A group of Pennsylvania legislators introduced last week a legislative package, hoping to make telecommunications companies accountable to their customers.
The six bills were introduced by House members representing primarily rural areas of the state and include state Reps. Clint Owlett (R-Tioga/Bradford), Tina Pickett (R-Bradford/Wyoming), Marty Causer (R-Cameron/McKean/Potter), Joe Hamm (R-Lycoming/Sullivan), Jonathan Fritz (R-Susquehanna/Wayne), and Alec Ryncavage (R-Luzerne). The legislation comes in response to a series of hearing hosted by the Public Utility Commission (PUC) in Tioga, Bradford and Wyoming Counties after a formal complaint was filed against Frontier Communications by the state Office of Consumer Advocate and Office of Small Business Advocate.
“Many people in our rural communities cannot even rely on their basic landline telephone service, let alone internet. It’s a public safety issue and an economic issue, as well as a basic customer service issue,” Owlett said. “It’s time to hold these utility companies accountable to the people who are paying for service month after month, never knowing for sure if it’s going to work from one day to the next.”
The first bill, HB 1619, would direct the PUC to develop rules that would address unused or “ghost” poles left behind when utilities relocate their facilities. A second HB 1620 would require telecommunication companies to respond within 90 minutes of being notified of downed lines that result from a motor vehicle accident. If the company fails to have someone actively on the scene within an hour and a half, it would be required to reimburse the volunteer fire company $1,000 per hour.
“At one of the PUC hearings, we heard about volunteer firefighters spending over 12 HOURS directing traffic while waiting for Frontier Communications to come remove their lines from traffic,” Owlett said. “While our emergency responders are committed to doing whatever they need to do to protect public safety, this is unconscionable. Utility companies must do better.”
Another bill, HB 1622, would hold telecommunication utilities financially accountable if they fail to maintain the infrastructure necessary to keep 911 operating even in a phone service outage. If they fail to do so, and volunteer fire fighters are required to man fire stations in case community members seek emergency services, the telecommunication company would be required to compensate volunteer fire departments $1,000 an hour. Additionally, HB 1624 would require Emergency Management Coordinators (EMCs) to report to PUC when any power outages take down 911 landline systems.
Other legislation would require any telecommunication company that has a formal complaint brought against it via the PUC to provide the PUC and the General Assembly with a report of all the broken poles, compromised lines or line junction infrastructure that is not up to industry and PUC standards. A final piece of legislation would require telecommunications companies to notify customers if a service person was not showing up for a scheduled appoint, and to reimburse the customer at $25 an hour for the window of time for the appointment, if they fail to do show up for the appointment, or notify the customer they will not be showing up.
“I have heard from hundreds of residents regarding their ongoing frustrations with Frontier Communications and the less than acceptable service they provide to their customers,” Fritz said. “I am pleased to be a part of the effort to hold them accountable and work to bring these residents reliable service through legislation that would require broken poles, compromised lines or line junction infrastructure that is not currently up to industry and PUC standards to be reported to the General Assembly.”