WASHINGTON-California Public Utilities Commission member Dian Grueneich said her telecom consumer-protection plan imposes far fewer obligations on carriers than the existing bill of rights while providing stronger enforcement than a far more deregulatory proposal backed by agency head Michael Peevey.
“In 2004 in California, the number of complaints related to wireless service skyrocketed by 63 percent, while overall wireless subscriber rates increased by 15 percent. Competition and innovation have provided important consumer protections, but more is needed,” said Grueneich. “It is imperative that we take action to ensure that consumers receive the information they need to make informed decisions about this essential service while creating rules that allow competition and innovation to flourish. This decision strikes the appropriate balance between the needs of consumers and supporting a competitive marketplace.”
But Grueneich likely faces a tough challenge getting support for her measure.
The current bill of rights, approved by the CPUC in 2004 and suspended eight months later, is dead for all practical purposes.
Another plan, crafted by former commissioner Susan Kennedy and Peevey, appears better positioned to secure the three votes needed for passage when the two bill-of-rights alternates go before the five-member agency in March.
The mobile-phone industry opposes any new state wireless regulations.
