Requires charges for telephone calls based on duration, whether over lines or by cellular, to be charged and prorated by the second basis

1 Co-sponsor

• Liz Krueger

BILL NUMBER:S577

Title of bill

An act to amend the public service law, in relation to charges for telephone service on a by the second basis

Summary of specific provisions

Amends subdivision 1 of section 91 of the public service law.

Justification

In this day of computer automated phone systems, there is no identifiable reason why phone companies cannot charge their customers by the second instead of by the minute.

Many smaller long-distance companies already provide this service. However, the biggest long-distance companies do not. A phone call for one minute and ten seconds should be charged as that, and not as two minutes. Phone companies reap huge profits from this billing system and are reluctant to change the way they do business. The consequence of this is that New York phone customers are overcharged every time they make a long-distance call.

This legislation will force these companies to charge by the second, rather than by the minute, here in New York State.

Prior legislative history

2012: Senate Bill 2511 (Gianaris) - Died in Senate Energy & Telecommunications Committee 2012: Assembly Bill 4753 (Simotas) - Died in Assembly Corporations, Authorities and Commissions Committee 2010: Assembly Bill 5226 (Gianaris) - Died in Assembly Corporations, Authorities and Commissions Committee 2008: Assembly Bill 4257 (Gianaris) - Died in Assembly Corporations, Authorities and Commissions Committee 2006: Assembly Bill 9503 (Gianaris) - Died in Assembly Codes Committee 2005: Assembly Bill 9503 (Stringer) - Died in Assembly Corporations, Authorities and Commissions Committee 2004: Assembly Bill 4564 (Stringer) - Died in Assembly Corporations, Authorities and Commissions Committee 2002: Assembly Bill 1668 (Stringer) - Died in Assembly Corporations, Authorities and Commissions Committee 2000: Assembly Bill 1561 (Stringer) - Died in Assembly Corporations, Authorities and Commissions Committee 1998: Assembly Bill 8947 (Stringer) - Died in Assembly Corporations, Authorities and Commissions Committee

Fiscal implications

None.

Effective date

This act shall take effect on the one hundred eightieth day after it shall have become a law; provided that the public service commission is authorized to promulgate any and all rules and regulations and take any other measures necessary to implement this act on its effective date on or before such date.