commissioner Raymond Williams criticized the overall management of the migration process, labeling the service quality and response times as severely lacking. The limited residency of senior management in the USVI, including Maywahlall, was identified as a contributing factor to these operational shortcomings.

Bala Balakrishnan, overseeing the migration program, presented a technical overview, emphasizing ongoing efforts to ensure network compatibility and enhance customer support. Despite these initiatives, the commission remains concerned about the pace and impact of the migration, drawing comparisons to tech industry precedents for halting problematic rollouts.

Concluding the session, the majority of commissioners endorsed the staff’s recommendation to initiate a thorough investigation into Liberty Mobile’s migration efforts. This step underscores the commission’s commitment to ensuring the telecommunications provider addresses the myriad issues impacting its service quality and customer satisfaction.