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Advocating for Increased Universal Service Eligibility

Hard economic times and the District’s rising unemployment rate gave OPC-DC, as a member of the Universal Service Working Group (Working Group), added incentive to advocate increasing the availability of Lifeline service, the discount telephone service for income-eligible consumers.
This year, OPC-DC and the other members of the Working Group focused on two priorities:

   1) ways to increase the number of participants receiving Lifeline telephone service, and

   2) adjusting to changes made by the mayoral administration that impact the manner in which consumers will be certified and the addition of another provider of Lifeline service.

In an effort to increase the Working Group’s Lifeline service outreach and education OPC-DC provided a summary of a Federal Communications Commission report outlining recommendations from several states on how to increase Lifeline telephone service. Additionally, OPC-DC supplied a list of entities in the District that serve low-income consumers. The entities can deliver educational material about the availability of Lifeline service to their constituents.

The other priority the Working Group focused on this year is the transition from DDOE to the Department of Human Services (“DHS”) determining income eligibility for Lifeline service. The Working Group met with the representatives from DHS to explain how Lifeline service works so they can communicate the benefits to.

The Working Group also met with representatives from NationsLine, an additional entity certified by the PSC to provide Lifeline service in the District. As a result of the certification, consumers can choose between Verizon and NationsLine for Lifeline telephone service.

Advanced Telecommunications Services Investigation

Closing the Digital Divide: Advanced Telecommunications in the District

As the District of Columbia makes the transition into the "Digital Age," it appears all wards are not advancing into the new millennium at the same pace.

After a long contentious battle with Verizon DC over its deregulation proposal in Price Cap Plan 2007 (renamed "Price Cap Plan 2008"), the Office of the People's Counsel and Verizon DC filed a joint settlement agreement before the PSC in March 2008.

Recent media attention on ever present cell phones has "ordinary" consumers reassessing their cell phone use. As cell phones become increasingly more popular, particularly with young people (who have literally grown up using a cell phone)

Verizon DC Wants Out of Regulation

In January and February 2007, Verizon DC asked the Public Service Commission of the District of Columbia (PSC or Commission) for authority to classify its bundled services and business dial tone services as Competitive

VoIP allows you to make telephone calls using a computer network, over a data network like the Internet. VoIP converts the voice signal from your telephone into a digital signal that travels over the Internet

New Public Payphone("COCOTS") Rules

A summary of the revised public pay telephone ("COCOTs") rules are introduced.
New Public Payphone ("COCOTs") Rules offer help for ANC's Metropolitan police and complaints in payphone process.
Click here to view a "pdf" version of the revised public pay telephone ("COCOTs") rules brochure.