Yesterday, we announced the filing of a Petition to the Public Service Commission requesting a formal proceeding to investigate the state of the telecommunications industry in New York State.  

Drafted by former Assemblyman Richard Brodsky, the Petition was endorsed by 16 allied organizations, including AARP, Common Cause, Consumers Union, Citizen Action, the Working Families Party and the NYS AFL-CIO; and approximately 75 elected officials, including the Mayors of Syracuse, Rochester, Albany, Kingston and Poughkeepsie.

The Petition asks the PSC to look at the impact of decisions over the last two decades to deregulate telecommunications, and specifically whether the promises of deregulation--that the most advanced, high-quality services at the lowest prices would be made available to all New Yorkers--have been realized.  It asks the PSC to examine the status of service quality, infrastructure investment, broadband buildout, the availability of competitive choices for consumers around the state, whether Verizon is misallocating costs between its subsidiaries in order to exaggerate landline losses and justify excessive price increases and the adequacy of the PSC's definition of "basic service."  (A final copy of the petition listing all the endorsers is attached).

We held a tele-press conference at noon yesterday and received coverage from a number of outlets.  Other newspapers indicated an interest in covering the story going forward.  Links to the press coverage are here:

Post-Standard:  http://www.syracuse.com/news/index.ssf/2014/07/is_phone_service_getting_worse_mayor_miner_joins_coalition_demading_a_review_by.html

Buffalo News:  http://www.buffalonews.com/business/coalition-asks-psc-to-review-telephone-service-20140702

WNYC:  http://www.wnyc.org/story/groups-demand-overhaul-outdated-ny-telecom-rules/

Broadcasting and Cable:  http://www.broadcastingcable.com/news/washington/new-york-groups-officials-seek-psc-telecom-inquiry/132176

Epoch Times:  http://www.theepochtimes.com/n3/782089-improve-internet-and-phone-service-for-all-new-yorkers-says-consumer-groups-and-officials/

Finally, the PSC responded to our announcement by saying that is already conducing such a study, reflecting the commitments it made as part of the budget process back in March.  Of course, the study agreed to in March is not a formal, adversarial hearing with defined opportunities for public input;  nor was the scope of that study determined with input from organizations and legislators such as those endorsing our petition.  Of course, the fact that the PSC has committed to do some study means that some investigation of the impact of deregulation will take place in coming months.  Our job is to make sure that is as thorough and probing as possible.  A copy of PSC Chairwoman Zibelman's letter to legislative leaders in May, outlining progress on the proposed study, is also attached.  It is worth noting that it appears that the Chairwoman's letter was not posted on the PSC website until yesterday.

We'll keep you posted as things develop.  Please share these materials with members of your locals as we continue the fight for good telecommunications services and jobs in New York State.