LIHU‘E — Home telephone users who patronize the Kukui Grove Center location of the former Verizon Phone Mart location were greeted by a whole new look yesterday, when Hawaiian Telcom took over the spot formerly occupied by Verizon. The sale
LIHU‘E — Home telephone users who patronize the Kukui Grove Center location of the former Verizon Phone Mart location were greeted by a whole new look yesterday, when Hawaiian Telcom took over the spot formerly occupied by Verizon.
The sale of Verizon Hawaii to the Carlyle Group closed yesterday, and Verizon Hawaii officially became Hawaiian Telcom.
Gone are the reds, blacks, and grays that home-phone users were accustomed to, the color scheme being replaced by new pastel greens and blues of the new owners of the telephone company.
“It’s been pretty slow,” Liani Suniga said. “We’re still accepting payments for home service, but the Verizon Wireless customers need to visit that location.”
In addition to payment collection for home-service phones, the new Hawaiian Telcom store offers up yet another option for cellular or wireless service, with their own plans and phone models.
“It’s so new, we still are learning features of the different models,” Suniga said.
Work on the new store was done during the weekend, Suniga explained, and when the doors opened Monday morning, customers were greeted with a new look.
Local phone customers can rest assured that their phone numbers will remain the same, according to the new company’s Web site.
Landlines and DSL (digital subscriber line) services with Verizon Hawaii will seamlessly switch over to Hawaiian Telcom, the Web site continues.
However, there will be a transition period for online services and account management, as Hawaiian Telcom leaders build their own online account-management system for both business and residential customers.
Online customers were notified of the transition via e-mail in late February, advising them that effective April 1, Verizon officials would no longer be processing payments for Hawai‘i customers.
“Hawaiian Telcom’s local management is determined to make this transition as smooth as possible, and create local jobs along the way,” according to the Web site.
A “get-acquainted” sweepstakes is currently being offered officials at the new store, to coincide with the new opening, and will run through next Wednesday, May 11. Suniga explained that customers have an opportunity to win a prize that is worth about $2,000 in phone services.
For more detailed information on the offerings of Hawaiian Telcom, people may visit their Web site at www.hawaiiantel.com, or for a more personalized offering, customers may stop by the Kukui Grove store.
The new Hawaiian Telcom store is open Mondays through Saturdays from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. The store is closed on Sundays.
- Dennis Fujimoto, staff writer and photographer, may be reached at 245-3681 (ext. 253) or dfujimoto@pulitzer.net.
