State must keep regulating digital phone service

The cable and telecom giants slipped into the fine print of Gov. Andrew Cuomo's proposed budget a ban on any consumer protections on their digital phone service, including pricing, quality, reliability and accessibility.

Digital phone service, as well known as VoIP (Voice over Internet Protocol) is quickly replacing traditional landlines in homes and offices.

If the state is stripped of its authority to enact common-sense consumer protections, millions of New Yorkers will have no protection from sudden rate hikes and excessive fees; they'll have nowhere to take serious complaints or problems; and low-income and elderly New Yorkers will have a much harder time paying for basic telephone service, because digital providers won't be required to support vital lifeline services, which are discounted for the needy.

History shows us that without meaningful regulation, these giant corporations don't treat clients fairly. According to a survey by the National Association of State Utility Consumer Advocates, of 20 states that have chosen not to provide oversight of landline telecommunications, 17 have seen rate increases.

New York regulates traditional landline phones to protect consumers, albeit weakly. It recently proposed a $400,000 fine on Verizon afterwards the company failed to fix the massive outages clients suffered while Tropical Storms Irene and Lee. If the companies get their way, there will never be any repercussions at all for them if they fail to fix even mass outages in a timely manner.

The three CEOs of Verizon

The three CEOs of Verizon, Time Warner and Cablevision received compensation packages totaling near $58 million for the last year reported. They don't need to squeeze moreover from New Yorkers by delaying service repairs, and denying low-income clients lifeline telephone service.

The Legislature needs to stand up to this special interest scheme so all New York residents and businesses can count on a dependable, affordable dial tone, every time we pick up the phone.

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