§ 16-247v — Performance standards for restoration of intrastate telecommunications service after emergencies. Credit for service outages.

(a) The Public Utilities Regulatory Authority shall initiate a docket to establish standards for restoration of intrastate telecommunications service, as defined in section 16-247a, by any telephone company, certified telecommunications provider, certified competitive video service provider, community antenna television company, holder of a certificate of cable franchise authority or holder of a certificate of video franchise authority, as those terms are defined in section 16-1, after any emergency, as defined in section 16-32e. The standards established by the authority shall be limited to any portion of an emergency in which (1) the intrastate telecommunications service outage affects more than ten per cent of any such company's, provider's or holder's access lines, (2) such outage lasts more than forty-eight consecutive hours, and (3) such outage was not caused by the equipment, negligence or wilful act of the subscriber of such service or any other third party. (b) In establishing such emergency restoration standards, the authority shall consider: (1) The severity, extent and duration of the emergency; (2) Communication and coordination by each such company, provider or holder with the state, municipalities and any relevant electric distribution company; (3) The operations of any call center operated by each such company, provider or holder during an emergency; (4) Requirements concerning the assignment of a representative of each such company, provider or holder to staff the emergency operations center of any relevant electric distribution company during an emergency; (5) Service restoration; (6) The safety of the subscribers of any such company, provider or holder; and (7) That restoration of such intrastate telecommunications service cannot be completed until after commercial power is restored. (c) If the authority determines that any such company, provider or holder has failed to comply with the standards established pursuant to subsection (b) of this section, the authority may submit a report, in accordance with section 11-4a , to the joint standing committee of the General Assembly having cognizance of matters relating to energy, recommending legislation establishing penalties for future noncompliance with such standards. Any penalty for noncompliance with the standards established pursuant to this section shall be limited to any penalty established pursuant to this section. (d) Each telephone company and certified telecommunications provider, shall, to the extent permitted under federal law, provide a bill credit to any subscriber of such company or provider for any service outage of intrastate telecommunications service, in an emergency, provided (1) such service outage lasts for more than twenty-four consecutive hours, (2) the subscriber notifies such company or provider of such service outage not later than thirty days after the end of any such emergency, (3) such service outage was not caused by the equipment, negligence or wilful act of the subscriber or any other third party, (4) such service outage affects more than ten per cent of any such company's or provider's access lines, and (5) such service outage was not caused by the failure of commercial power used to provide such intrastate telecommunications service. The amount of any such credit shall equal the proportionate share of such service not received during the billing period during which such outage occurred. The provisions of this subsection shall not apply to any certified competitive video service provider, community antenna television company, holder of a certificate of cable franchise authority or holder of a certificate of video franchise authority that already provides credits pursuant to section 16-331 l or 16-331w .

Legislative History

(P.A. 12-148, S. 5.) History: P.A. 12-148 effective June 15, 2012.