Verizon announced Thursday it will, in fact, offer credits to customers who lost service during the May 8 storm and continued clean-up efforts � but only if customers call and let the company know they lost service.

Company spokesman Lee Gierczynski said the company cannot track which individual customers lost service because a vast majority of them retained service through the storm and ensuing power outages because of generators and battery-powered stations.

On Wednesday, Gierczynski said the Public Utilities Act does not require the company to offer credits in the event of a natural disaster such as the May 8 derecho. Verizon has made the decision "to go above and beyond the requirements of the act," he said Thursday afternoon.

"These credits are not automatic," he said. They (customers) need to call 800-837-4966 (1-800-VERIZON). That's the only way we'll know they were out of service."

Customers who lost service or still haven't been reconnected can call the same number to report an outage.

adam.testa@thesouthern.com

618-351-5031