Telecommunications Reports presents . . . . . TR's State NewsWire
January 31, 2001 P.M. Edition

STATES
UTAH -- House OKs using '511' line for travel information
UTAH -- Senate backs bill increasing telecom access in rural schools
OREGON -- PUC declines to stay decision including interstate revenues in
USF
MISSOURI -- Bill seeks consumer protections for long distance services
NEW YORK -- PSC uses new procedures to reclaim five 'NXX' codes
NORTH CAROLINA -- Bill would give inmates more leeway with local calls
ILLINOIS -- Ameritech files complaint against electric company
NEW MEXICO -- Bill would direct study of phoning while driving
NEVADA -- PUC schedules conference on UNE costs, rates
NORTH DAKOTA -- Bill would restrict telemarketing
WASHINGTON -- WUTC takes up number pooling cost recovery
NEW YORK -- PSC seeks comment on RCN-Verizon cable experiment
ILL. -- Bill would require carriers to notify customers 60 days before
increasing rates

NETWORK MANAGEMENT
UTAH
House OKs using '511' line for travel information

The House has approved a bill to set aside the "511" abbreviated dialing
code to provide information useful to travelers in Utah.  (1/12/01
a.m.)  HB 202, which is sponsored by Rep. Marda Dillree (R., District
17), would direct the state Department of Transportation to develop a
travelers' information system and to serve as the point of contact for
coordinating the service with telecom service providers.

The department would implement and administer the service, coordinating
with highway authorities and public transit district officials to
provide "advanced multimodal traveler information."  The department
would have to enter into agreements or contracts with the highway
authorities and public transit districts to share the project's cost.

HB 202 awaits consideration by the Senate State and Local Affairs
Committee.

ADVANCED SERVICES
UTAH
Senate backs bill increasing telecom access in rural schools

The Senate has approved a bill to require the Utah Education Network
(UEN) to work with rural county governments to establish education
resource centers in their counties.  (1/23/01/ p.m.)  The UEN maintains
an education microwave distribution system, data network, and other
telecom service distribution systems appropriate for providing video,
audio, and data services for public schools and colleges.

SB 124 would require the UEN to set up such centers in at least Beaver,
Daggett, Garfield, Juab, Kane, Morgan, Piute, Rich, and Wayne counties.

The bill would allocate $743,000 from individual income tax revenues to
the UEN to fund the centers.  Of that appropriation, $441,000 would go
toward one-time costs for electronic equipment, and $302,000 would be
allocated for ongoing costs.

SB 124, which was sponsored by Sen. Beverly Ann Evans (R., District 26),
awaits committee referral in the House.

UNIVERSAL SERVICE
OREGON
PUC declines to stay decision including interstate revenues in USF

The Public Utility Commission has said it won't stay its decision
applying the Oregon universal service charge to both interstate and
intrastate telecom revenue.  AT&T Communications of the Pacific
Northwest, Inc., had requested the stay while the company's judicial
actions were processed.

The PUC said the issue raised by AT&T--that revenues only from strictly
intrastate services should fund the Oregon universal services
program--was addressed during the "extensive" proceedings that
established the program.  The commission said it wasn't persuaded by
AT&T.

According to the Attorney General's Model Rules of Procedure, a stay
should be granted is the party seeking the stay can demonstrate that
"irreparable injury" would occur to the petitioner if the order weren't
stayed.  The commission said AT&T asserted that if the order wasn't
stayed, there would be a large administrative burden on the PUC and the
carriers to restructure the program and recalculate contributions.

The PUC pointed out that if AT&T doesn't prevail and a court holds that
the fund should have been based on all telecom revenues, recalculating
the basis for the fund would be a tedious process.  The PUC noted,
however, that the recalculations wouldn't cause irreparable harm to AT&T
or any other party.  (Docket no. UM 731, In the Matter of the
Investigation of Universal Service in the State of Oregon)

CUSTOMER-AFFECTING
MISSOURI
Bill seeks consumer protections for long distance services

Rep. Philip G. Smith (D., District 11) has introduced HB 294 to require
long distance telecom service providers to increase consumer
protections.  The measure would require long distance providers, through
their customer service numbers, to allow consumers to cancel service and
receive notification of the cancellation.  A provider would be required
to disconnect a consumer's service immediately after receiving
notification of cancellation.  In addition, the long distance provider
would have to ask the local telecom provider to stop routing the
customer's long distance calls to that long distance provider.

HB 294 also would require that customers receive notification of certain
information when initiating long distance calls in Missouri using
calling cards, credit cards, or pay phones.  This information would
include the default long distance company for the call, the rate the
consumer would pay for the call, and any service charges related to the
call.

HB 294 has been referred to the House Committee on Criminal Law.  Its
text is available at
http://www.house.state.mo.us/bills01/biltxt01/intro01/HB0294I.htm.

NETWORK MANAGEMENT
NEW YORK
PSC uses new procedures to reclaim five 'NXX' codes

The Public Service Commission has directed North American Numbering Plan
administrator NeuStar, Inc., to reclaim five central office codes (NXXs)
from two carriers.  The commission ordered Net-Tel Communications, Inc.,
to return the "347" area code's "425," "542," "692," and "832" NXXs.
Computer Business Science, Inc., must return the "718" area code's "620"
NXX.

Last month the commission adopted procedures governing the reclamation
of central office codes that carriers have failed to activate.
(12/15/00 a.m.)  A carrier has six months to activate an NXX code once
it has been assigned.  Under the new procedures, the PSC can order the
carrier to relinquish an unused code after giving 14 days' notice. (Case
98-C-0689)

FUTURE OF REGULATION
NORTH CAROLINA
Bill would give inmates more leeway with local calls

Rep. Wilma M. Sherrill (R., District 51) has introduced HB 10 to allow
minimum security prison inmates to have the cost of local calls debited
from their trust accounts.  Currently these charges are billed to the
recipients of the calls.  HB 10 also would require the Department of
Corrections to prepare a report for the General Assembly describing the
telephone services available to inmates.

HB 10 has been referred to the House Committee on Rules, Calendar, and
Operations of the House.  Its text is available at
http://www.ncga.state.nc.us/html2001/bills/AllVersions/House/H10v1.html.

FUTURE OF REGULATION
ILLINOIS
Ameritech files complaint against electric company

Ameritech-Illinois has filed a complaint with the state Commerce
Commission seeking customer-specific calculations for the "customer
transition charge" (CTC) from Commonwealth Edison Co.  All delivery
service customers, regardless of whether they purchase power and energy
from ComEd or a competitor, must pay the CTC.

Ameritech says ComEd provides customer-specific CTCs for only two of the
100 Ameritech facilities covered under the companies' agreement.
According to Ameritech, ComEd has taken the position that it serves
Ameritech's facilities under a "rider 32 contract" and that those
facilities aren't eligible for customer-specific CTCs.  The rider 32
contract contains no significant, individually negotiated rates, terms,
or conditions.  Such a contract is included as an addendum to whatever
other agreement the customer has with ComEd, Ameritech said.  (Docket
no. 01-0078 - Illinois Bell Telephone Co. vs. Commonwealth Edison Co.,
Complaint regarding wrongful refusal to provide customer-specific
customer transition charges)

WIRELESS
NEW MEXICO
Bill would direct study of phoning while driving

Sen. Leonard Lee Rawson (R., District 37) has introduced Senate Joint
Memorial 11 to direct the Highway and Transportation Department's
traffic safety bureau to study and collect data to determine the amount
of motor vehicle accidents involving wireless phone use.

According to the measure, a study is necessary to weigh "the benefits of
wireless technology against the potential dangers of using wireless
phones while operating a motor vehicle."  SJM 11 has been referred to
the Senate Rules Committee.

SECTION 251/252
NEVADA
PUC schedules conference on UNE costs, rates

The Public Utilities Commission of Nevada has scheduled a Feb. 20
prehearing conference to examine new costs and rates for Nevada Bell's
unbundled network elements.  The commission opened the proceeding at the
company's request.

During the prehearing conference, the commission plans to formulate and
simplify issues related to this proceeding.  (Docket no. 00-7012, In re
petition of Nevada Bell Telephone Company for an Order commencing a
proceeding to determine new costs and rates for unbundled network
elements)

CUSTOMER-AFFECTING
NORTH DAKOTA
Bill would restrict telemarketing

Sen. Mike Every (D., District 12) has introduced SB 2437 to prohibit
telemarketers from calling consumers who have notified the Public
Service Commission that they object to such calls.  Telemarketers also
would be prohibited from using automatic dial-around devices to contact
a consumer unless the consumer subscribed to a service provided by the
device.

SB 2437 would require the PSC to maintain a database of telephone
numbers of consumers who don't want calls from telemarketers.  Consumers
would pay $5 for inclusion in the database, and telemarketers would pay
$10 annually for access to it.

SB 2437 also would require telemarketers to state their name and the
entity on whose behalf they were calling at the beginning of each call.
Telemarketers would be prohibited from circumventing a consumer's Caller
ID service.  The attorney general would be authorized to issue cease and
desist orders or to impose civil penalties of up to $2,000 for each
violation of SB 2437.

The bill has been referred to the Senate Committee on Industry,
Business, and Labor.

NETWORK MANAGEMENT
WASHINGTON
WUTC takes up number pooling cost recovery

The Utilities and Transportation Commission has asked for comments by
Feb. 28 regarding cost allocation and cost recovery associated with
number pooling.  In November 2000, the PUC ordered the telecom industry
to begin a 1,000-number block pooling trial in the Spokane area by July
8.  (11/30/00 a.m.)

The commission has asked interested parties to answer a series of
questions regarding cost recovery.  The questions include (1) whether
the company plans to implement a surcharge to cover state interim
pooling costs, (2) which FCC requirements apply regarding interim
pooling cost recovery, (3) should an interim pooling charge continue
once national pooling is implemented and the FCC addresses cost
recovery, and (4) should the costs of the number pooling administrator
be recovered.  (Docket no. UT-991627)

SECTION 251/252
NEW YORK
PSC seeks comment on RCN-Verizon cable experiment

The Public Service Commission has requested comment on the results of an
agreement between Verizon New York, Inc., and RCN Corp. that gives the
competitive local exchange carrier access to Verizon's house and riser
cable, instead of requiring Verizon to dispatch its own technician.
Comments are due Feb. 19 on the one-year trial agreement.

The commission said the companies reported results of the experiment
Jan. 17 "evidencing substantial disagreement concerning the success of
the program."  The commission said it's seeking comment because a final
determination regarding the trial's success may affect other competitive
local exchange carriers.

Replies are due March 5.  (Case no. 00-C-1931, In the Matter of Staff's
Proposal to Examine the Issues Concerning the Cross-Connection of House
& Riser Cables)

PRICING
ILLINOIS
Bill would require carriers to notify customers 60 days before
increasing rates

Rep. Susan Garrett (D., District 59) has introduced HB 337 to require
telecom carriers to notify customers at least 60 days before increasing
their rates.  The carriers would have to provide notified customers with
a toll-free telephone number to call regarding the rate increase.

The measure was introduced yesterday and has been referred to the House
Rules Committee.


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