Telecommunications Reports presents . . . . . TR's State NewsWire
February 7, 2001 8 A.M. Edition


STATES
GEORGIA -- PSC approves 'multiple overlay' for '678' area code
WYOMING -- Senate OKs Uniform Electronic Transactions Act
ILLINOIS -- Democrats appointed to committee that will address 'open
access'
FLORIDA -- PSC sets deadline for telecom firms to provide '711' relay
access
OHIO -- Bill to restrict e-mail advertising to be heard next week
IDAHO -- Bill directs PUC to open service-quality rulemaking
TEXAS -- AT&T asks commission not to delay USF review until 2003
HAWAII -- Lawmakers to consider 'open access' bill
MASSACHUSETTS -- Bill would forbid assessing elderly long distance
service charge
GEORGIA -- Legislator takes aim at drivers using hand-held wireless
phones
VIRGINIA -- Prison phone bill clears committee
MINNESOTA -- Legislators take aim at telemarketers
ILLINOIS -- Measure would prohibit Internet gambling
NEW YORK -- Verizon debuts new calling features in New York City


NETWORK MANAGEMENT
GEORGIA
PSC approves 'multiple overlay' for '678' area code

The Public Service Commission yesterday approved a "multiple overlay"
plan to relieve NXX code exhaustion in the "678" number planning area
(NPA), a commission staff member told TR.  A new area code will overlay
the 678 NPA, which is already an overlay for the "404" and "770" area
codes.

The relief plan will allow existing customers to keep the 678 area code
and will continue to require 10-digit dialing.  When the 678 NPA is
exhausted, code assignments will be made in the new overlay area code.
The 678 NPA has enough codes to last through August, and the new area
code is scheduled to take effect Aug. 7.  In addition, the remaining
codes in the 404 NPA will continue to be available until they are
exhausted.  (Docket no. 10448-U)



INTERNET
WYOMING
Senate OKs Uniform Electronic Transactions Act

The Senate has approved the Uniform Electronic Transactions Act (SB 116)
by a 27-3 vote.  SB 116 would give legal effect to electronic
signatures, ensuring that a record or signature wouldn't be denied legal
enforceability solely because it was in electronic form.

The measure would apply only to transactions where both parties have
agreed to conduct business through electronic means.  A party that
agreed to conduct a transaction by electronic means could refuse to
conduct other transactions electronically.  Additionally, no individual
could waive this right.

SB 116 wouldn't apply to wills, codicils, or testamentary trusts.  SB
116, which was sponsored by Sen. John Hanes (R., District 5) and Rep.
Bruce Burns (R., District 51), awaits committee referral in the House.



ADVANCED SERVICES
ILLINOIS
Democrats appointed to committee that will address 'open access'

The House Democratic leadership has appointed six members to the
Computer Technology Committee.  The Republicans likely will appoint
members to the committee by the end of this week or early next week, a
legislative staff member told TR.

Rep. Connie Howard (D., District 32) will chair the committee.  The
other Democratic members are Reps. Julie Hamos (District 18), Jay
Hoffman (District 112), Louis Lang (District 16), Todd Stroger (District
31), and Karen Yarbrough (District 7).

Rep. Jeffrey Schoenberg's (D., Evanston) proposed Internet Access
Enhancement Act has been referred to the committee.  (1/11/01 p.m.)  A
hearing has been scheduled for tomorrow but likely will be cancelled if
the Republican leadership has finalized its appointments.

HB 138 would require a provider of high-speed broadband Internet access
that also is a cable TV operator, or an affiliate of a high-speed
broadband Internet service provider, to allow any requesting ISP to
access its high-speed broadband services.  The access would have to be
provided at rates, terms, and conditions that are "at least as
favorable" as those that the broadband ISP provides to itself, an
affiliate, or any other person.



CUSTOMER-AFFECTING
FLORIDA
PSC sets deadline for telecom firms to provide '711' relay access

The Public Service Commission has set Aug. 1 as the deadline for the
state's telecom companies to provide speech- and hearing-impaired
customers with access to the Florida Relay Service through the "711"
telephone number.  The 711 number facilitates access to the relay system
by eliminating the need to dial an 11-digit toll-free number, which was
required until now and differs from one state to another.  The FCC has
ordered all states to implement 711 access to relay service by Oct. 1.



INTERNET
OHIO
Bill to restrict e-mail advertising to be heard next week

The Senate Economic Development, Technology, and Aerospace Committee has
scheduled a Feb. 13 hearing on a bill to prohibit the transmission of
unsolicited e-mail advertisements.  (2/5/01 a.m.)  The hearing is
scheduled for 11 a.m. in the Senate's South Hearing Room.

Under SB 8, the recipient of an e-mail advertisement transmitted in
violation of the legislation could bring a civil action against the
violator.  The recipient could recover actual damages or $10 per e-mail
advertisement and attorney's fees and court costs.

The committee held its first hearing on the bill yesterday, during which
its sponsor, Sen. Ron Amstutz (R., District 22), testified.  The
committee will hold at least three more hearings on the measure, a
legislative staff member told TR.

Many different parties have expressed interest in SB 8, but no one has
come out in strong opposition or support of it, the staff member said.



CUSTOMER-AFFECTING
IDAHO
Bill directs PUC to open service-quality rulemaking

A bill has been introduced in the House that would direct the Public
Utilities Commission to open a rulemaking to set new telecom
service-quality standards.  HB 127 would require the commission to draft
rules that would apply to all telecom services necessary to provide
local exchange service.

The commission currently only has one rule related to service quality,
which addresses restoration of service, the PUC staff told TR.  The new
rules that would be drafted as a result of this bill would be much
broader, the staff said.

HB 127 would authorize the commission to determine the appropriate
amount for administrative penalties if a provider failed to meet a
standard.  The assessed penalty for each unmet standard should be
proportionate to the number of affected customers and the frequency of
noncompliance with the standards, according to the measure.

HB 127, which was sponsored by the House State Affairs Committee, awaits
committee referral.



UNIVERSAL SERVICE
TEXAS
AT&T asks commission not to delay USF review until 2003

AT&T Corp. has asked the Public Utility Commission not to delay its
review of the Texas Universal Service Fund (USF) eligible services,
costs, benchmark levels, and base support amounts until March 2003, as
recommended by the PUC's policy development division.  AT&T suggested
that the PUC consider a limited review of the USF sharing mechanism
beginning in June, with a full review starting no later than one year
from now.  The company asked that the revised support levels be
determined by the end of 2002.

According to AT&T, the USF funding levels were derived from 1997 data.
The company asserted that since 1997, SBC Communications, Inc., and
Verizon Communications, Inc., have gained "substantial economies of
scale through merger activities."  AT&T added that toll and access rates
have declined "significantly" in state and interstate jurisdictions,
while local service rates have held steady, and only small increases in
end-user common line rates have occurred.

The company concluded that the benchmark revenues value for determining
state USF support is likely to have changed.  (Project no. 22472, USF
Rules Review)



ADVANCED SERVICES
HAWAII
Lawmakers to consider 'open access' bill

Rep. William Stonebraker (R., District 15) has introduced HB 1617 to
require each wireline broadband Internet access transport provider to
provide any other requesting Internet service provider access to its
broadband Internet services, unbundled from content.  Violators of HB
1617, the Internet Access Enhancement Act of 2001, would face up to 90
days in jail or a maximum fine of $5,000.

HB 1617 awaits consideration by the Consumer Protection and Commerce
Committee and the Judiciary and Hawaiian Affairs Committee.



PRICING
MASSACHUSETTS
Bill would forbid assessing elderly long distance service charge

Rep. George Rogers (D., New Bedford) has introduced a bill to prohibit
long distance telephone carriers from assessing a service charge against
elderly customers.  The measure doesn't define the term elderly.

Carriers that continued assessing the charge would be fined $1,000 per
day, per customer.  Fines would be paid into the state's Elderly Affairs
Secretariat for administering services for the elderly.  HB 1583 has
been referred to the Government Relations Committee.



WIRELESS
GEORGIA
Legislator takes aim at drivers using hand-held wireless phones

Sen. Donzella J. James (D., District 35) has introduced a bill to
prohibit drivers from using wireless phones not equipped for hands-free
use.  Violators of SB 115 would be guilty of a misdemeanor and subject
to a fine of up to $50.

The bill's text is available at
http://www.legis.state.ga.us/Legis/2001_02/fulltext/sb115.htm



PRICING
VIRGINIA
Prison phone bill clears committee

The House Committee on Health, Welfare, and Institutions has approved a
bill aimed at reducing rates paid by inmates for collect calls made from
prison.  HB 2196 would require any "commission" received by the
Department of Corrections from a company providing inmate phone service
to be used to reduce inmates' rates.

The State Corporation Commission recently decided to proceed with a Feb.
14 hearing to examine the rates charged by two Virginia subsidiaries of
WorldCom, Inc., for service provided to the state's inmate telephone
system.  (2/2/01 p.m.)  The SCC's investigation began last year when two
Department of Corrections inmates complained that the rates WorldCom
charges for collect calls placed by inmates are too high.

The bill, sponsored by Del. Flora Davis Crittenden (D., District 95) has
been referred to the Committee on Appropriations.  Its text is available
at http://leg1.state.va.us/cgi-bin/legp504.exe?011+ful+HB2196.



CUSTOMER-AFFECTING
MINNESOTA
Legislators take aim at telemarketers

Sen. Dallas Sams (D., District 11) has introduced SF 566 to require
telemarketers to obtain an authorization form from a customer for an
electronic charge discussed during a telephone call.  The authorization
would have to be either written authorization from the customer or an
oral or written statement from the customer disclosing the last four
digits of the account number.

During a telemarketing call to a preacquired account, a telemarketer
would have to disclose to the customer the authorization policy
established by the legislation.



INTERNET
ILLINOIS
Measure would prohibit Internet gambling

Rep. Lee Daniels (R., Elmhurst) has introduced HB 545 to make Internet
gambling a Class A misdemeanor.  The bill has been referred to the House
Rules Committee.

The measure would prohibit knowingly playing "a game of chance or skills
for money or other thing of value by means of the Internet" or knowingly
making a wager on "the result of any game, contest, political
nomination, appointment, or election by means of the Internet."



ADVANCED SERVICES
TEXAS
PUC sets xDSL working group meeting

The Public Utility Commission has scheduled a Feb. 20 meeting of the
xDSL (digital subscriber line) working group.  The PUC expects to
discuss Southwestern Bell Telephone Co.'s xDSL performance.
Specifically, participants will address basic rate interface/integrated
services digital network digital subscriber line provisioning.  (Project
no. 20400, Section 271 Compliance Monitoring of Southwestern Bell
Telephone Co. of Texas)



CUSTOMER-AFFECTING
NEW YORK
Verizon debuts new calling features in New York City

Verizon New York, Inc., has started offering two new services--Talking
Call Waiting and Internet Call Manager--to its customers in New York
City.  Talking Call Waiting enhances standard call waiting by using a
computerized voice to announce the name of the new caller.  Internet
Call Manager uses a pop-up window to notify customers of incoming calls
while they are on the Internet using the same phone line, using a pop-up
window.

The company said a third new service, Call Intercept, should be
available to Verizon's New York City customers by mid-year.  Call
Intercept blocks all calls from phone numbers that appear as "private'"
or "unavailable" on Caller ID displays.  Callers will be offered the
opportunity to record a message, which subscribers can listen to
immediately and decide whether to take the call.

Talking Call Waiting is $2.50 per month.  Subscribers also must have
call waiting, which is $5.19 for residential customers and $11.68 for
small business customers.  Internet Call Manager is priced at $5.95
monthly for residential customers.



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