The California Public Utilities Commission (CPUC) has approved new requirements aimed at improving the quality of phone service in California, with a particular focus on reliability during emergencies.
At its meeting on September 18, the CPUC adopted updated service quality standards that apply to both traditional landline and fixed interconnected Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) providers. This marks the first time that minimum service quality standards have been extended to VoIP providers in the state.
The decision follows a multi-year process that included public input, analysis of outage data, and review of industry performance. The newly established General Order 133-E introduces several key measures:
– Service restoration: Providers must restore 90 percent of service outages for both landline and VoIP within 24 hours. Previous exclusions for Sundays and federal holidays have been removed.
– Automatic customer credits: Customers will receive compensation if they experience prolonged outages or poor service quality.
– Accountability tools: The order allows for corrective action plans, fines, and required infrastructure investments to hold providers accountable.
– Expanded reporting: Providers are now required to collect and publish more detailed outage and performance data.
Standards for wireless and broadband services will be considered in a later phase of this proceeding.
Commissioner Darcie L. Houck, who is assigned to the proceeding, stated, “It is important that Californians receive quality communication services regardless of the technology used to provide the service. I am proud of our decision’s approach to setting stricter minimum service quality standards and enforcement mechanisms to incentivize carriers to meet those standards. These measures will further the CPUC’s goal of ensuring customers receive safe and reliable communication services.”
The CPUC regulates utilities across California with a mission to protect consumers and ensure access to safe utility infrastructure. More information about their work can be found at www.cpuc.ca.gov.
