WASHINGTON-State regulators meeting in Atlanta this week passed a resolution aimed at improving wireless carrier customer service.
The National Association of Regulatory Utility Commissioners said it encourages wireless telecommunications carriers to hire and train their staff at sufficient levels to render adequate and satisfactory service to consumers. It also said consumers should have the ability to call on the appropriate state agency, unless prohibited by state law, for assistance in resolving billing and service-quality problems. The resolution added that wireless carriers should fully disclose service charges and fees, including government-mandated charges that they impose on customers in addition to the monthly service charges.
The resolution on wireless customer service was one of 12 passed by NARUC and comes at a time of increased scrutiny of how wireless carriers treat their customers.
In addition to consumer scrutiny, which will become more important Monday when local number portability takes effect, interest has mounted on Capitol Hill, in the courts, and by both state and federal regulators.
The Cellular Telecommunications & Internet Association is scheduled to present its recently adopted wireless consumer code of conduct to the FCC’s Consumer Advisory Committee today.
For its part, NARUC has passed resolutions on wireless customer service at its last three gatherings. It has been involved in the LNP debate, arguing that wireless carriers will have to treat their customers better if they want to keep them.
NARUC also passed a resolution urging the FCC to regulate voice over Internet Protocol not by how it is carried but by the service that is offered.
NARUC defeated a resolution that would have allocated the last remaining three-digit phone number, 811, to underground-facility locator services.
Three-digit dialing has become increasingly popular after the success of 411 for information and 911 for emergency services. The actor George Clooney recently came to Capitol Hill to advocate nationwide 211 service for non-profits. 311 is a non-emergency number used by local governments. 511 is used for traffic information and 711 is used for access to TTY services for the deaf and hard of hearing.
