Phone Co.’s Wrong Number

In 1996, residential phone customers began deluging the California Public Utilities Commission with complaints about delays getting new phones installed and old ones repaired. Two years later, the commission responded by voting to implement the state’s first standards for service repairs. Key among them: requiring local phone companies to fix 90% of service problems within 24 hours of the initial complaint.

Since then, however, the PUC has failed to implement any such standards. Maddening service delays continue--even as mysterious new service charges appear on phone bills. In February, for instance, Pacific Bell began charging all of its customers 50 cents more a month to cover the technical costs of letting customers keep their existing phone numbers if they switch to a new local phone service provider. There’s just one catch: Since approximately 90% of the phone lines within California are owned and operated by PacBell, most Californians have no choice of local service providers. Now, PacBell is asking the PUC to let it boost rates once again.

It wants to double 411 charges to 50 cents and to have the state’s cap on 411 charges lifted from 25 cents to $1.10, so Pac Bell won’t have to seek permission for further increases.

It also wants to cut the number of free 411 calls from five to three for residential customers and from two to zero for businesses.

Before the commission considers PacBell’s request, it should make good on last year’s promise regarding service repairs.

Gov. Gray Davis also should deprive the commission of excuses for procrastinating by filling the two vacant seats on its five-member board.

Telephone service is a lifeline. Regulators need to do more to ensure that it’s available to all of us when we need it.