Senate Bill 636 - Phasing Out of Phone Land Lines!?

[CVX Commission on Aging]

The following information is provided courtesy of AARP:

I am not sure if you are aware yet but AT&T is poised to introduce a bill that will eliminate land lines in MI. AARP is fighting this and we are asking for your help. We have had numerous meetings with legislators over the last few days and it has become clear that the only way to win this is with a ground swell of public opposition. AT&T has met with all legislators and has them all convinced that the product they are proposing to replace land lines (which is a box you put in your house that turns your phone into a cell phone) will be a perfect answer. Never mind that there are issues of it working with 911, in the event of a power outage or where there are no cell towers ... just to name a few).

Please use the toll free number in the message below to contact your State Senator and urge them to vote no on Senate Bill 636.

Please forward this message to family, friends and networks.

Please call 1-888-232-6829 today and ask your State Senator:

"Please don't cut the cord, vote NO on Senate Bill 636!"
Senate Bill 636 would phase out landline service within three years.

Telephone service is a basic necessity, particularly for older adults, who are more likely than any other age group to rely on landline service to not only maintain social contact butpreserve health and safety. Surveys show about ninety percent of people age 60 and older use home landline phones.

â?¢Many older Americans use landline service for medical monitoring of pacemakers, implantable cardiac defibrillators - and other lifesaving devices.
â?¢They use landline service for home security.
â?¢Older Americans rely on landline service in an emergency. When the power goes out, they need to be able to communicate.

Call 1-888-232-6829 and urge your State Senator to Vote NO on Senate Bill 636!

We're fighting to ensure our members and all Michigan families have reliable, affordable
phone service they can count on, especially during extreme weather or other emergencies. Senate Bill 636 puts reliable phone service at risk for all Michigan consumers.
â?¢AARP opposes replacing reliable landline phone service with a wireless or alternative option that is not as good as the current service. Further, AARP opposes Senate Bill 636 because, if passed, it is unclear whether AT&T will have any obligation to provide phone service to Michigan consumers.
AARP embraces the use of new technology. But, when it comes to replacing reliable, affordable landline service - any new technology must be as good or better than the current service, and it must include a robust set of consumer protections. At this time, wireless service, in particular, as a replacement for landline service does not meet these needs.

Check out these links:
http://states.aarp.org/aarp-on-telecomm ... -the-cord/
http://states.aarp.org/aarp-designates- ... ions-bill/
http://legiscan.com/MI/text/SB0636/2013

[Pam Grassmick]

Thanks for the information.

Island residents and visitors-young and elderly-are especially vulnerable to this poor piece of legislation. Imagine renting a house, no land line available and your cell doesn't work. Remember the legislation that allowed removal of pay phones and the loss of coverage for emergencies at the Wagner Campground? Cell phone coverage is still not available from that site.

Howard Walker is the Senator for BI.

http://www.senatorhowardwalker.com/

[cjones]

Thank you Pam for providing the link to Mr. Walker. A message has been sent to vote no on this bill.

[Jim]

Message sent to Howard . Thanks for the contact info.

Jim

[Alice Belfy]

"NO" message sent.

[Lois Sowa Stipp]

Good morning,

Thank you for contacting my office regarding Senate Bill 636.

Currently this legislation is before the Energy and Technology Committee, and as such has the potential to undergo changes before reaching the full Senate floor. As it currently stands this bill would eliminate the requirement for a Public Service Commission proceeding in the event that a telecommunication provider wished to discontinue service. I am currently in the process of discussing this legislation with the Committee chair in an effort to ensure that residents in rural areas have access to much needed land lines. In its current form and without a guarantee that service would continue, I am opposed to the bill.

Again, thank you for contacting me regarding this legislation. If I can be of further service to you as your State Senator, please do not hesitate to contact my office.

Sincerely,

Howard Walker
State Senator
37th District

[Pam Grassmick]

Update from Senator Walker regarding Senate Bill 636.

I would like to follow up on my previous correspondence in regards to Senate Bill 636.

As introduced, the bill would have allowed telecommunications providers to discontinue traditional landline service with limited protections or guarantees that customers would continue to have a reliable link to the outside world. As such, I was opposed to the original version. When the bill came before me in the Senate Energy and Technology Committee, I still wasn't satisfied that the bill provided a guarantee for rural customers that telephone service would be available. As a result, I introduced an amendment that I felt would provide that guarantee. The committee did not adopt my amendment, and as such, I voted no on the bill in Committee. However, I continued to work with the bill sponsor to craft a version that would allow telecommunications providers to adopt the newer technologies that are available for voice service, but also provide the vital protections I believed were a must. I was pleased that the changes I fought for were incorporated into the final version of the bill. As a result, I believe the bill is a better product and will ensure all customers continue to have reliable telecommunications service, while allowing providers the option of instituting what they professionally believe are better technologies in providing voice, data and other services. For these reasons, I voted in support of the bill when it was before me on the Senate floor.

Again, thank you for writing and I appreciate the opportunity to respond to your concerns. If you would like to speak about this issue further, please contact my office by calling (866) 525-5637 and me or my staff would be happy to provide you with further details about the legislation.

Sincerely,

Howard Walker
State Senator
37th District

[joddy]

how does the bill read now? and what differences does senator walker
claim to have made that guarantees service to "ALL" on the island
before he voted to support this bill?
joddy

[kateg]

It's very frustrating that land lines can be discontinued. It doesn't just affect Beaver Island. It also has a big impact on the mainland including downstate. We have a security system in our home. I was thinking of discontinuing our land line with AT&T but realized our home security system wouldn't work without it. It's required so that police and fire are called when we have a break in or a fire and aren't home.

[Pam Grassmick]

An update on the status of land land lines:

A Senate bill that would streamline regulations for phone companies ending the service after 2016 passed the House 71-39 this month. It now goes back to the Senate with changes.

An associated press article: http://www.fresnobee.com/2014/03/11/381 ... rylink=cpy