On Wednesday, the Assembly Utilities & Commerce Committee approved Assembly Bill 2395 (Low), a measure which addresses “legacy phone service” and is sponsored by AT&T.
On the surface, AB 2395 offers consumers the promise of an alternative telecommunications service, often available through Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) or Internet Protocol (IP) and/or wireless services. These services primarily rely on fiber or broadband-based networks that are often non-existent and too costly to deploy in rural communities. The primary purpose of the measure is to allow a mechanism for legacy carriers to relinquish their decades-old obligations that guarantee basic two-way telephone service via a landline. The bill attempts to require legacy telephone carriers to meet certain thresholds before a relinquishment; however RCRC is troubled by the approach of the bill in ensuring alternatives are affordable, have good quality-of-service, and remain viable over the long-term. Furthermore, the enforcement burdens fall upon the California Public Utilities Commission and failure by the Commission to meet regulatory requirements in very limited timeframes are problematic.
AB 2935 will now be reviewed in the Assembly Appropriations Committee in the coming weeks. RCRC’s letter of opposition can be accessed here.