Requires telecommunication service providers to provide notice relating to service outages

BILL NUMBER:S885A

Title of bill

An act to amend the public service law, in relation to requiring telecommunication service providers to provide notice relating to service outages

Purpose

Requires telecommunication service providers to provide information regarding service outages to the Public Service Commission and to customers. This information is to include the number of customers affected by geographic area and expected timetable of return of service.

Summary of provisions

Section 1: Amends the Public Service Law by creating a new section 92-h which would direct the Public Service Commission to adopt regulations to require that telecommunication service providers provide information regarding service outages that affect five out of one hundred service lines for at least twenty-four hours to the Public Service Commission and to customers. This information is to include the number of customers affected by geographic area and expected timetable of return of service.

Section 2: Effective date.

Justification

When a commercial or residential customer is subject to an outage of telecommunication service for an extended period of time it can severely impact them. They should be able to access information about the extent of the outage and an expected timetable of return of service.

Legislative history

S.6346 of 2012: Died in Senate Energy and Telecommunications

Fiscal implications

None.

Effective date

This act shall take effect on the ninetieth day after it shall have become a law; provided, however, that the public service commission is immediately authorized and directed to take any and all actions,. including but not limited to the promulgation of any rules, necessary to fully implement the provisions of this act on its effective date.