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ELKINS -- The state Public Service Commission announced Friday it has selected Schumaker and Company to perform a focused management audit of Frontier West Virginia and Citizens Telecommunications Company of West Virginia, and ordered the audit to begin as soon as possible and be completed within six months.
"That is welcome news," said Randolph County Commission President Mark Scott Friday afternoon. "We've been communicating for well over a year with Frontier and we've gotten no response. So to hear that the PSC has heard our citizens' concerns and is acting on them is very satisfying."
In November, the Randolph County Commission voted to file a formal complaint against Frontier, and in April urged affected Randolph County residents to join the complaint regarding Frontier's phone and internet service.
After receiving numerous and increasing complaints regarding Frontier's quality of service, including concerns from emergency services, 911 centers and senior citizens, on Aug. 30, 2018, the Commission ordered a focused management audit of Frontier to be conducted by a qualified outside auditing firm identified through a request for proposals and paid for by Frontier, a PSC press release stated Friday.
Last month, the Commission rejected Frontier's choice of auditor, determining that Frontier, in its selection of an auditing firm, had placed too much emphasis on cost and too little weight on the bidding firms' resources, experience, audit planning, audit methodology, audit standards and report writing ability.
Having reviewed the bid package information submitted by the audit candidates, the Commission determined that Schumaker is a well qualified candidate and presents the most comprehensive audit plan and resources for conducting the focused management audit.
The Commission stressed that Schumaker should highlight its findings and recommendations related to emergency services, the press release stated.
"We have heard from many Randolph County residents who have called on their telephones in an emergency situation to 911 and the operators can't understand it, can't make out the words because the connection is so bad. It's a safety issue," Scott said Friday.
The Commission further authorized a timetable under which the audit is to proceed, including a preliminary summary due on Day 120, a draft report on Day 150 and a final report on Day 180.
Additional information is available on the Commission website: www.psc.state.wv.us by referencing Case No. 18-0291-T-P.