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On Tuesday, October 24, 1995, the Delaware Public Service Commission ruled that Bell Atlantic's residential ISDN tariff, which require users to pay by the minute to use the service, will go into effect on a temporary basis, but that the PSC will hold a public hearing on the residential ISDN tariff. The date of the hearing is not yet known.
The Consumer Project on Technology filed an October 23, 1995 letter with the PSC, opposing the BA tariffs. The Delaware Office of Public Advocate (OPA) also filed an October 18, 1995 letter with the PSC opposing the BA tariffs. The BA metered usage ISDN tariff was also opposed by several Delaware consumers, who want a reasonably priced flat rate tariff.
BA has apparently submitted a "cost study" for its metered tariff, under seal. The cost study was given to the Delaware Office of Public Advocate, but is not available to the Consumer Project on Technology or to any non-governmental entity or person.
It is important to call, fax or write the Delaware PSC to complain about the BA metered tariff, or to raise other issues about the tariff. You can may want to check out the CPT useful documents or the notes on BA pricing strategy.
After the Maryland consumers, the Maryland Office of People's Counsel (OPC) and the Maryland Public Service Commission (PSC) staff began to question the Bell Atlantic ISDN tariff, a lot has happened. BA withdrew its proposed tariff (described below) and now wants to continue its trial program, which is priced by the minute for ISDN users. BA has promised the Maryland PSC it will file a flat rate tariff, but it won't say when, or how much it will be. It is important to write the Maryland PSC and speak out against excessive ISDN tariffs. Every letter or fax helps.
Here is some background on what's been happening.
Bell Atlantic (BA) first submitted a residential BRI tariff to the Maryland Public Service Commission under "Transmittal Letter 933". This tariff would have been the cost of "local measured service" (LMS) for POTS (roughly $14 per month in the Washington DC area), plus a monthly premium of $19.50. In addition, there would be a per minute usage charge, for both data and voice. The BA tariff would have made a distinction between data and voice. The "Circuited Switched Data" (CSD) rate would be 2 cents per minute per B channel between 7 am and 7 pm, Monday through Friday, and 1 cent per minute at all other times. Voice calls would be priced at 3.4 cents for the 1st minute, and 1.3 cents for each additional minute, at all times.
No other flat rate option for residential ISDN was offered. BA now offers POTS service under either flat rate or measured usage. Maryland state law requires the company to offer a flat rate option for telephone service. But BA tried to say that ISDN service (including voice over ISDN) is not really phone service. (Note that Virginia rejected this tactic.) On Wed, Oct 4, 1995, after vocal opposition and numerous letters and faxes from Maryland consumers, the Maryland PSC deferred a decision on the BA tariff until the Oct 18, 1995 Commission meeting. The PSC directed the Maryland Office of People's Counsel (OPC) to meet with BA and the PSC staff to come up with alternative proposals. However, because Bell Atlantic then filed a letter with the Commission on Monday, October 16, 1995, withdrawing the tariff (and promising that the company will file a flat rate tariff soon); that action has been canceled.
In the interim, Bell has extended the "trial" to the entire state, with no cutoff date. They dropped the free installation that the trial provided, however. On 21 November 1995, Mr. Michael Starkey, Director of the Telcom Division of the Maryland PSC, wrote Bell Atlantic a letter asking them to specify an end-date for the trial, and further to offer alternate plans during the trial, starting no later than January 1. Bell Atlantic has NOT responded with such a plan to date.
CPT sent an October 3, 1995 letter to the Maryland PSC. The Maryland PSC and the Maryland OPC is interested in hearing from ratepayers regarding this issue. You can may want to check out the CPT useful documents or the notes on BA pricing strategy.
Send your comments by mail or fax to:
Maryland People's Counsel Attn: ISDN St. Paul Center #2102 Baltimore MD 21202 fax: 410/333-3616
The Public Service Commission of Maryland c/o Donald P. Everleth Assistant Executive Secretary 6 St. Paul Street Baltimore, MD 21202 via fax 410 333 6495
January 5, 1995
Peter Mokover <pmokover@ix.netcom.com>, a potential NJ residential ISDN consumer, has attempted to intervene in the NJ proceeding, and he is a pretty good source of information about the case. As usual, letters opposing the BA tariffs are very important.
You can may want to check out the CPT useful documents or the notes on BA pricing strategy.
Contact information for the NJ Commission is:
Copies of letters should also be sent to:
For Recent Action, see CPT's January 11, 1996 Letter to VCC.
October 20, 1995
As in Maryland, the Virginia State Corporation Commission has questioned the Bell Atlantic tariffs because they did not include a flat rate option, and BA has since offered to provide a flat rate tariff, but not until later. First BA said April 1, 1996, and then on October 13, BA said the flat rate tariff would not be available until 3rd quarter 1996.
The BA tariff would make a distinction between data and voice. The "Circuited Switched Data" (CSD) rate would be 2 cents per minute per B channel between 7 am and 7 pm, Monday through Friday, and 1 cent per minute at all other times. Voice calls would be priced at the LMS rate (the same as for measured telephone) at all times. (LMS charges vary but are typically 2 cents per minute.) No flat rate option for residential ISDN was offered.
The Commission staff opposed this proposal and requested Bell Atlantic to also submit flat rate tariffs for voice provided through the residential ISDN service. Bell Atlantic countered with a request to start the measured tariff now, and they would then offer a flat rate tariff (at an unspecified price) for voice no later than April 1, 1996. Bell Atlantic told the Consumer Project on Technology (CPT) and the Commission staff that the delay was needed so that the company could modify their billing system to accommodate flat rate billing -- a seemingly ridiculous assertion, since Bell Atlantic offers flat rate residential POTS service now. Later, BA moved its offer for flat rate tariffs back to 3rd quarter 1996.
You can may want to check out the CPT useful documents or the notes on BA pricing strategy. The Commission is interested in hearing from Virginians regarding this tariff. Contact:
BA filed its tariffs on September 19, 1995. The tariff number is TT95-17. The BA residential ISDN tariff for DC are $125 for installation, a monthly charge of $17 more than the current measured rate service of $7 ( $24 per month total), plus measured usage fees. For data these are $.02 per minute per B channel from week days 7am to 7pm, and $.01 per B channel evenings and weekends. For voice the measure rate is $.065 per call (note, this is not a per minute charge) for more than 60 calls per month.
The Washington DC PSC staff has recommended a flat rate tariff of $32 per month. This is supported by the DC and the DC office of People's Counsel. CPT filed December 29, 1995 Comments on the tariff. Action by the PSC is expected soon.
You can may want to check out the CPT useful documents or the notes on BA pricing strategy. Persons who live in Washington DC should mail comments to:
Staff contacts in Washington DC are Bob Loube (voice at 202/626-9197, fax 202/347-4711), Josephine Simons (202/626-5157), and Mike McRae (202/727-3071).
On October 25, 1995, Bell Atlantic (BA) filed its West Virginia residential ISDN tariff. The filing will take effect on November 25, 1995, if the WV Public Service Commission doesn't act. It's important for WV consumers, or Internet Service Providers, to provide written comments to the WV PSC as soon as possible. The tariff has been assigned to Todd Carden, who can be reached at (voice: 304/340-0364; fax: 304/340-0326).
Like the other Bell Atlantic tariffs, this one is based upon the metered usage rates for data of 2 cents per minute per B channel from 7am to 7pm on weekdays, and 1 cent per minute per channel for off peak usage.
Here is the contact information for the West Virginia Commission.
You might also ask for help from the West Virginia Consumer Advocate:
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