On Monday, April 4th, RCRC requested formal party status from the California Public Utilities Commission (CPUC) in a new proceeding that will consider changes to minimum service quality standards of Voice Over Internet Protocol (VoIP), wireless, and broadband service. This proceeding will also examine existing enforcement mechanisms to improve substandard service. Currently, CPUC General Order 133 sets minimum service quality standards for legacy Plain Old Telephone Service (POTS) providers. As new technology has become more prolific, rural counties have experienced a myriad of poor service quality issues that have compounded over time. Those issues include a lack of redundancy for VoIP, insufficient wireless coverage, and inadequate broadband speeds that impact educational outcomes, commerce, and telehealth opportunities. During the COVID-19 pandemic, service disruptions to public meeting broadcasts effectively prevented several local agencies from taking timely, transparent action on the people’s business pursuant to open meetings laws. Furthermore, while the CPUC currently permits investments in lieu of penalties to remedy service quality deficiencies, the resulting progress has largely been deemed ineffective and will be called into question as part of the scope of the proceeding. RCRC’s motion can be viewed here. For more information, contact RCRC Senior Policy Advocate, Tracy Rhine.
