September 18, 2007

The Michigan Public Service Commission (MPSC) today approved a revised version of the telecommunications service quality rules, improving consumer protections.

"From customer credits for service outages, to timely responses to customer complaints, these rules safeguard the interests of customers," said MPSC Chairman Orjiakor N. Isiogu.

Highlights of the rules include:

• Requiring telecommunications providers to furnish each customer with a clear and simple explanation of the terms and conditions of the services purchased by the customer, including, but not limited to, a statement of all fees, charges, and taxes that will be included in the customer's monthly bill.
• Requiring providers to maintain adequate personnel to answer customer calls within a monthly average of three minutes, with the assistance of a live person.
• Providing a customer bill credit when a service outage is not cleared within 36 hours from the time the outage is reported or found by the provider. The credit will be equal to 1/30 of the customer's monthly charge for basic local exchange service for each day of the outage until service is restored.
• Giving the customer a credit of $15 when the provider misses a repair appointment time commitment.
• Requiring providers to release the loop facilities and telephone number serving its customer within a monthly average of four business days after a request is made.
• Giving customers at least 24 hours notice for a planned service interruption, unless circumstances make notification not practicable.

The approved rules now go to the Legislative Service Bureau, the State Office of Administrative Hearings and Rules for their formal approvals. Following those formal approvals, the rules will be transmitted to the Joint Committee on Administrative Rules.

The MPSC is an agency within the Department of Labor & Economic Growth.

Case No. U-14962