Several local exchange providers urged the Michigan Public Servic...
Several local exchange providers urged the Michigan Public Service Commission to rework a proposed revamp of service quality rules that would ease requirements for directory assistance and other operator services but set new requirements for repairs and consumer disclosures.…
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The proposed rules (Case U-14962) still would require one day’s basic service credit for each outage day after the first 36 hours, but would add a new requirement that providers failing to meet the 36-hour outage repair standard for three months in a row would pay the daily credit plus $5 for the fourth and subsequent days of an outage. Local carriers would have to provide another way for customers to reach E-911 if service is out more than four hours. Carrier service centers would have to answer all calls within three minutes. Carriers would have to give customers a clear and simple statement of rates and terms for services at signup, comply with federal and state truth-in-billing laws and E-911 service requirements and clearly disclose limits on availability or use in ads for specific services or bundles. In comments on the proposed rules, the Michigan Telecom Association said the revisions would unjustifiably increase PSC oversight of certain service quality areas rather than following a 2005 state law urging reliance on market forces to protect consumers. Verizon and AT&T said tougher rules are justified only in the case of a proven market failure, which hasn’t happened in this instance. Competitive carrier Cbeyond Communications, which specializes in smaller business customers, said there has been no failure in the business service marketplace to justify imposing new quality rules on business service. It said most PSC service concerns are covered in service contracts. Competitive carrier One Communications said the rules as proposed would present compliance burdens to competitive carriers and aren’t necessary to protect customer welfare.