The NARUC Telecom Committee’s agenda at the group’s summer meetin...

attention. The resolution would urge NARUC to support a petition at the FCC by the National Assn. of State Utility Consumer Advocates (NASUCA) for national billing guidelines and uniform labeling of charges, along with an FCC declaration that carriers who ignore the FCC rules are engaging in improper conduct. The petition reflects consumer concerns about the various surcharges and fees that carriers add to bills while rarely disclosing them to consumers who sign up for service, so they end up paying more than anticipated. The NARUC resolution would agree that NASUCA has raised substantive concerns and that NARUC supports the petition. NARUC last year and the year before adopted resolutions calling in various ways for billing reforms to make bills better serve consumer needs. Other NARUC resolutions would address federal appropriations to help cover the travel expenses of state members on federal-state joint boards, and wireless directory assistance services. Telecom Committee panels include Sun. panels on the new commercially negotiated interconnection arrangements and rural high-cost support and a Mon. panel on intercarrier compensation. Tues. panels will cover broadband over power lines, and local competition’s impacts on small business customers. Tues. also will see addresses by FCC Comr. Michael Copps and Cbeyond CEO Jim Geiger. Wed. will include 2 panels on universal service funding issues.