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The Broadband
Bill of Rights—continued
6. Reliability |
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ANNOTATION: Today, there are no guarantees that that once service has been installed that it will be maintained. DSL users have experienced service outages days or in some instances, weeks. This is not acceptable performance and the Baby Bells should be held accountable for downtime.
7: Customer Services and Repairs
Every telephone user has the right to have broadband services repaired in full no later than the day after the outage is reported. Providers of broadband services have the obligation to have enough people ready and able to make repairs that meet this requirement, and the obligation to have the automated systems in place to rapidly pinpoint problems so that repair people can be quickly and properly deployed. Where a repair requires a visit to the customer's home or business, the customer has a right to a firm commitment from the provider that the repair people will arrive and complete their work within an agreed four-hour window—seven days a week—and a right to real monetary compensation from the provider if this obligation is not met.
Every telephone user has the right to have broadband services repaired in full no later than the day after the outage is reported. Providers of broadband services have the obligation to have enough people ready and able to make repairs that meet this requirement, and the obligation to have the automated systems in place to rapidly pinpoint problems so that repair people can be quickly and properly deployed. Where a repair requires a visit to the customer's home or business, the customer has a right to a firm commitment from the provider that the repair people will arrive and complete their work within an agreed four-hour window—seven days a week—and a right to real monetary compensation from the provider if this obligation is not met.
ANNOTATION: Today, there are no guarantees that a customer service representative from the phone company will ever return a DSL users inquiry in a timely manner. DSL does not have equivalent rights with regular phone services.
We propose that the standard for plain-old telephone services be extended to broadband access. Also, we believe that all phone customers should have the right to reach a live customer service representative on a 24-hour, seven-day a week basis. Believe it or not, many states still allow the Baby Bells to operate customer service centers only from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. no weekend contact options available. This is because the RBOC monopoly does not face rigorous competition, which would force the Baby Bells to change.
8: Real Broadband Speed
Every telephone user has the right to receive the broadband speed contracted for at least 95 percent of the time. "Network congestion" is not an explanation as to why contracted-for service speeds are not delivered. It is, and should always be treated as an admission by the provider that it has failed to meet its obligation to deliver the services for which the customer has paid.
Every telephone user has the right to receive the broadband speed contracted for at least 95 percent of the time. "Network congestion" is not an explanation as to why contracted-for service speeds are not delivered. It is, and should always be treated as an admission by the provider that it has failed to meet its obligation to deliver the services for which the customer has paid.
ANNOTATION: When the Telecom Act was created the Bell companies stated they would deploy advanced services operating at a speed of "45 megabits per second". In 1998, the FCC decided that broadband service was only 200 kilobits per second—about 225 times slower than the original definition of advanced services.
We believe that the FCC's diminished speed expectations for broadband services needs to be reexamined.
Also, in many cases customers have discovered that the advertised speed of DSL access is not being delivered. We believe the companies should be held accountable for misleading information contained in advertisements.
9. Enforcement and Compensation
Every telephone user has a right to have all laws and requirements on the telephone company actively enforced. The telephone company should be required to make substantial monetary compensation to the customer for failures to perform as promised; for provider failures to arrive for installation or repair during the promised 4-hour window; and for any lack of network resources leading to customer services below the promised levels.
Every telephone user has a right to have all laws and requirements on the telephone company actively enforced. The telephone company should be required to make substantial monetary compensation to the customer for failures to perform as promised; for provider failures to arrive for installation or repair during the promised 4-hour window; and for any lack of network resources leading to customer services below the promised levels.
ANNOTATION: Today, there are virtually no penalties, fees, or any form of compensation paid to customers or competitors if RBOCs fail to deliver DSL services as promised. Worse yet, state public service agencies as well as the FCC, have done virtually nothing to repair the problems with DSL deployment in the U.S.
There are some standards for service that have been applied on a state-by-state basis. In some states, Baby Bells have been fined for substandard service. However, this in no way compensates the customer or competitor that has been harmed.
Therefore, we believe that customers and competitors should be compensated for the problems caused by the Baby Bells. All customers and competitors are beholden to the RBOC monopoly to provide and receive services—without compensation there are no incentives for the Baby Bells to address service issues in a timely or reasonable manner.
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