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Home » 2016 Issues » Vol. 63, No. 17 (04/15/2016) » 5956011 Public Service Commission - Notice Of Proposed Rulemaking - RM27-2016-01, In The Matter Of The Commission’s Investigation Into The Rules Governing Local Exchange Carrier Quality Of Service Standards For The District

  5956011 Public Service Commission - Notice Of Proposed Rulemaking - RM27-2016-01, In The Matter Of The Commission’s Investigation Into The Rules Governing Local Exchange Carrier Quality Of Service Standards For The District  

  • PUBLIC SERVICE COMMISSION OF THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA

     

    NOTICE OF PROPOSED RULEMAKING

     

    RM27-2016-01, IN THE MATTER OF THE COMMISSION’S INVESTIGATION INTO THE RULES GOVERNING LOCAL EXCHANGE CARRIER QUALITY OF SERVICE STANDARDS FOR THE DISTRICT

     

                1.         The Public Service Commission of the District of Columbia (“Commission”) hereby gives notice pursuant to Sections 34-802, 2-505, and 34-2002(g) of the District of Columbia Code[1] of its intent to amend Chapter 27, “Regulation of Telecommunications Service Providers” of Title 15 (Public Utilities and Cable Television) of the District of Columbia Municipal Regulations (“DCMR”), in not less than thirty (30) days from the date of publication of this Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (“NOPR”) in the D.C. Register.

     

                2.         The proposed amendments to Chapter 27 add a new section, Section 2725, that requires telecommunications service providers that provide regulated local exchange service to customers using facilities that are not powered by the telecommunications service provider to provide a standby backup power unit.  The proposed rules also require these telecommunications service providers to inform customers of the need for a standby backup power unit when the customer purchases regulated local exchange service provided over these facilities as well as annually.

     

    2725                STANDBY BATTERY BACKUP UNIT REQUIREMENTS

     

    2725.1             All telecommunications service providers that offer regulated local exchange service on facilities that are not line-powered shall provide customers with a standby backup power unit for all provider-furnished equipment and devices installed and operated on the customer premises that must remain powered for local exchange service to operate. The standby backup power unit shall be offered to the customer free of charge.

     

    2725.2             All standby backup power units offered by the telecommunications service providers that offer regulated local exchange service on facilities that are not line-powered after the effective date of these rules shall include at least twenty-five (25) hours of standby backup power.

     

    2725.3             For standby backup power units that rely on battery power, a telecommunications service provider that offers regulated local exchange service on facilities that are not line-powered shall provide one of the following two options for replacement of the batteries:

     

    (a)        Provide replacement batteries to the customer before the expiration date of the batteries provided with the standby backup power unit at no charge to the customer; or

     

    (b)        At least thirty (30) days before the expiration date of the batteries provided with the standby backup power unit, provide notification of the expiration date of the batteries so that the customer may purchase the batteries.  Provide a bill credit for the average retail cost of the replacement batteries on the next bill.

     

    2725.4             At the point of sale and once annually thereafter, all telecommunications service providers that offer regulated local exchange service on facilities that are not line-powered shall provide customers with information regarding: the standby backup power unit offered;   service limitations with and without standby backup power; standby backup power unit replacement, including cost; expected standby backup power duration; proper usage and storage conditions, including the impact on duration of failing to adhere to proper usage and storage; customer standby backup power unit self-testing and monitoring; and standby backup power unit warranty details, if any.

     

    2725.5             The disclosures mandated by this section shall be provided in a manner reasonably calculated to reach individual customers, with due consideration of customer preferences.  Information posted on the company’s public website and/or within a subscriber portal accessed by logging through the company’s website is not sufficient to comply with this section.

                           

    3.         Any person interested in commenting on the subject matter of this proposed rulemaking must submit comments and reply comments in writing no later than thirty (30) days and forty-five (45) days, respectively, from the date of publication of this Notice in the D.C. Register.  Comments and reply comments are to be addressed to Brinda Westbrook-Sedgwick, Commission Secretary, Public Service Commission of the District of Columbia, 1325 G Street, N.W., Suite 800, Washington D.C., 20005.  After the comment period expires, the Commission will take final rulemaking action.


    [1]               D.C. Official Code § 34-802 (2012 Repl.); D.C. Official Code § 2-505 (2012 Repl.) and D.C. Official Code § 34-2002(g) (2012 Repl. & 2015 Supp.).

     

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Rules:
15-2725