Save our Landlines Campaign Lead

Save to Favorites

AARP Maine works hard to protect and stand up for consumers in Maine. When utility rates and telecom companies raise rates, we want to make sure they're reasonable for Mainers. Many folks are living on fixed incomes and the slightest raise can have big impacts on older Mainers. You can help us by signing up to be a consumer advocate right here in Maine.

Fairpoint Communications is asking Maine legislators to de-regulate. Essentially, Fairpoint Communications would like to no longer be on the hook to provide basic landline phone service to any and all Mainers. Why? Because they feel it's a burden to their bottom line.

The impact of de-regulating Fairpoint would be huge. Many of our most rural Mainers, those that count on landline telephone service the most, would no longer have a dependable landline. More importantly, most of these Mainers would also no longer be able to update their medical devices, like pacemakers, as well as utilize alert systems for broken heating systems and count on a working phone line during winter storms with power outages.

We're looking for volunteers to help us spread the word and talk to legislators in Augusta about Fairpoint's plans. Here are some of the activities we'll help you do:

- Write letters to the editor of your local news paper

- Speak to legislators by phone and email about this issue

- Reach out to your own community organizations to sign on as a partner

- Host an informal coffee in your community (with an AARP Maine staffer) to bring attention to this issue.

We hope you can help out! We'll give you all the materials and information you need to feel confident and comfortable speaking about this important issue for 2016!