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California Public Advocates Office calls for broadband and wireless service quality standards

The Public Advocates Office, an independent consumer advocate department within the California Public Utilities Commission (CPUC), urged the CPUC to investigate what baseline service quality standards are necessary to ensure all Californians receive reliable broadband and wireless services.

“As the state moves forward with its aggressive and laudable plans to ensure all Californians have access and the means to use broadband and wireless services, we must also collaboratively discuss the quality of those services,” said Amy Yip-Kikugawa, Acting Director of the Public Advocates Office. “Without this discussion it’s hard to know if we are meeting the needs of our educators, seniors, first responders, families, children, and all our communities so that they are kept connected, informed, healthy, and safe.”

In April, CWA launched an ambitious multi-state effort to pass state legislation that would establish public utility commission oversight of broadband in public safety, network resiliency and consumer protection. Legislation has already been introduced in California, Colorado, and New York. CWA is also in active conversations with policymakers in state houses across the country about its model bill, the Broadband Resiliency, Public Safety and Quality Act.

Links:

Public Advocates Office calls for discussion on broadband and wireless service quality (CPUC, Sep. 29, 2021)

With Biden’s infrastructure bill promising nationwide broadband access and good jobs, Communications Workers of America launches multi-state effort to regulate broadband, close digital divide (CWA, Apr. 12, 2021)