17 June 2002

To whom it may concern:

My name is Corey Welton, and I am a customer of Verizon, through whom I receive residential telephone service.

I would not mind obtaining other services from Verizon -- specifically DSL of any sort, seeing as there is no other broadband capability in my subdivision, despite the fact that I live in the middle of largest tech concentration on the east coast, and four miles from the largest end-user ISP in the world. Indeed, Verizon would probably make quite a tidy sum, should your corporation decide to ever upgrade the phone system and broadband capabilities in this area.

Unfortunately, it does not seem that you plan to do this anytime soon. I learned of my inability to get DSL through Verizon's own website -- I am attaching to this letter a copy of the form received from your website when entering my telephone number. I found out later on that I am unable to receive DSL because, despite being within 10000 feet of a local Central Office (CO), all phones in this development (and indeed, many more across this county) are run through SLICs, whose wholly antiquated circuitry and design disallow those in my area to get DSL service. Furthermore, based on everything I have heard, Verizon is in no rush at all to replace these.

Now, the fact that I can't get DSL through Verizon doesn't bother me too much, anymore. I have gotten used to the fact that Verizon will never replace the SLICs in this area. Furthermore, there will be cable modem run through this area in the next few months which, while far inferior, I will grudgingly accept, seeing as there is no alternative. This realization, as well, no longer bothers me.

What does bother me, however, is the fact that Verizon keeps sending full-page glossy ads to my mailbox, advertising "fast and inexpensive DSL service". This mailing, as well, is attached to the current correspondence.

Seriously, what kind of incompentence is going on here?

1. I am a customer who uses your residential service, so you already have my address and telephone number.

2. It is plainly visible, through your own website, that I cannot receive DSL.

Thus, I ask you: Is it really that difficult to narrow your mailings to a real, targeted market segment? Is it truly necessary to mass-mail everyone in a given area with the offer of DSL, when your company itself can plainly discern the fact that no one in this area can actually get it? How difficult can it possibly be to merge your databases and determine that you are not only currently wasting great amounts of resources mailing a zero-sum population, but that also incessantly annoying this same segment who has no use at all for your service?

This said, please remove my name, phone number, and address from all mailings and product offerings your company sends, or intends to send, to "prospective customers", at least until you can try and sell me something I might actually be able to use. Your company has shown that it obviously does not come close to accurately "targeting" a viable market demographic; Therefore, I have no reason to believe that I'd ever want any of the snake oil Verizon is currently dealing.

Corey Welton

xxxxxxxxxxxxx

Sterling VA 20164

(xxx) xxx-xxxx

Have a nice day.

Sincerely,

Corey Welton