Telecommunications rules and rates were deferred and scheduled at the Georgia Public Service Commission meeting Tuesday 18 June 2013.

First item on the regular agenda was Docket # 35537

Title: Notice of Proposed Rulemaking to Promulgate Rules Governing Eligible Telecommunications Carriers 515-12-1-.35

There was lengthy discussion about the database provision and the $5 minimum charge in those rules. Commissioner Wise didn’t like the database as proposed and asked for an indefinite hold until they had a database that was verifiable.

Commissioner Echols asked whether the current proposal would be like a hold anyway, since it would involve another hearing. Staff said yes. Commissioner Everett asked if with the hold proposed by Wise wouldn’t that be two holds? Staff said yes. Chairman asked if Wise would be willing to put it up for a vote. Wise said he would abide by the will of the Commission for a vote, but he would vote against the proposal because it didn’t have a verifiable database that wasn’t confusing to the customers. Bubba McDonald said he was pleased with some of the changes and approaches the cell phone providers had made to solve this problem, which he seemed to indicate was to stop fraud and abuse. Chairman said he didn’t feel comfortable unilaterally putting it on hold because at least one Commissioner had objected to that, but the Commission could vote to do put it on hold. Commissioner Everett said they’d had six hearings already; it wouldn’t come into effect until October; and while he wanted to get it right, he wanted to go ahead and be sure those who were abusing the system were dealt with. Echols withdrew his objection to putting it on hold. Chairman announced it was on indefinite hold.

Their next item was Docket # 35068

Title: rate cases on the Track 2 companies.

I think they voted to schedule a hearing on that for 6 August 2013. Then one commissioner indicated there were ways the parties could resolve a related discovery dispute.

Here’s a video playlist:

-jsq

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