An important, everyday service has been unreliable for months. Several New Cuyama residents tell KSBY they have spotty or sometimes no cell reception, and there’s one common denominator: their provider.

“They tell us we should update our SIM card or that we are the only ones with this problem,” said Jack Forinash of New Cuyama.

And judging by the large number of New Cuyama residents who came to talk to KSBY about the problems with Verizon’s cell service in the Cuyama Valley, Jack Forinash isn’t the only one.

“We keep getting the SOS offer. It worked great in Bakersfield, and it was the same offer at home,” said Juan Garcia, who has lived in New Cuyama since he was a teenager.

Verizon confirmed to KSBY that there has been a coverage issue in the area since about the beginning of the year, but did not elaborate on the cause.

The people KSBY spoke with say they were not offered compensation, even though the major wireless carrier admitted there were problems with cell service. And that service? It’s not cheap. A plan with five phones can cost over $300 a month, Garcia told KSBY.

“They expect you to pay a lot of money for a service that actually does nothing,” says Garcia.

Most residents KSBY spoke with say they want compensation from Verizon for the inconvenience of the past six months, but others just want the problem fixed.

“I just want my phone service to be available when I need it. That’s the most important thing,” said Debbi Johnson.

Johnson, who has lived in the Cuyama Valley for about 25 years, says wildfire communications have always been a priority for her.

“On July 21st there was a fire on our street.^stand we had no reception. It’s scary out here when there are fires. You don’t know which direction they’re going to spread,” Johnson said.

“I always thought, ‘It’s my phone. It’s my fault,'” said Karen Mortensen, a New Cuyama resident who says the inability to communicate with her family outside the area poses a safety risk. “I’m 81 and I live in a rural area. It’s dangerous for me not to be connected on the only device there is here.”

KSBY has reached out to Verizon twice. The first time, KSBY was told the issues had been resolved. However, when KSBY later met with New Cuyama officials, they insisted that the issues with cell service were still ongoing. KSBY reached out to Verizon again, asking for more details about the issues and whether any compensation had been paid to affected customers. However, there was no response.

If you have a problem with your cellular service in the Cuyama Valley, you can report the problem to the Better Business Bureau or the FCC.