Verizon: Networks Hold Up Under Strain

Verizon , which provides wireline and wireless service in New York and other Northeast cities affected by yesterday’s massive power outage, said its networks are holding up under heavy call volumes.

Utility crews worked through the night to restore power to some Big Apple boroughs, although many are still waiting and the transit system is still paralyzed. The New York Stock Exchange and Nasdaq plan to open.

“In all Verizon’s service areas where commercial power was lost, the company’s hundreds of call-routing centers immediately converted to diesel backups,” the company said.

Enhanced 9-1-1 emergency services were not affected.

The company’s wireless network is working, although customers in the New York and other impacted areas may not have their calls go through on the first try. Many customers were on their mobile phones yesterday to inform family members of the problem and try and make alternate commuting or travel plans.

The carrier serves customers from Maine to Virginia and has 137.6 million access line equivalents and 34.6 million wireless
customers.