RICHMOND — The State Corporation Commission (SCC) has revised the rules governing the quality of local telephone service provided in Virginia. The rules establish minimum standards for protecting the public health and safety while allowing competition to offer customers choices that exceed the minimum service requirements.
The revised rules set the minimum acceptable customer care performance standards for out-of-service reports –
- most customers should expect service restored within 48 hours; and no longer than 96 hours;
- service should be restored within 24 hours for any customer stating a medical necessity;
- upon a customer complaint to the SCC, service should be restored within 24 hours.
The rules also set the minimum acceptable standards for service installation orders –
- most customers should expect orders to be completed within five business days;
- most customers should expect installation commitments to be met;
- upon a customer complaint to the SCC, delayed installations should be completed within five business days.
To enhance the effectiveness of the rules and to ensure customer awareness, local exchange carriers are being required to publish periodically on customers’ bills the information customers need in order to lodge a service-related complaint with the Commission.
According to the Commission, “These requirements recognize the vital importance to personal and public safety, as well as to the expectations of modern commerce, that reliable communications networks and services provide.”
The revised service quality rules take effect November 1, 2009.
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Case number: PUC-2008-00047
View Order Adopting Rules