SB0107enr 96TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY

SB0107 Enrolled LRB096 05740 MJR 15810 b

AN ACT concerning regulation.

Be it enacted by the People of the State of Illinois, represented in the General Assembly:

Section 5. The High Speed Internet Services and Information Technology Act is amended by changing Sections 20 and 25 as follows:

(20 ILCS 661/20)

Sec. 20. Duties of the enlisted nonprofit organization.

(a) The high speed Internet deployment strategy and demand creation initiative to be performed by the nonprofit organization shall include, but not be limited to, the following actions:

(1) Create a geographic statewide inventory of high speed Internet service and other relevant broadband and information technology services. The inventory shall:

(A) identify geographic gaps in high speed Internet service through a method of GIS mapping of service availability and GIS analysis at the census block level; and

(B) provide a baseline assessment of statewide high speed Internet deployment in terms of percentage of Illinois households with high speed Internet availability; and .

(C) collect from Facilities-based Providers of Broadband Connections to End User Locations the information provided pursuant to the agreements entered into with the non-profit organization as of the effective date of this amendatory Act of the 96th General Assembly or similar information from Facilities-based Providers of Broadband Connections to End User Locations that do not have the agreements on said date.

For the purposes of item (C), "Facilities-based Providers of Broadband Connections to End User Locations" shall have the same meaning as that term is defined in Section 13-407 of the Public Utilities Act.

(2) Track and identify, through customer interviews and surveys and other publicly available sources, statewide residential and business adoption of high speed Internet, computers, and related information technology and any barriers to adoption.

(3) Build and facilitate in each county or designated region a local technology planning team with members representing a cross section of the community, including, but not limited to, representatives of business, K-12 education, health care, libraries, higher education, community-based organizations, local government, tourism, parks and recreation, and agriculture. Each team shall benchmark technology use across relevant community sectors, set goals for improved technology use within each sector, and develop a plan for achieving its goals, with specific recommendations for online application development and demand creation.

(4) Collaborate with high speed Internet providers and technology companies to encourage deployment and use, especially in underserved areas, by aggregating local demand, mapping analysis, and creating market intelligence to improve the business case for providers to deploy.

(5) Collaborate with the Department in developing a program to increase computer ownership and broadband access for disenfranchised populations across the State. The program may include grants to local community technology centers that provide technology training, promote computer ownership, and increase broadband access.

(6) Collaborate with the Department and the Illinois Commerce Commission regarding the collection of the information required by this Section to assist in monitoring and analyzing the broadband markets and the status of competition and deployment of broadband services to consumers in the State, including the format of information requested, provided the Commission enters into the proprietary and confidentiality agreements governing such information.

(b) The nonprofit organization may apply for federal grants consistent with the objectives of this Act.

(c) The Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity shall use the funds in the High Speed Internet Services and Information Technology Fund to (1) provide grants to the nonprofit organization enlisted under this Act and (2) for any costs incurred by the Department to administer this Act.

(d) The nonprofit organization shall have the power to obtain or to raise funds other than the grants received from the Department under this Act.

(e) The nonprofit organization and its Board of Directors shall exist separately and independently from the Department and any other governmental entity, but shall cooperate with other public or private entities it deems appropriate in carrying out its duties.

(f) Notwithstanding anything in this Act or any other Act to the contrary, any information that is designated confidential or proprietary by an entity providing the information to the nonprofit organization or any other entity to accomplish the objectives of this Act shall be deemed confidential, proprietary, and a trade secret and treated by the nonprofit organization or anyone else possessing the information as such and shall not be disclosed.

(g) The nonprofit organization shall provide a report to the Commission on Government Forecasting and Accountability on an annual basis for the first 3 complete State fiscal years following its enlistment.

(Source: P.A. 95-684, eff. 10-19-07.)

(20 ILCS 661/25)

Sec. 25. Scope of authority. Nothing in this Act shall be construed as giving the Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity, the nonprofit organization, or other entities any additional authority, regulatory or otherwise, over providers of telecommunications, broadband, and information technology. However, the Department shall have the authority to require Facilities-based Providers of Broadband Connections to End User Locations to provide information pursuant to subsection (c) of Section 20. Upon request, any and all information collected pursuant to subsection (c) of Section 20 that is provided to the enlisted nonprofit organization shall be provided to the Department, provided the Department enters into the proprietary and confidentiality agreements governing such information.

(Source: P.A. 95-684, eff. 10-19-07.)

Section 10. The Public Utilities Act is amended by changing Sections 13-101, 13-202, 13-301, 13-406, 13-407, 13-503, 13-505, 13-509, 13-703, 13-704, 13-712, 13-1200, and 22-501 and by adding Sections 13-234, 13-235, 13-401.1, 13-506.2, 13-804, 13-900.1, and 13-900.2 as follows:

(220 ILCS 5/13-101) (from Ch. 111 2/3, par. 13-101)

(Section scheduled to be repealed on July 1, 2010)

Sec. 13-101. Application of Act to telecommunications rates and services. Except to the extent modified or supplemented by the specific provisions of this Article, the Sections of this Act pertaining to public utilities, public utility rates and services, and the regulation thereof, are fully and equally applicable to noncompetitive telecommunications rates and services, and the regulation thereof, except where the context clearly renders such provisions inapplicable. Except to the extent modified or supplemented by the specific provisions of this Article, Articles I through V, Sections 8-301, 8-305, 8-502, 8-503, 8-505, 8-509, 8-509.5, 8-510, 9-221, 9-222, 9-222.1, 9-222.2, 9-250, and 9-252.1, and Article Articles X and XI of this Act are fully and equally applicable to competitive telecommunications rates and services, and the regulation thereof except that Section 9-250 shall not apply to competitive retail telecommunications services; in addition, as to competitive telecommunications rates and services, and the regulation thereof, and with the exception of competitive retail telecommunications service rates and services, all rules and regulations made by a telecommunications carrier affecting or pertaining to its charges or service to the public shall be just and reasonable, provided that nothing in this Section shall be construed to prevent a telecommunications carrier from accepting payment electronically or by the use of a customer-preferred financially accredited credit or debit methodology. As of the effective date of this amendatory Act of the 92nd General Assembly, Sections 4-202, 4-203, and 5-202 of this Act shall cease to apply to telecommunications rates and services.

(Source: P.A. 92-22, eff. 6-30-01.)

(220 ILCS 5/13-202) (from Ch. 111 2/3, par. 13-202)

(Section scheduled to be repealed on July 1, 2010)

Sec. 13-202. "Telecommunications carrier" means and includes every corporation, company, association, joint stock company or association, firm, partnership or individual, their lessees, trustees or receivers appointed by any court whatsoever that owns, controls, operates or manages, within this State, directly or indirectly, for public use, any plant, equipment or property used or to be used for or in connection with, or owns or controls any franchise, license, permit or right to engage in the provision of, telecommunications services between points within the State which are specified by the user. "Telecommunications carrier" includes an Electing Provider, as defined in Section 13-506.2. Telecommunications carrier does not include, however:

(a) telecommunications carriers that are owned and operated by any political subdivision, public or private institution of higher education or municipal corporation of this State, for their own use, or telecommunications carriers that are owned by such political subdivision, public or private institution of higher education, or municipal corporation and operated by any of its lessees or operating agents, for their own use;

(b) telecommunications carriers which are purely mutual concerns, having no rates or charges for services, but paying the operating expenses by assessment upon the members of such a company and no other person but does include telephone or telecommunications cooperatives as defined in Section 13-212;

(c) a company or person which provides telecommunications services solely to itself and its affiliates or members or between points in the same building, or between closely located buildings, affiliated through substantial common ownership, control or development; or

(d) a company or person engaged in the delivery of community antenna television services as described in subdivision (c) of Section 13-203, except with respect to the provision of telecommunications services by that company or person.

(Source: P.A. 87-856.)

(220 ILCS 5/13-234 new)

(Section scheduled to be repealed on July 1, 2010)

Sec. 13-234. Interconnected voice over Internet protocol service. "Interconnected voice over Internet protocol service" or "Interconnected VoIP service" has the meaning prescribed in 47 CFR 9.3 as defined on the effective date of this amendatory Act of the 96th General Assembly or as amended thereafter.

(220 ILCS 5/13-235 new)

(Section scheduled to be repealed on July 1, 2010)

Sec. 13-235. Interconnected voice over Internet protocol provider. "Interconnected voice over Internet protocol provider" or "Interconnected VoIP provider" means and includes every corporation, company, association, joint stock company or association, firm, partnership, or individual, their lessees, trustees, or receivers appointed by any court whatsoever that owns, controls, operates, manages, or provides within this State, directly or indirectly, Interconnected voice over Internet protocol service.

(220 ILCS 5/13-301) (from Ch. 111 2/3, par. 13-301)

(Section scheduled to be repealed on July 1, 2010)

Sec. 13-301. Duties of the Commission.

(1) Consistent with the findings and policy established in paragraph (a) of Section 13-102 and paragraph (a) of Section 13-103, and in order to ensure the attainment of such policies, the Commission shall:

(a) participate in all federal programs intended to preserve or extend universal telecommunications service, unless such programs would place cost burdens on Illinois customers of telecommunications services in excess of the benefits they would receive through participation, provided, however, the Commission shall not approve or permit the imposition of any surcharge or other fee designed to subsidize or provide a waiver for subscriber line charges; and shall report on such programs together with an assessment of their adequacy and the advisability of participating therein in its annual report to the General Assembly, or more often as necessary;

(b) (Blank) establish a program to monitor the level of telecommunications subscriber connection within each exchange in Illinois, and shall report the results of such monitoring and any actions it has taken or recommends be taken to maintain and increase such levels in its annual report to the General Assembly, or more often if necessary;

(c) order all telecommunications carriers offering or providing local exchange telecommunications service to propose low-cost or budget service tariffs and any other rate design or pricing mechanisms designed to facilitate customer access to such telecommunications service, provided that services offered by any telecommunications carrier at the rates, terms, and conditions specified in Section 13-506.2 or Section 13-518 of this Article shall constitute compliance with this Section. A telecommunications carrier may seek Commission approval of other low-cost or budget service tariffs or rate design or pricing mechanisms to comply with this Section and shall after notice and hearing, implement any such proposals which it finds likely to achieve such purpose;

(d) investigate the necessity of and, if appropriate, establish a universal service support fund from which local exchange telecommunications carriers who pursuant to the Twenty-Seventh Interim Order of the Commission in Docket No. 83-0142 or the orders of the Commission in Docket No. 97-0621 and Docket No. 98-0679 received funding and whose economic costs of providing services for which universal service support may be made available exceed the affordable rate established by the Commission for such services may be eligible to receive support, less any federal universal service support received for the same or similar costs of providing the supported services; provided, however, that if a universal service support fund is established, the Commission shall require that all costs of the fund be recovered from all local exchange and interexchange telecommunications carriers certificated in Illinois on a competitively neutral and nondiscriminatory basis. In establishing any such universal service support fund, the Commission shall, in addition to the determination of costs for supported services, consider and make findings pursuant to subsection (2) paragraphs (1), (2), and (4) of item (e) of this Section. Proxy cost, as determined by the Commission, may be used for this purpose. In determining cost recovery for any universal service support fund, the Commission shall not permit recovery of such costs from another certificated carrier for any service purchased and used solely as an input to a service provided to such certificated carrier's retail customers. ; and

(2) (e) investigate the necessity of and, if appropriate, establish a universal service support fund in addition to any fund that may be established pursuant to item (d) of this Section; provided, however, that if a telecommunications carrier receives universal service support pursuant to item (d) of this Section, that telecommunications carrier shall not receive universal service support pursuant to this item. Recipients of any universal service support funding created by this item shall be "eligible" telecommunications carriers, as designated by the Commission in accordance with 47 U.S.C. 214(e)(2). Eligible telecommunications carriers providing local exchange telecommunications service may be eligible to receive support for such services, less any federal universal service support received for the same or similar costs of providing the supported services. If a fund is established, the Commission shall require that the costs of such fund be recovered from all telecommunications carriers, with the exception of wireless carriers who are providers of two-way cellular telecommunications service and who have not been designated as eligible telecommunications carriers, on a competitively neutral and non-discriminatory basis. In any order creating a fund pursuant to paragraph (d) of subsection (1) this item, the Commission, after notice and hearing, shall:

(a) (1) Define the group of services to be declared "supported telecommunications services" that constitute "universal service". This group of services shall, at a minimum, include those services as defined by the Federal Communications Commission and as from time to time amended. In addition, the Commission shall consider the range of services currently offered by telecommunications carriers offering local exchange telecommunications service, the existing rate structures for the supported telecommunications services, and the telecommunications needs of Illinois consumers in determining the supported telecommunications services. The Commission shall, from time to time or upon request, review and, if appropriate, revise the group of Illinois supported telecommunications services and the terms of the fund to reflect changes or enhancements in telecommunications needs, technologies, and available services.

(b) (2) Identify all implicit subsidies contained in rates or charges of incumbent local exchange carriers, including all subsidies in interexchange access charges, and determine how such subsidies can be made explicit by the creation of the fund.

(3) Identify the incumbent local exchange carriers' economic costs of providing the supported telecommunications services.

(c) (4) Establish an affordable price for the supported telecommunications services for the respective incumbent local exchange carrier. The affordable price shall be no less than the rates in effect at the time the Commission creates a fund pursuant to this item. The Commission may establish and utilize indices or models for updating the affordable price for supported telecommunications services.

(5) Identify the telecommunications carriers from whom the costs of the fund shall be recovered and the mechanism to be used to determine and establish a competitively neutral and non-discriminatory funding basis. From time to time, or upon request, the Commission shall consider whether, based upon changes in technology or other factors, additional telecommunications providers should contribute to the fund. The Commission shall establish the basis upon which telecommunications carriers contributing to the fund shall recover contributions on a competitively neutral and non-discriminatory basis. In determining cost recovery for any universal support fund, the Commission shall not permit recovery of such costs from another certificated carrier for any service purchased and used solely as an input to a service provided to such certificated carriers' retail customers.

(6) Approve a plan for the administration and operation of the fund by a neutral third party consistent with the requirements of this item.

No fund shall be created pursuant to this item until existing implicit subsidies, including, but not limited to, those subsidies contained in interexchange access charges, have been identified and eliminated through revisions to rates or charges. Prior to May 1, 2000, such revisions to rates or charges to eliminate implicit subsidies shall occur contemporaneously with any funding established pursuant to this item. However, if the Commission does not establish a universal service support fund by May 1, 2000, the Commission shall not be prevented from entering an order or taking other actions to reduce or eliminate existing subsidies as well as considering the effect of such reduction or elimination on local exchange carriers.

Any telecommunications carrier providing local exchange telecommunications service which offers to its local exchange customers a choice of two or more local exchange telecommunications service offerings shall provide, to any such customer requesting it, once a year without charge, a report describing which local exchange telecommunications service offering would result in the lowest bill for such customer's local exchange service, based on such customer's calling pattern and usage for the previous 6 months. At least once a year, each such carrier shall provide a notice to each of its local exchange telecommunications service customers describing the availability of this report and the specific procedures by which customers may receive it. Such report shall only be available to current and future customers who have received at least 6 months of continuous local exchange service from such carrier.

(Source: P.A. 91-636, eff. 8-20-99.)

(220 ILCS 5/13-401.1 new)

(Section scheduled to be repealed on July 1, 2010)

Sec. 13-401.1. Interconnected voice over Internet protocol (VoIP) service provider registration.

(a) An Interconnected VoIP provider providing fixed or non-nomadic service in Illinois on December 1, 2010 shall register with the Commission no later than January 1, 2011. All other Interconnected VoIP providers providing fixed or non-nomadic service in Illinois shall register with the Commission at least 30 days before providing service in Illinois. The Commission shall prescribe a registration form no later than October 1, 2010. The registration form prescribed by the Commission shall only require the following information:

(1) the provider's legal name and any name under which the provider does or will do business in Illinois, as authorized by the Secretary of State;

(2) the provider's address and telephone number, along with contact information for the person responsible for ongoing communications with the Commission;

(3) a description of the provider's dispute resolution process and, if any, the telephone number to initiate the dispute resolution process; and

(4) a description of each exchange of a local exchange company, in whole or in part, or the cities, towns, or geographic areas, in whole or in part, in which the provider is offering or proposes to offer Interconnected VoIP service.

A provider must notify the Commission of any change in the information identified in paragraphs (1), (2), (3), or (4) of this subsection (a) within 5 business days after any such change.

(b) A provider shall charge and collect from its end-user customers, and remit to the appropriate authority, fees and surcharges in the same manner as are charged and collected upon end-user customers of local exchange telecommunications service and remitted by local exchange telecommunications companies for local enhanced 9-1-1 surcharges.

(c) A provider may designate information that it submits in its registration form or subsequent reports as confidential or proprietary, provided that the provider states the reasons the confidential designation is necessary. The Commission shall provide adequate protection for such information pursuant to Section 4-404 of this Act. If the Commission or any other party seeks public disclosure of information designated as confidential, the Commission shall consider the confidential designation in a proceeding under the Illinois Administrative Procedure Act, and the burden of proof to demonstrate that the designated information is confidential shall be upon the provider. Designated information shall remain confidential pending the Commission's determination of whether the information is entitled to confidential treatment. Information designated as confidential shall be provided to local units of government for purposes of assessing compliance with this Article as permitted under a protective order issued by the Commission pursuant to the Commission's rules and to the Attorney General pursuant to Section 6.5 of the Attorney General Act. Information designated as confidential under this Section or determined to be confidential upon Commission review shall only be disclosed pursuant to a valid and enforceable subpoena or court order or as required by the Freedom of Information Act.

(d) Notwithstanding any other provision of law to the contrary, the Commission shall have the authority, after notice and hearing, to revoke or suspend the registration of any provider that fails to comply with the requirements of this Section.

(e) The provisions of this Section are severable under Section 1.31 of the Statute on Statutes.

(220 ILCS 5/13-406) (from Ch. 111 2/3, par. 13-406)

(Section scheduled to be repealed on July 1, 2010)

Sec. 13-406. Abandonment of service. No telecommunications carrier offering or providing noncompetitive telecommunications service pursuant to a valid Certificate of Service Authority or certificate of public convenience and necessity shall discontinue or abandon such service once initiated until and unless it shall demonstrate, and the Commission finds, after notice and hearing, that such discontinuance or abandonment will not deprive customers of any necessary or essential telecommunications service or access thereto and is not otherwise contrary to the public interest. No telecommunications carrier offering or providing competitive telecommunications service shall completely discontinue or abandon such service to an identifiable class or group of customers once initiated except upon 60 30 days notice to the Commission and affected customers. The Commission may, upon its own motion or upon complaint, investigate the proposed discontinuance or abandonment of a competitive telecommunications service and may, after notice and hearing, prohibit such proposed discontinuance or abandonment if the Commission finds that it would be contrary to the public interest. If the Commission does not provide notice of a hearing within 60 calendar days after the notification or holds a hearing and fails to find that the proposed discontinuation or abandonment would be contrary to the public interest, the provider may discontinue or abandon such service after providing at least 30 days notice to affected customers.

(Source: P.A. 84-1063.)

(220 ILCS 5/13-407) (from Ch. 111 2/3, par. 13-407)

(Section scheduled to be repealed on July 1, 2010)

Sec. 13-407. Commission study and report. The Commission shall monitor and analyze patterns of entry and exit and changes in patterns of entry and exit for each relevant market for telecommunications services, including emerging high speed telecommunications markets and broadband services. The Commission , and shall include its findings together with appropriate recommendations for legislative action in its annual report to the General Assembly. The Commission shall provide an analysis of entry and exit, along with changes in patterns of entry and exit, for broadband services in its annual report to the General Assembly.

In preparing its annual report, the Commission may obtain any information on broadband services that has been collected or is in the possession of the Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity pursuant to the High Speed Internet Services and Information Technology Act. The Commission shall coordinate with the Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity in collecting information to avoid a duplication of efforts.

The Commission shall also monitor and analyze the status of deployment of services to consumers, and any resulting "digital divisions" between consumers, including any changes or trends therein. The Commission shall include its findings together with appropriate recommendations for legislative action in its annual report to the General Assembly. In preparing this analysis the Commission shall evaluate information provided by certificated telecommunications carriers, registered Interconnected VoIP providers, and Facilities-based Providers of Broadband Connections to End User Locations that pertains to the state of competition in telecommunications markets including, but not limited to:

(1) the number and type of firms providing telecommunications services and , including broadband telecommunications services, within the State;

(2) the telecommunications services offered by these firms to both retail and wholesale customers;

(3) the extent to which customers and other providers are purchasing the firms' telecommunications services; and

(4) the technologies or methods by which these firms provide these services, including descriptions of technologies in place and under development, and the degree to which firms rely on other wholesale providers to provide service to their own customers. ; and

(5) the tariffed retail and wholesale prices for services provided by these firms.

The Commission shall at a minimum assess the variability in this information according to geography, examining variability by exchange, wirecenter, or zip code, and by customer class, examining, at a minimum, the variability between residential and small, medium, and large business customers. The Commission shall provide an analysis of market trends by collecting this information from certificated telecommunications carriers, registered Interconnected VoIP providers, and Facilities-based Providers of Broadband Connections to End User Locations firms providing telecommunications services within the State. The Commission shall also collect all information, in a format determined by the Commission, that the Commission deems necessary to assist in monitoring and analyzing the telecommunications markets and broadband market, along with and the status of competition and deployment of telecommunications services and broadband services to consumers in the State.

Notwithstanding any other provision of this Act, certificated telecommunications carriers and registered Interconnected VoIP providers shall report to the Commission such information, with the exception of broadband information, requested by the Commission necessary to satisfy the reporting requirements of items (1) through (4) of this Section. The Commission may coordinate and work with the Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity to avoid duplication of collection of information that is collected pursuant to the High Speed Internet Services and Information Technology Act.

For the purposes of this Section:

"Broadband connections" include wired lines or wireless channels that enable the end user to receive information from or send information to the Internet at information transfer rates exceeding 200 kbps in at least one direction.

"End user" includes a residential, business, institutional, or government entity who uses broadband services for its own purposes and who does not resell such services to other entities or incorporate such services into retail Internet-access services. For purposes of this Section, an Internet Service Provider (ISP) is not an end user of a broadband connection.

"Facilities-based Provider of Broadband Connections to End User Locations" means an entity that meets any of the following conditions:

(i) It owns the portion of the physical facility that terminates at the end user location.

(ii) It obtains unbundled network elements (UNEs), special access lines, or other leased facilities that terminate at the end user location and provisions or equips them as broadband.

(iii) It provisions or equips a broadband wireless channel to the end user location over licensed or unlicensed spectrum.

"Facilities-based Provider of Broadband Connections to End User Locations" does not include providers of terrestrial fixed wireless services (such as Wi-Fi and other wireless Ethernet, or wireless local area network, applications) that only enable local distribution and sharing of a premises broadband facility and does not include air-to-ground services.

(Source: P.A. 92-22, eff. 6-30-01.)

(220 ILCS 5/13-503) (from Ch. 111 2/3, par. 13-503)

(Section scheduled to be repealed on July 1, 2010)

Sec. 13-503. Information available to the public. With respect to rates or other charges made, demanded or received for any telecommunications service offered, provided or to be provided, whether such service is competitive or noncompetitive, telecommunications carriers shall comply with the publication and filing provisions of Sections 9-101, 9-102, and 9-103. Telecommunications carriers shall make all tariffs available electronically to the public without requiring a password or other means of registration. A telecommunications carrier's website shall, if applicable, provide in a conspicuous manner information on the rates, charges, terms, and conditions of service available and a toll-free telephone number that may be used to contact an agent for assistance with obtaining rate or other charge information or the terms and conditions of service.

(Source: P.A. 84-1063.)

(220 ILCS 5/13-505) (from Ch. 111 2/3, par. 13-505)

(Section scheduled to be repealed on July 1, 2010)

Sec. 13-505. Rate changes; competitive services. (a) Any proposed increase or decrease in rates or charges, or proposed change in any classification or tariff resulting in an increase or decrease in rates or charges, for a competitive telecommunications service shall be permitted upon the filing of the proposed rate, charge, classification, or tariff. Notice Prior notice of an increase shall be given, no later than the prior billing cycle, to all potentially affected customers by mail, publication in a newspaper of general circulation, or equivalent means of notice, including electronic if the customer has elected electronic billing.

(b) If a hearing is held pursuant to Section 9-250 regarding the reasonableness of an increase in the rates or charges of a competitive local exchange service, then the telecommunications carrier providing the service shall have the burden of proof to establish the justness and reasonableness of the proposed rate or charge.

(Source: P.A. 90-185, eff. 7-23-97.)

(220 ILCS 5/13-506.2 new)

(Section scheduled to be repealed on July 1, 2010)

Sec. 13-506.2. Market regulation for competitive retail services.

(a) Definitions. As used in this Section:

(1) "Electing Provider" means a telecommunications carrier that is subject to either rate regulation pursuant to Section 13-504 or Section 13-505 or alternative regulation pursuant to Section 13-506.1 and that elects to have the rates, terms, and conditions of its competitive retail telecommunications services solely determined and regulated pursuant to the terms of this Article.

(2) "Basic local exchange service" means either a stand-alone residence network access line and per-call usage or, for any geographic area in which such stand-alone service is not offered, a stand-alone flat rate residence network access line for which local calls are not charged for frequency or duration. Extended Area Service shall be included in basic local exchange service.

(b) Election for market regulation. Notwithstanding any other provision of this Act, an Electing Provider may elect to have the rates, terms, and conditions of its competitive retail telecommunications services solely determined and regulated pursuant to the terms of this Section by filing written notice of its election for market regulation with the Commission. The notice of election shall designate the geographic area of the Electing Provider's service territory where the market regulation shall apply, either on a state-wide basis or in one or more specified Market Service Areas ("MSA") or Exchange areas. An Electing Provider shall not make an election for market regulation under this Section unless it commits in its written notice of election for market regulation to fulfill the conditions and requirements in this Section in each geographic area in which market regulation is elected. Immediately upon filing the notice of election for market regulation, the Electing Provider shall be subject to the jurisdiction of the Commission to the extent expressly provided in this Section.

(c) Competitive classification. Market regulation shall only be available for competitive retail telecommunications services as provided in this subsection.

(1) For geographic areas in which telecommunications services provided by the Electing Provider were classified as competitive either through legislative action or a tariff filing pursuant to Section 13-502 prior to January 1, 2010, and that are included in the Electing Provider's notice of election pursuant to subsection (b) of this Section, such services, and all recurring and nonrecurring charges associated with, related to or used in connection with such services, shall be classified as competitive without further Commission review. For services classified as competitive pursuant to this subsection, the requirements or conditions in any order or decision rendered by the Commission pursuant to Section 13-502 prior to the effective date of this amendatory Act of the 96th General Assembly, except for the commitments made by the Electing Provider in such order or decision concerning the optional packages required in subsection (d) of this Section and basic local exchange service as defined in this Section, shall no longer be in effect and no Commission investigation, review, or proceeding under Section 13-502 shall be continued, conducted, or maintained with respect to such services, charges, requirements, or conditions.

(2) For those geographic areas in which residential local exchange telecommunications services have not been classified as competitive as of the effective date of this amendatory Act of the 96th General Assembly, all telecommunications services provided to residential and business end users by an Electing Provider in the geographic area that is included in its notice of election pursuant to subsection (b) shall be classified as competitive for purposes of this Article without further Commission review.

(3) If an Electing Provider was previously subject to alternative regulation pursuant to Section 13-506.1 of this Article, the alternative regulation plan shall terminate in whole for all services subject to that plan and be of no force or effect, without further Commission review or action, when the Electing Provider's residential local exchange telecommunications service in each MSA in its telecommunications service area in the State has been classified as competitive pursuant to either subdivision (c)(1) or (c)(2) of this Section.

(4) The service packages described in Section 13-518 shall be classified as competitive for purposes of this Section if offered by an Electing Provider in a geographic area in which local exchange telecommunications service has been classified as competitive pursuant to either subdivision (c)(1) or (c)(2) of this Section.

(d) Consumer choice safe harbor options.

(1) An Electing Provider in each of the MSA or Exchange areas classified as competitive pursuant to subdivision (c)(1) or (c)(2) of this Section shall offer to all residential customers who choose to subscribe the following optional packages of services priced at the same rate levels in effect on January 1, 2010:

(A) A basic package, which shall consist of a stand-alone residential network access line and 30 local calls. If the Electing Provider offers a stand-alone residential access line and local usage on a per call basis, the price for the basic package shall be the Electing Provider's applicable price in effect on January 1, 2010 for the sum of a residential access line and 30 local calls, additional calls over 30 calls shall be provided at the current per call rate. However, this basic package is not required if stand-alone residential network access lines or per-call local usage are not offered by the Electing Provider in the geographic area on January 1, 2010 or if the Electing Provider has not increased its stand-alone network access line and local usage rates, including Extended Area Service rates, since January 1, 2010.

(B) An extra package, which shall consist of residential basic local exchange network access line and unlimited local calls. The price for the extra package shall be the Electing Provider's applicable price in effect on January 1, 2010 for a residential access line with unlimited local calls.

(C) A plus package, which shall consist of residential basic local exchange network access line, unlimited local calls, and the customer's choice of 2 vertical services offered by the Electing Provider. The term "vertical services" as used in this subsection, includes, but is not limited to, call waiting, call forwarding, 3-way calling, caller ID, call tracing, automatic callback, repeat dialing, and voicemail. The price for the plus package shall be the Electing Provider's applicable price in effect on January 1, 2010 for the sum of a residential access line with unlimited local calls and 2 times the average price for the vertical features included in the package.

(2) For those geographic areas in which local exchange telecommunications services were classified as competitive on the effective date of this amendatory Act of the 96th General Assembly, an Electing Provider in each such MSA or Exchange area shall be subject to the same terms and conditions as provided in commitments made by the Electing Provider in connection with such previous competitive classifications, which shall apply with equal force under this Section, except as follows: (i) the limits on price increases on the optional packages required by this Section shall be extended consistent with subsection (d)(1) of this Section and (ii) the price for the extra package required by subsection (d)(1)(B) shall be reduced by one dollar from the price in effect on January 1, 2010. In addition, if an Electing Provider obtains a competitive classification pursuant to subsection (c)(1) and (c)(2), the price for the optional packages shall be determined in such area in compliance with subsection (d)(1), except the price for the plus package required by subsection (d)(1) (C) shall be the lower of the price for such area or the price of the plus package in effect on January 1, 2010 for areas classified as competitive pursuant to subsection (c)(1).

(3) To the extent that the requirements in Section 13-518 applied to a telecommunications carrier prior to the effective date of this Section and that telecommunications carrier becomes an Electing Provider in accordance with the provisions of this Section, the requirements in Section 13-518 shall cease to apply to that Electing Provider in those geographic areas included in the Electing Provider's notice of election pursuant to subsection (b) of this Section.

(4) An Electing Provider shall make the optional packages required by this subsection and stand-alone residential network access lines and local usage, where offered, readily available to the public by providing information, in a clear manner, to residential customers. Information shall be made available on a website, and an Electing Provider shall provide notification to its customers every 6 months, provided that notification may consist of a bill page message that provides an objective description of the safe harbor options that includes a telephone number and website address where the customer may obtain additional information about the packages from the Electing Provider. The optional packages shall be offered on a monthly basis with no term of service requirement. An Electing Provider shall allow online electronic ordering of the optional packages and stand-alone residential network access lines and local usage, where offered, on its website in a manner similar to the online electronic ordering of its other residential services.

(5) An Electing Provider shall comply with the Commission's existing rules, regulations, and notices in Title 83, Part 735 of the Illinois Administrative Code when offering or providing the optional packages required by this subsection (d) and stand-alone residential network access lines.

(6) An Electing Provider shall provide to the Commission semi-annual subscribership reports as of June 30 and December 31 that contain the number of its customers subscribing to each of the consumer choice safe harbor packages required by subsection (d)(1) of this Section and the number of its customers subscribing to retail residential basic local exchange service as defined in subsection (a)(2) of this Section. The first semi-annual reports shall be made on April 1, 2011 for December 31, 2010, and on September 1, 2011 for June 30, 2011, and semi-annually on April 1 and September 1 thereafter. Such subscribership information shall be accorded confidential and proprietary treatment upon request by the Electing Provider.

(7) The Commission shall have the power, after notice and hearing as provided in this Article, upon complaint or upon its own motion, to take corrective action if the requirements of this Section are not complied with by an Electing Provider.

(e) Service quality and customer credits for basic local exchange service.

(1) An Electing Provider shall meet the following service quality standards in providing basic local exchange service, which for purposes of this subsection (e), includes both basic local exchange service and the consumer choice safe harbor options required by subsection (d) of this Section.

(A) Install basic local exchange service within 5 business days after receipt of an order from the customer unless the customer requests an installation date that is beyond 5 business days after placing the order for basic service and to inform the customer of the Electing Provider's duty to install service within this timeframe. If installation of service is requested on or by a date more than 5 business days in the future, the Electing Provider shall install service by the date requested.

(B) Restore basic local exchange service for the customer within 30 hours after receiving notice that the customer is out of service.

(C) Keep all repair and installation appointments for basic local exchange service if a customer premises visit requires a customer to be present. The appointment window shall be either a specific time or, at a maximum, a 4-hour time block during evening, weekend, and normal business hours.

(D) Inform a customer when a repair or installation appointment requires the customer to be present.

(2) Customers shall be credited by the Electing Provider for violations of basic local exchange service quality standards described in subdivision (e)(1) of this Section. The credits shall be applied automatically on the statement issued to the customer for the next monthly billing cycle following the violation or following the discovery of the violation. The next monthly billing cycle following the violation or the discovery of the violation means the billing cycle immediately following the billing cycle in process at the time of the violation or discovery of the violation, provided the total time between the violation or discovery of the violation and the issuance of the credit shall not exceed 60 calendar days. The Electing Provider is responsible for providing the credits and the customer is under no obligation to request such credits. The following credits shall apply:

(A) If an Electing Provider fails to repair an out-of-service condition for basic local exchange service within 30 hours, the Electing Provider shall provide a credit to the customer. If the service disruption is for more than 30 hours, but not more than 48 hours, the credit must be equal to a pro-rata portion of the monthly recurring charges for all basic local exchange services disrupted. If the service disruption is for more than 48 hours, but not more than 72 hours, the credit must be equal to at least 33% of one month's recurring charges for all local services disrupted. If the service disruption is for more than 72 hours, but not more than 96 hours, the credit must be equal to at least 67% of one month's recurring charges for all basic local exchange services disrupted. If the service disruption is for more than 96 hours, but not more than 120 hours, the credit must be equal to one month's recurring charges for all basic local exchange services disrupted. For each day or portion thereof that the service disruption continues beyond the initial 120-hour period, the Electing Provider shall also provide an additional credit of $20 per calendar day.

(B) If an Electing Provider fails to install basic local exchange service as required under subdivision (e)(1) of this Section, the Electing Provider shall waive 50% of any installation charges, or in the absence of an installation charge or where installation is pursuant to the Link Up program, the Electing Provider shall provide a credit of $25. If an Electing Provider fails to install service within 10 business days after the service application is placed, or fails to install service within 5 business days after the customer's requested installation date, if the requested date was more than 5 business days after the date of the order, the Electing Provider shall waive 100% of the installation charge, or in the absence of an installation charge or where installation is provided pursuant to the Link Up program, the Electing Provider shall provide a credit of $50. For each day that the failure to install service continues beyond the initial 10 business days, or beyond 5 business days after the customer's requested installation date, if the requested date was more than 5 business days after the date of the order, the Electing Provider shall also provide an additional credit of $20 per calendar day until the basic local exchange service is installed.

(C) If an Electing Provider fails to keep a scheduled repair or installation appointment when a customer premises visit requires a customer to be present as required under subdivision (e)(1) of this Section, the Electing Provider shall credit the customer $25 per missed appointment. A credit required by this subdivision does not apply when the Electing Provider provides the customer notice of its inability to keep the appointment no later than 8:00 pm of the day prior to the scheduled date of the appointment.

(D) Credits required by this subsection do not apply if the violation of a service quality standard:

(i) occurs as a result of a negligent or willful act on the part of the customer;

(ii) occurs as a result of a malfunction of customer-owned telephone equipment or inside wiring;

(iii) occurs as a result of, or is extended by, an emergency situation as defined in 83 Ill. Adm. Code 732.10;

(iv) is extended by the Electing Provider's inability to gain access to the customer's premises due to the customer missing an appointment, provided that the violation is not further extended by the Electing Provider;

(v) occurs as a result of a customer request to change the scheduled appointment, provided that the violation is not further extended by the Electing Provider;

(vi) occurs as a result of an Electing Provider's right to refuse service to a customer as provided in Commission rules; or

(vii) occurs as a result of a lack of facilities where a customer requests service at a geographically remote location, where a customer requests service in a geographic area where the Electing Provider is not currently offering service, or where there are insufficient facilities to meet the customer's request for service, subject to an Electing Provider's obligation for reasonable facilities planning.

(3) Each Electing Provider shall provide to the Commission on a quarterly basis and in a form suitable for posting on the Commission's website in conformance with the rules adopted by the Commission and in effect on April 1, 2010, a public report that includes the following data for basic local exchange service quality of service:

(A) With regard to credits due in accordance with subdivision (e)(2)(A) as a result of out-of-service conditions lasting more than 30 hours:

(i) the total dollar amount of any customer credits paid;

(ii) the number of credits issued for repairs between 30 and 48 hours;

(iii) the number of credits issued for repairs between 49 and 72 hours;

(iv) the number of credits issued for repairs between 73 and 96 hours;

(v) the number of credits used for repairs between 97 and 120 hours;

(vi) the number of credits issued for repairs greater than 120 hours; and

(vii) the number of exemptions claimed for each of the categories identified in subdivision (e)(2)(D).

(B) With regard to credits due in accordance with subdivision (e)(2)(B) as a result of failure to install basic local exchange service:

(i) the total dollar amount of any customer credits paid;

(ii) the number of installations after 5 business days;

(iii) the number of installations after 10 business days;

(iv) the number of installations after 11 business days; and

(v) the number of exemptions claimed for each of the categories identified in subdivision (e)(2)(D).

(C) With regard to credits due in accordance with subdivision (e)(2)(C) as a result of missed appointments:

(i) the total dollar amount of any customer credits paid;

(ii) the number of any customers receiving credits; and

(iii) the number of exemptions claimed for each of the categories identified in subdivision (e)(2)(D).

(D) The Electing Provider's annual report required by this subsection shall also include, for informational reporting, the performance data described in subdivisions (e)(2)(A), (e)(2)(B), and (e)(2)(C), and trouble reports per 100 access lines calculated using the Commission's existing applicable rules and regulations for such measures, including the requirements for service standards established in this Section.

(4) It is the intent of the General Assembly that the service quality rules and customer credits in this subsection (e) of this Section and other enforcement mechanisms, including fines and penalties authorized by Section 13-305, shall apply on a nondiscriminatory basis to all Electing Providers. Accordingly, notwithstanding any provision of any service quality rules promulgated by the Commission, any alternative regulation plan adopted by the Commission, or any other order of the Commission, any Electing Provider that is subject to any other order of the Commission and that violates or fails to comply with the service quality standards promulgated pursuant to this subsection (e) or any other order of the Commission shall not be subject to any fines, penalties, customer credits, or enforcement mechanisms other than such fines or penalties or customer credits as may be imposed by the Commission in accordance with the provisions of this subsection (e) and Section 13-305, which are to be generally applicable to all Electing Providers. The amount of any fines or penalties imposed by the Commission for failure to comply with the requirements of this subsection (e) shall be an appropriate amount, taking into account, at a minimum, the Electing Provider's gross annual intrastate revenue; the frequency, duration, and recurrence of the violation; and the relative harm caused to the affected customers or other users of the network. In imposing fines and penalties, the Commission shall take into account compensation or credits paid by the Electing Provider to its customers pursuant to this subsection (e) in compensation for any violation found pursuant to this subsection (e), and in any event the fine or penalty shall not exceed an amount equal to the maximum amount of a civil penalty that may be imposed under Section 13-305.

(f) Commission jurisdiction upon election for market regulation. Except as otherwise expressly stated in this Section, the Commission shall thereafter have no jurisdiction or authority over any aspect of competitive retail telecommunications service of an Electing Provider in those geographic areas included in the Electing Provider's notice of election pursuant to subsection (b) of this Section, heretofore subject to the jurisdiction of the Commission, including but not limited to, any requirements of this Article related to the terms, conditions, rates, quality of service, availability, classification or any other aspect of any of the Electing Provider's competitive retail telecommunications services. No Electing Provider shall commit any unfair or deceptive act or practice in connection with any aspect of the offering or provision of any competitive retail telecommunications service. Nothing in this Article shall limit or affect any provisions in the Consumer Fraud and Deceptive Business Practices Act with respect to any unfair or deceptive act or practice by an Electing Provider.

(g) Commission authority over access services upon election for market regulation.

(1) As part of its Notice of Election for Market Regulation, the Electing Provider shall reduce its intrastate switched access rates to rates no higher than its interstate switched access rates in 4 installments. The first reduction must be made 30 days after submission of its complete application for Notice of Election for Market Regulation, and the Electing Provider must reduce its intrastate switched access rates by an amount equal to 33% of the difference between its current intrastate switched access rates and its current interstate switched access rates. The second reduction must be made no later than one year after the first reduction, and the Electing Provider must reduce its then current intrastate switched access rates by an amount equal to 41% of the difference between its then current intrastate switched access rates and its then current interstate switched access rates. The third reduction must be made no later than one year after the second reduction, and the Electing Provider must reduce its then current intrastate switched access rates by an amount equal to 50% of the difference between its then current intrastate switched access rate and its then current interstate switched access rates. The fourth reduction must be made on or before June 30, 2013, and the Electing Provider must reduce its intrastate switched access rate to mirror its then current interstate switched access rates and rate structure. Following the fourth reduction, each Electing Provider must continue to set its intrastate switched access rates to mirror its interstate switched access rates and rate structure. For purposes of this subsection, the rate for intrastate switched access service means the composite, per-minute rate for that service, including all applicable fixed and traffic-sensitive charges, including, but not limited to, carrier common line charges.

(2) Nothing in paragraph (1) of this subsection (g) prohibits an Electing Provider from electing to offer intrastate switched access service at rates lower than its interstate switched access rates.

(3) The Commission shall have no authority to order an Electing Provider to set its rates for intrastate switched access at a level lower than its interstate switched access rates.

(4) The Commission's authority under this subsection (g) shall only apply to Electing Providers under Market Regulation. The Commission's authority over switched access services for all other carriers is retained under Section 13-900.2 of this Act.

(h) Safety of service equipment and facilities.

(1) An Electing Provider shall furnish, provide, and maintain such service instrumentalities, equipment, and facilities as shall promote the safety, health, comfort, and convenience of its patrons, employees, and public and as shall be in all respects adequate, reliable, and efficient without discrimination or delay. Every Electing Provider shall provide service and facilities that are in all respects environmentally safe.

(2) The Commission is authorized to conduct an investigation of any Electing Provider or part thereof. The investigation may examine the reasonableness, prudence, or efficiency of any aspect of the Electing Provider's operations or functions that may affect the adequacy, safety, efficiency, or reliability of telecommunications service. The Commission may conduct or order an investigation only when it has reasonable grounds to believe that the investigation is necessary to assure that the Electing Provider is providing adequate, efficient, reliable, and safe service. The Commission shall, before initiating any such investigation, issue an order describing the grounds for the investigation and the appropriate scope and nature of the investigation, which shall be reasonably related to the grounds relied upon by the Commission in its order.

(i) Tariffs. No Electing Provider shall offer or provide telecommunications service unless and until a tariff is filed with the Commission that describes the nature of the service, applicable rates and other charges, terms, and conditions of service and the exchange, exchanges, or other geographical area or areas in which the service shall be offered or provided. The Commission may prescribe the form of such tariff and any additional data or information that shall be included in the form. Revenue from retail competitive services received from an Electing Provider pursuant to such tariffs shall be gross revenue for purposes of Section 2-202 of this Act.

(j) Application of Article VII. The provisions of Sections 7-101, 7-102, 7-103, 7-104, 7-204, 7-205, and 7-206 of this Act are applicable to an Electing Provider offering or providing retail telecommunications service, and the Commission's regulation thereof, except that (1) the approval of contracts and arrangements with affiliated interests required by paragraph (3) of Section 7-101 shall not apply to such telecommunications carriers provided that, except as provided in item (2), those contracts and arrangements shall be filed with the Commission; (2) affiliated interest contracts or arrangements entered into by such telecommunications carriers where the increased obligation thereunder does not exceed the lesser of $5,000,000 or 5% of such carrier's prior annual revenue from noncompetitive services are not required to be filed with the Commission; and (3) any consent and approval of the Commission required by Section 7-102 is not required for the sale, lease, assignment, or transfer by any Electing Provider of any real property that is not necessary or useful in the performance of its duties to the public.

(k) Notwithstanding other provisions of this Section, the Commission retains its existing authority to enforce the provisions, conditions, and requirements of the following Sections of this Article: 13-101, 13-103, 13-201, 13-301, 13-301.1, 13-301.2, 13-301.3, 13-303, 13-303.5, 13-304, 13-305, 13-401, 13-401.1, 13-402, 13-403, 13-404, 13-404.1, 13-404.2, 13-405, 13-406, 13-501.5, 13-505, 13-509, 13-510, 13-512, 13-513, 13-514, 13-515, 13-516, 13-519, 13-702, 13-703, 13-704, 13-705, 13-706, 13-707, 13-709, 13-713, 13-801, 13-804, 13-900, 13-900.1, 13-900.2, 13-901, 13-902, and 13-903, which are fully and equally applicable to Electing Providers subject to the provisions of this Section. On the effective date of this amendatory Act of the 96th General Assembly, the following Sections of this Article shall cease to apply to Electing Providers: 13-302, 13-405.1, 13-501, 13-502, 13-502.5, 13-503, 13-504, 13-505.2, 13-505.3, 13-505.4, 13-505.5, 13-505.6, 13-506.1, 13-507, 13-507.1, 13-508, 13-508.1, 13-517, 13-518, 13-601, 13-701, and 13-712.

(220 ILCS 5/13-509) (from Ch. 111 2/3, par. 13-509)

(Section scheduled to be repealed on July 1, 2010)

Sec. 13-509. Agreements for provisions of competitive telecommunications services differing from tariffs. A telecommunications carrier may negotiate with customers or prospective customers to provide competitive telecommunications service, and in so doing, may offer or agree to provide such service on such terms and for such rates or charges as are reasonable, without regard to any tariffs it may have filed with the Commission with respect to such services. Upon request of the Commission Within 30 days after executing any such agreement, the telecommunications carrier shall submit to the Commission written notice of a list of any such agreements (which list may be filed electronically) within the past year. The notice shall identify the general nature of all such agreements, the parties to each agreement, and a general description of differences between each agreement and the related tariff. A copy of each such agreement and any cost support required to be filed with the agreement by some other Section of this Act shall be provided to the Commission within 10 business days after a request for review of the agreement is made by the Commission or is made to the Commission by another telecommunications carrier or by a party to such agreement. Upon submitting notice to the Commission of any such agreement, the telecommunications carrier shall thereafter provide service according to the terms thereof, unless the Commission finds, after notice and hearing, that the continued provision of service pursuant to such agreement would substantially and adversely affect the financial integrity of the telecommunications carrier or would violate any other provision of this Act.

Any agreement or notice entered into or submitted pursuant to the provisions of this Section may, in the Commission's discretion, be accorded proprietary treatment.

(Source: P.A. 92-22, eff. 6-30-01; 93-245, eff. 7-22-03.)

(220 ILCS 5/13-703) (from Ch. 111 2/3, par. 13-703)

(Section scheduled to be repealed on July 1, 2010)

Sec. 13-703. (a) The Commission shall design and implement a program whereby each telecommunications carrier providing local exchange service shall provide a telecommunications device capable of servicing the needs of those persons with a hearing or speech disability together with a single party line, at no charge additional to the basic exchange rate, to any subscriber who is certified as having a hearing or speech disability by a licensed physician, speech-language pathologist, audiologist or a qualified State agency and to any subscriber which is an organization serving the needs of those persons with a hearing or speech disability as determined and specified by the Commission pursuant to subsection (d).

(b) The Commission shall design and implement a program, whereby each telecommunications carrier providing local exchange service shall provide a telecommunications relay system, using third party intervention to connect those persons having a hearing or speech disability with persons of normal hearing by way of intercommunications devices and the telephone system, making available reasonable access to all phases of public telephone service to persons who have a hearing or speech disability. In order to design a telecommunications relay system which will meet the requirements of those persons with a hearing or speech disability available at a reasonable cost, the Commission shall initiate an investigation and conduct public hearings to determine the most cost-effective method of providing telecommunications relay service to those persons who have a hearing or speech disability when using telecommunications devices and therein solicit the advice, counsel, and physical assistance of Statewide nonprofit consumer organizations that serve persons with hearing or speech disabilities in such hearings and during the development and implementation of the system. The Commission shall phase in this program, on a geographical basis, as soon as is practicable, but no later than June 30, 1990.

(c) The Commission shall establish a rate recovery mechanism, authorizing charges in an amount to be determined by the Commission for each line of a subscriber to allow telecommunications carriers providing local exchange service to recover costs as they are incurred under this Section.

(d) The Commission shall determine and specify those organizations serving the needs of those persons having a hearing or speech disability that shall receive a telecommunications device and in which offices the equipment shall be installed in the case of an organization having more than one office. For the purposes of this Section, "organizations serving the needs of those persons with hearing or speech disabilities" means centers for independent living as described in Section 12a of the Disabled Persons Rehabilitation Act and not-for-profit organizations whose primary purpose is serving the needs of those persons with hearing or speech disabilities. The Commission shall direct the telecommunications carriers subject to its jurisdiction and this Section to comply with its determinations and specifications in this regard.

(e) As used in this Section, the phrase "telecommunications carrier providing local exchange service" includes, without otherwise limiting the meaning of the term, telecommunications carriers which are purely mutual concerns, having no rates or charges for services, but paying the operating expenses by assessment upon the members of such a company and no other person.

(f) Interconnected VoIP service providers in Illinois shall collect and remit assessments determined in accordance with this Section in a competitively neutral manner in the same manner as a telecommunications carrier providing local exchange service. Interconnected VoIP services shall not be considered an intrastate telecommunications service for the purposes of this Section in a manner inconsistent with federal law or Federal Communications Commission regulation.

(g) The provisions of this Section are severable under Section 1.31 of the Statute on Statutes.

(Source: P.A. 88-497.)

(220 ILCS 5/13-704) (from Ch. 111 2/3, par. 13-704)

(Section scheduled to be repealed on July 1, 2010)

Sec. 13-704. Each page of a billing statement which sets forth charges assessed against a customer by a telecommunications carrier for telecommunications service shall reflect the telephone number or customer account number to which the charges are being billed. If a telecommunications carrier offers electronic billing, customers may elect to have their bills sent electronically. Such bills shall be transmitted with instructions for payment. Information sent electronically shall be deemed to satisfy any requirement in this Section that such information be printed or written on a customer bill. Bills may be paid electronically or by the use of a customer-preferred financially accredited credit or debit methodology. The billing statement shall also contain a separate bill identifying the amount charged as an infrastructure maintenance fee.

(Source: P.A. 90-154, eff. 1-1-98.)

(220 ILCS 5/13-712)

(Section scheduled to be repealed on July 1, 2010)

Sec. 13-712. Basic local exchange service quality; customer credits.

(a) It is the intent of the General Assembly that every telecommunications carrier meet minimum service quality standards in providing basic local exchange service on a non-discriminatory basis to all classes of customers.

(b) Definitions:

(1) (Blank) "Alternative telephone service" means, except where technically impracticable, a wireless telephone capable of making local calls, and may also include, but is not limited to, call forwarding, voice mail, or paging services.

(2) "Basic local exchange service" means residential and business lines used for local exchange telecommunications service as defined in Section 13-204 of this Act, excluding:

(A) services that employ advanced telecommunications capability as defined in Section 706(c)(1) of the federal Telecommunications Act of 1996;

(B) vertical services;

(C) company official lines; and

(D) records work only.

(3) "Link Up" refers to the Link Up Assistance program defined and established at 47 C.F.R. Section 54.411 et seq. as amended.

(c) The Commission shall promulgate service quality rules for basic local exchange service, which may include fines, penalties, customer credits, and other enforcement mechanisms. In developing such service quality rules, the Commission shall consider, at a minimum, the carrier's gross annual intrastate revenue; the frequency, duration, and recurrence of the violation; and the relative harm caused to the affected customer or other users of the network. In imposing fines, the Commission shall take into account compensation or credits paid by the telecommunications carrier to its customers pursuant to this Section in compensation for the violation found pursuant to this Section. These rules shall become effective within one year after the effective date of this amendatory Act of the 92nd General Assembly.

(d) The rules shall, at a minimum, require each telecommunications carrier to do all of the following:

(1) Install basic local exchange service within 5 business days after receipt of an order from the customer unless the customer requests an installation date that is beyond 5 business days after placing the order for basic service and to inform the customer of its duty to install service within this timeframe. If installation of service is requested on or by a date more than 5 business days in the future, the telecommunications carrier shall install service by the date requested. A telecommunications carrier offering basic local exchange service utilizing the network or network elements of another carrier shall install new lines for basic local exchange service within 3 business days after provisioning of the line or lines by the carrier whose network or network elements are being utilized is complete. This subdivision (d)(1) does not apply to the migration of a customer between telecommunications carriers, so long as the customer maintains dial tone.

(2) Restore basic local exchange service for a customer within 30 24 hours of receiving notice that a customer is out of service. This provision applies to service disruptions that occur when a customer switches existing basic local exchange service from one carrier to another.

(3) Keep all repair and installation appointments for basic local exchange service, when a customer premises visit requires a customer to be present.

(4) Inform a customer when a repair or installation appointment requires the customer to be present.

(e) The rules shall include provisions for customers to be credited by the telecommunications carrier for violations of basic local exchange service quality standards as described in subsection (d). The credits shall be applied on the statement issued to the customer for the next monthly billing cycle following the violation or following the discovery of the violation. The performance levels established in subsection (c) are solely for the purposes of consumer credits and shall not be used as performance levels for the purposes of assessing penalties under Section 13-305. At a minimum, the rules shall include the following:

(1) If a carrier fails to repair an out-of-service condition for basic local exchange service within 30 24 hours, the carrier shall provide a credit to the customer. If the service disruption is for over 30 hours but less than 48 hours or less, the credit must be equal to a pro-rata portion of the monthly recurring charges for all local services disrupted. If the service disruption is for more than 48 hours, but not more than 72 hours, the credit must be equal to at least 33% of one month's recurring charges for all local services disrupted. If the service disruption is for more than 72 hours, but not more than 96 hours, the credit must be equal to at least 67% of one month's recurring charges for all local services disrupted. If the service disruption is for more than 96 hours, but not more than 120 hours, the credit must be equal to one month's recurring charges for all local services disrupted. For each day or portion thereof that the service disruption continues beyond the initial 120-hour period, the carrier shall also provide either alternative telephone service or an additional credit of $20 per day, at the customers option.

(2) If a carrier fails to install basic local exchange service as required under subdivision (d)(1), the carrier shall waive 50% of any installation charges, or in the absence of an installation charge or where installation is pursuant to the Link Up program, the carrier shall provide a credit of $25. If a carrier fails to install service within 10 business days after the service application is placed, or fails to install service within 5 business days after the customer's requested installation date, if the requested date was more than 5 business days after the date of the order, the carrier shall waive 100% of the installation charge, or in the absence of an installation charge or where installation is provided pursuant to the Link Up program, the carrier shall provide a credit of $50. For each day that the failure to install service continues beyond the initial 10 business days, or beyond 5 business days after the customer's requested installation date, if the requested date was more than 5 business days after the date of the order, the carrier shall also provide either alternative telephone service or an additional credit of $20 per day, at the customer's option until service is installed.

(3) If a carrier fails to keep a scheduled repair or installation appointment when a customer premises visit requires a customer to be present, the carrier shall credit the customer $25 $50 per missed appointment. A credit required by this subsection does not apply when the carrier provides the customer with 24-hour notice of its inability to keep the appointment no later than 8 p.m. of the day prior to the scheduled date of the appointment.

(4) If the violation of a basic local exchange service quality standard is caused by a carrier other than the carrier providing retail service to the customer, the carrier providing retail service to the customer shall credit the customer as provided in this Section. The carrier causing the violation shall reimburse the carrier providing retail service the amount credited the customer. When applicable, an interconnection agreement shall govern compensation between the carrier causing the violation, in whole or in part, and the retail carrier providing the credit to the customer.

(5) (Blank) When alternative telephone service is appropriate, the customer may select one of the alternative telephone services offered by the carrier. The alternative telephone service shall be provided at no cost to the customer for the provision of local service.

(6) Credits required by this subsection do not apply if the violation of a service quality standard:

(i) occurs as a result of a negligent or willful act on the part of the customer;

(ii) occurs as a result of a malfunction of customer-owned telephone equipment or inside wiring;

(iii) occurs as a result of, or is extended by, an emergency situation as defined in Commission rules;

(iv) is extended by the carrier's inability to gain access to the customer's premises due to the customer missing an appointment, provided that the violation is not further extended by the carrier;

(v) occurs as a result of a customer request to change the scheduled appointment, provided that the violation is not further extended by the carrier;

(vi) occurs as a result of a carrier's right to refuse service to a customer as provided in Commission rules; or

(vii) occurs as a result of a lack of facilities where a customer requests service at a geographically remote location, a customer requests service in a geographic area where the carrier is not currently offering service, or there are insufficient facilities to meet the customer's request for service, subject to a carrier's obligation for reasonable facilities planning.

(7) The provisions of this subsection are cumulative and shall not in any way diminish or replace other civil or administrative remedies available to a customer or a class of customers.

(f) The rules shall require each telecommunications carrier to provide to the Commission, on a quarterly basis and in a form suitable for posting on the Commission's website, a public report that includes performance data for basic local exchange service quality of service. The performance data shall be disaggregated for each geographic area and each customer class of the State for which the telecommunications carrier internally monitored performance data as of a date 120 days preceding the effective date of this amendatory Act of the 92nd General Assembly. The report shall include, at a minimum, performance data on basic local exchange service installations, lines out of service for more than 30 24 hours, carrier response to customer calls, trouble reports, and missed repair and installation commitments.

(g) The Commission shall establish and implement carrier to carrier wholesale service quality rules and establish remedies to ensure enforcement of the rules.

(Source: P.A. 92-22, eff. 6-30-01.)

(220 ILCS 5/13-804 new)

(Section scheduled to be repealed on July 1, 2010)

Sec. 13-804. Broadband investment. Increased investment into broadband infrastructure is critical to the economic development of this State and a key component to the retention of existing jobs and the creation of new jobs. The removal of regulatory uncertainty will attract greater private-sector investment in broadband infrastructure. Notwithstanding other provisions of this Article:

(A) the Commission shall have the authority to certify providers of wireless services, including, but not limited to, private radio service, public mobile service, or commercial mobile service, as those terms are defined in 47 U.S.C. 332 on the effective date of this amendatory Act of the 96th General Assembly or as amended thereafter, to provide telecommunications services in Illinois;

(B) the Commission shall have the authority to certify providers of wireless services, including, but not limited to, private radio service, public mobile service, or commercial mobile service, as those terms are defined in 47 U.S.C. 332 on the effective date of this amendatory Act of the 96th General Assembly or as amended thereafter, as eligible telecommunications carriers in Illinois, as that term has the meaning prescribed in 47 U.S.C. 214 on the effective date of this amendatory Act of the 96th General Assembly or as amended thereafter;

(C) the Commission shall have the authority to register providers of fixed or non-nomadic Interconnected VoIP service as Interconnected VoIP service providers in Illinois in accordance with Section 401.1 of this Article;

(D) the Commission shall have the authority to require providers of Interconnected VoIP service to participate in hearing and speech disability programs; and

(E) the Commission shall have the authority to access information provided to the non-profit organization under Section 20 of the High Speed Internet Services and Information Technology Act, provided the Commission enters into a proprietary and confidentiality agreement governing such information.

Except to the extent expressly permitted by and consistent with federal law, the regulations of the Federal Communications Commission, this Article, Article XXI or XXII of this Act, or this amendatory Act of the 96th General Assembly, the Commission shall not regulate the rates, terms, conditions, quality of service, availability, classification, or any other aspect of service regarding (i) broadband services, (ii) Interconnected VoIP services, (iii) information services, as defined in 47 U.S.C. 153(20) on the effective date of this amendatory Act of the 96th General Assembly or as amended thereafter, or (iv) wireless services, including, but not limited to, private radio service, public mobile service, or commercial mobile service, as those terms are defined in 47 U.S.C. 332 on the effective date of this amendatory Act of the 96th General Assembly or as amended thereafter.

(220 ILCS 5/13-900.1 new)

(Section scheduled to be repealed on July 1, 2010)

Sec. 13-900.1. Authority over 9-1-1 rates and terms of service. Notwithstanding any other provision of this Article, the Commission retains its full authority over the rates and service quality as they apply to 9-1-1 system providers, including the Commission's existing authority over interconnection with 9-1-1 system providers and 9-1-1 systems. The rates, terms, and conditions for 9-1-1 service shall be tariffed and shall be provided in the manner prescribed by this Act and shall be subject to the applicable laws, including rules or regulations adopted and orders issued by the Commission or the Federal Communications Commission. The Commission retains this full authority regardless of the technologies utilized or deployed by 9-1-1 system providers.

(220 ILCS 5/13-900.2 new)

(Section scheduled to be repealed on July 1, 2010)

Sec. 13-900.2. Access services.

(a) This Section shall apply to switched access rates charged by all carriers other than Electing Providers whose switched access rates are governed by subsection (g) of Section 13-506.2 of this Act.

(b) Except as otherwise provided in subsection (c) of this Section, the rates of any telecommunications carrier, including, but not limited to, competitive local exchange carriers, providing intrastate switched access service shall be reduced to rates no higher than the carrier's rates for interstate switched access service as follows:

(1) by January 1, 2011, each telecommunications carrier must reduce its intrastate switched access rates by an amount equal to 50% of the difference between its then current intrastate switched access rates and its then current interstate switched access rates;

(2) by January 1, 2012, each telecommunications carrier must further reduce its intrastate switched access rates by an amount equal to 50% of the difference between its then current intrastate switched access rates and its then current interstate switched access rates;

(3) by July 1, 2012, each telecommunications carrier must reduce its intrastate switched access rates to mirror its then current interstate switched access rates and rate structure.

Following 24 months after the effective date of this amendatory Act of the 96th General Assembly, each telecommunications carrier must continue to set its intrastate switched access rates to mirror its interstate switched access rates and rate structure. For purposes of this Section, the rate for intrastate switched access service means the composite, per-minute rate for that service, including all applicable fixed and traffic-sensitive charges, including, but not limited to, carrier common line charges.

(c) Subsection (b) of this Section shall not apply to incumbent local exchange carriers serving 35,000 or fewer access lines.

(d) Nothing in subsection (b) of this Section prohibits a telecommunications carrier from electing to offer intrastate switched access service at rates lower than its interstate rates.

(e) The Commission shall have no authority to order a telecommunications carrier to set its rates for intrastate switched access at a level lower than its interstate switched access rates.

(220 ILCS 5/13-1200)

(Section scheduled to be repealed on July 1, 2010)

Sec. 13-1200. Repealer. This Article is repealed July 1, 2013 2010.

(Source: P.A. 95-9, eff. 6-30-07; 96-24, eff. 6-30-09.)

(220 ILCS 5/22-501)

Sec. 22-501. Customer service and privacy protection. All cable or video providers in this State shall comply with the following customer service requirements and privacy protections. The provisions of this Act shall not apply to an incumbent cable operator prior to January 1, 2008. For purposes of this paragraph, an incumbent cable operator means a person or entity that provided cable services in a particular area under a franchise agreement with a local unit of government pursuant to Section 11-42-11 of the Illinois Municipal Code or Section 5-1095 of the Counties Code on January 1, 2007. A master antenna television, satellite master antenna television, direct broadcast satellite, multipoint distribution service, and other provider of video programming shall only be subject to the provisions of this Article to the extent permitted by federal law.

The following definitions apply to the terms used in this Article:

"Basic cable or video service" means any service offering or tier that includes the retransmission of local television broadcast signals.

"Cable or video provider" means any person or entity providing cable service or video service pursuant to authorization under (i) the Cable and Video Competition Law of 2007; (ii) Section 11-42-11 of the Illinois Municipal Code; (iii) Section 5-1095 of the Counties Code; or (iv) a master antenna television, satellite master antenna television, direct broadcast satellite, multipoint distribution services, and other providers of video programming, whatever their technology. A cable or video provider shall not include a landlord providing only broadcast video programming to a single-family home or other residential dwelling consisting of 4 units or less.

"Franchise" has the same meaning as found in 47 U.S.C. 522(9).

"Local unit of government" means a city, village, incorporated town, or a county.

"Normal business hours" means those hours during which most similar businesses in the geographic area of the local unit of government are open to serve customers. In all cases, "normal business hours" must include some evening hours at least one night per week or some weekend hours.

"Normal operating conditions" means those service conditions that are within the control of cable or video providers. Those conditions that are not within the control of cable or video providers include, but are not limited to, natural disasters, civil disturbances, power outages, telephone network outages, and severe or unusual weather conditions. Those conditions that are ordinarily within the control of cable or video providers include, but are not limited to, special promotions, pay-per-view events, rate increases, regular peak or seasonal demand periods, and maintenance or upgrade of the cable service or video service network.

"Service interruption" means the loss of picture or sound on one or more cable service or video service on one or more cable or video channels.

"Service line drop" means the point of connection between a premises and the cable or video network that enables the premises to receive cable service or video service.

(a) General customer service standards:

(1) Cable or video providers shall establish general standards related to customer service, which shall include, but not be limited to, installation, disconnection, service and repair obligations; appointment hours and employee ID requirements; customer service telephone numbers and hours; procedures for billing, charges, deposits, refunds, and credits; procedures for termination of service; notice of deletion of programming service; changes related to transmission of programming; changes or increases in rates; the use and availability of parental control or lock-out devices; the use and availability of an A/B switch if applicable; complaint procedures and procedures for bill dispute resolution; a description of the rights and remedies available to consumers if the cable or video provider does not materially meet its customer service standards; and special services for customers with visual, hearing, or mobility disabilities.

(2) Cable or video providers' rates for each level of service, rules, regulations, and policies related to its cable service or video service described in paragraph (1) of this subsection (a) must be made available to the public and displayed clearly and conspicuously on the cable or video provider's site on the Internet. If a promotional price or a price for a specified period of time is offered, the cable or video provider shall display the price at the end of the promotional period or specified period of time clearly and conspicuously with the display of the promotional price or price for a specified period of time. The cable or video provider shall provide this information upon request.

(3) Cable or video providers shall provide notice concerning their general customer service standards to all customers. This notice shall be offered when service is first activated and annually thereafter. The information in the notice shall include all of the information specified in paragraph (1) of this subsection (a), as well as the following: a listing of services offered by the cable or video providers, which shall clearly describe programming for all services and all levels of service; the rates for all services and levels of service; a telephone number through which customers may subscribe to, change, or terminate service, request customer service, or seek general or billing information; instructions on the use of the cable or video services; and a description of rights and remedies that the cable or video providers shall make available to their customers if they do not materially meet the general customer service standards described in this Act.

(b) General customer service obligations:

(1) Cable or video providers shall render reasonably efficient service, promptly make repairs, and interrupt service only as necessary and for good cause, during periods of minimum use of the system and for no more than 24 hours.

(2) All service representatives or any other person who contacts customers or potential customers on behalf of the cable or video provider shall have a visible identification card with their name and photograph and shall orally identify themselves upon first contact with the customer. Customer service representatives shall orally identify themselves to callers immediately following the greeting during each telephone contact with the public.

(3) The cable or video providers shall: (i) maintain a customer service facility within the boundaries of a local unit of government staffed by customer service representatives that have the capacity to accept payment, adjust bills, and respond to repair, installation, reconnection, disconnection, or other service calls and distribute or receive converter boxes, remote control units, digital stereo units, or other equipment related to the provision of cable or video service; (ii) provide customers with bill payment facilities through retail, financial, or other commercial institutions located within the boundaries of a local unit of government; (iii) provide an address, toll-free telephone number or electronic address to accept bill payments and correspondence and provide secure collection boxes for the receipt of bill payments and the return of equipment, provided that if a cable or video provider provides secure collection boxes, it shall provide a printed receipt when items are deposited; or (iv) provide an address, toll-free telephone number, or electronic address to accept bill payments and correspondence and provide a method for customers to return equipment to the cable or video provider at no cost to the customer.

(4) In each contact with a customer, the service representatives or any other person who contacts customers or potential customers on behalf of the cable or video provider shall state the estimated cost of the service, repair, or installation orally prior to delivery of the service or before any work is performed, shall provide the customer with an oral statement of the total charges before terminating the telephone call or other contact in which a service is ordered, whether in-person or over the Internet, and shall provide a written statement of the total charges before leaving the location at which the work was performed. In the event that the cost of service is a promotional price or is for a limited period of time, the cost of service at the end of the promotion or limited period of time shall be disclosed.

(5) Cable or video providers shall provide customers a minimum of 30 days' written notice before increasing rates or eliminating transmission of programming and shall submit the notice to the local unit of government in advance of distribution to customers, provided that the cable or video provider is not in violation of this provision if the elimination of transmission of programming was outside the control of the provider, in which case the provider shall use reasonable efforts to provide as much notice as possible, and any rate decrease related to the elimination of transmission of programming shall be applied to the date of the change.

(6) Cable or video providers shall provide clear visual and audio reception that meets or exceeds applicable Federal Communications Commission technical standards. If a customer experiences poor video or audio reception due to the equipment of the cable or video provider, the cable or video provider shall promptly repair the problem at its own expense.

(c) Bills, payment, and termination:

(1) Cable or video providers shall render monthly bills that are clear, accurate, and understandable.

(2) Every residential customer who pays bills directly to the cable or video provider shall have at least 28 days from the date of the bill to pay the listed charges.

(3) Customer payments shall be posted promptly. When the payment is sent by United States mail, payment is considered paid on the date it is postmarked.

(4) Cable or video providers may not terminate residential service for nonpayment of a bill unless the cable or video provider furnishes notice of the delinquency and impending termination at least 21 days prior to the proposed termination. Notice of proposed termination shall be mailed, postage prepaid, to the customer to whom service is billed. Notice of proposed termination shall not be mailed until the 29th day after the date of the bill for services. Notice of delinquency and impending termination may be part of a billing statement only if the notice is presented in a different color than the bill and is designed to be conspicuous. The cable or video providers may not assess a late fee prior to the 29th day after the date of the bill for service.

(5) Every notice of impending termination shall include all of the following: the name and address of customer; the amount of the delinquency; the date on which payment is required to avoid termination; and the telephone number of the cable or video provider's service representative to make payment arrangements and to provide additional information about the charges for failure to return equipment and for reconnection, if any. No customer may be charged a fee for termination or disconnection of service, irrespective of whether the customer initiated termination or disconnection or the cable or video provider initiated termination or disconnection.

(6) Service may only be terminated on days when the customer is able to reach a service representative of the cable or video providers, either in person or by telephone.

(7) Any service terminated by a cable or video provider without good cause shall be restored without any reconnection fee, charge, or penalty; good cause for termination includes, but is not limited to, failure to pay a bill by the date specified in the notice of impending termination, payment by check for which there are insufficient funds, theft of service, abuse of equipment or personnel, or other similar subscriber actions.

(8) Cable or video providers shall cease charging a customer for any or all services within one business day after it receives a request to immediately terminate service or on the day requested by the customer if such a date is at least 5 days from the date requested by the customer. Nothing in this subsection (c) shall prohibit the provider from billing for charges that the customer incurs prior to the date of termination. Cable or video providers shall issue a credit or a refund or return a deposit within 10 business days after the close of the customer's billing cycle following the request for termination or the return of equipment, if any, whichever is later.

(9) The customers or subscribers of a cable or video provider shall be allowed to disconnect their service at any time within the first 60 days after subscribing to or upgrading the service. Within this 60-day period, cable or video providers shall not charge or impose any fees or penalties on the customer for disconnecting service, including, but not limited to, any installation charge or the imposition of an early termination charge, except the cable or video provider may impose a charge or fee to offset any rebates or credits received by the customer and may impose monthly service or maintenance charges, including pay-per-view and premium services charges, during such 60-day period.

(10) Cable and video providers shall guarantee customer satisfaction for new or upgraded service and the customer shall receive a pro-rata credit in an amount equal to the pro-rata charge for the remaining days of service being disconnected or replaced upon the customers request if the customer is dissatisfied with the service and requests to discontinue the service within the first 60 days after subscribing to the upgraded service.

(d) Response to customer inquiries:

(1) Cable or video providers will maintain a toll-free telephone access line that is available to customers 24 hours a day, 7 days a week to accept calls regarding installation, termination, service, and complaints. Trained, knowledgeable, qualified service representatives of the cable or video providers will be available to respond to customer telephone inquiries during normal business hours. Customer service representatives shall be able to provide credit, waive fees, schedule appointments, and change billing cycles. Any difficulties that cannot be resolved by the customer service representatives shall be referred to a supervisor who shall make his or her best efforts to resolve the issue immediately. If the supervisor does not resolve the issue to the customer's satisfaction, the customer shall be informed of the cable or video provider's complaint procedures and procedures for billing dispute resolution and given a description of the rights and remedies available to customers to enforce the terms of this Article, including the customer's rights to have the complaint reviewed by the local unit of government, to request mediation, and to review in a court of competent jurisdiction.

(2) After normal business hours, the access line may be answered by a service or an automated response system, including an answering machine. Inquiries received by telephone or e-mail after normal business hours shall be responded to by a trained service representative on the next business day. The cable or video provider shall respond to a written billing inquiry within 10 days of receipt of the inquiry.

(3) Cable or video providers shall provide customers seeking non-standard installations with a total installation cost estimate and an estimated date of completion. The actual charge to the customer shall not exceed 10% of the estimated cost without the written consent of the customer.

(4) If the cable or video provider receives notice that an unsafe condition exists with respect to its equipment, it shall investigate such condition immediately and shall take such measures as are necessary to remove or eliminate the unsafe condition. The cable or video provider shall inform the local unit of government promptly, but no later than 2 hours after it receives notification of an unsafe condition that it has not remedied.

(5) Under normal operating conditions, telephone answer time by the cable or video provider's customer representative, including wait time, shall not exceed 30 seconds when the connection is made. If the call needs to be transferred, transfer time shall not exceed 30 seconds. These standards shall be met no less than 90% of the time under normal operating conditions, measured on a quarterly basis.

(6) Under normal operating conditions, the cable or video provider's customers will receive a busy signal less than 3% of the time.

(e) Under normal operating conditions, each of the following standards related to installations, outages, and service calls will be met no less than 95% of the time measured on a quarterly basis:

(1) Standard installations will be performed within 7 business days after an order has been placed. "Standard" installations are those that are located up to 125 feet from the existing distribution system.

(2) Excluding conditions beyond the control of the cable or video providers, the cable or video providers will begin working on "service interruptions" promptly and in no event later than 24 hours after the interruption is reported by the customer or otherwise becomes known to the cable or video providers. Cable or video providers must begin actions to correct other service problems the next business day after notification of the service problem and correct the problem within 48 hours after the interruption is reported by the customer 95% of the time, measured on a quarterly basis.

(3) The "appointment window" alternatives for installations, service calls, and other installation activities will be either a specific time or, at a maximum, a 4-hour time block during evening, weekend, and normal business hours. The cable or video provider may schedule service calls and other installation activities outside of these hours for the express convenience of the customer.

(4) Cable or video providers may not cancel an appointment with a customer after 5:00 p.m. on the business day prior to the scheduled appointment. If the cable or video provider's representative is running late for an appointment with a customer and will not be able to keep the appointment as scheduled, the customer will be contacted. The appointment will be rescheduled, as necessary, at a time that is convenient for the customer, even if the rescheduled appointment is not within normal business hours.

(f) Public benefit obligation:

(1) All cable or video providers offering service pursuant to the Cable and Video Competition Law of 2007, the Illinois Municipal Code, or the Counties Code shall provide a free service line drop and free basic service to all current and future public buildings within their footprint, including, but not limited to, all local unit of government buildings, public libraries, and public primary and secondary schools, whether owned or leased by that local unit of government ("eligible buildings"). Such service shall be used in a manner consistent with the government purpose for the eligible building and shall not be resold.

(2) This obligation only applies to those cable or video service providers whose cable service or video service systems pass eligible buildings and its cable or video service is generally available to residential subscribers in the same local unit of government in which the eligible building is located. The burden of providing such service at each eligible building shall be shared by all cable and video providers whose systems pass the eligible buildings in an equitable and competitively neutral manner, and nothing herein shall require duplicative installations by more than one cable or video provider at each eligible building. Cable or video providers operating in a local unit of government shall meet as necessary and determine who will provide service to eligible buildings under this subsection (f). If the cable or video providers are unable to reach an agreement, they shall meet with the local unit of government, which shall determine which cable or video providers will serve each eligible building. The local unit of government shall bear the costs of any inside wiring or video equipment costs not ordinarily provided as part of the cable or video provider's basic offering.

(g) After the cable or video providers have offered service for one year, the cable or video providers shall make an annual report to the Commission, to the local unit of government, and to the Attorney General that it is meeting the standards specified in this Article, identifying the number of complaints it received over the prior year in the State and specifying the number of complaints related to each of the following: (1) billing, charges, refunds, and credits; (2) installation or termination of service; (3) quality of service and repair; (4) programming; and (5) miscellaneous complaints that do not fall within these categories. Thereafter, the cable or video providers shall also provide, upon request by the local unit of government where service is offered and to the Attorney General, an annual public report that includes performance data described in subdivisions (5) and (6) of subsection (d) and subdivisions (1) and (2) of subsection (e) of this Section for cable services or video services. The performance data shall be disaggregated for each requesting local unit of government or local exchange, as that term is defined in Section 13-206 of this Act, in which the cable or video providers have customers.

(h) To the extent consistent with federal law, cable or video providers shall offer the lowest-cost basic cable or video service as a stand-alone service to residential customers at reasonable rates. Cable or video providers shall not require the subscription to any service other than the lowest-cost basic service or to any telecommunications or information service, as a condition of access to cable or video service, including programming offered on a per channel or per program basis. Cable or video providers shall not discriminate between subscribers to the lowest-cost basic service, subscribers to other cable services or video services, and other subscribers with regard to the rates charged for cable or video programming offered on a per channel or per program basis.

(i) To the extent consistent with federal law, cable or video providers shall ensure that charges for changes in the subscriber's selection of services or equipment shall be based on the cost of such change and shall not exceed nominal amounts when the system's configuration permits changes in service tier selection to be effected solely by coded entry on a computer terminal or by other similarly simple method.

(j) To the extent consistent with federal law, cable or video providers shall have a rate structure for the provision of cable or video service that is uniform throughout the area within the boundaries of the local unit of government. This subsection (j) is not intended to prohibit bulk discounts to multiple dwelling units or to prohibit reasonable discounts to senior citizens or other economically disadvantaged groups.

(k) To the extent consistent with federal law, cable or video providers shall not charge a subscriber for any service or equipment that the subscriber has not affirmatively requested by name. For purposes of this subsection (k), a subscriber's failure to refuse a cable or video provider's proposal to provide service or equipment shall not be deemed to be an affirmative request for such service or equipment.

(l) No contract or service agreement containing an early termination clause offering residential cable services or video services or any bundle including such services shall be for a term longer than 2 years one year. Any contract or service offering with a term of service that contains an early termination fee shall limit the early termination fee to not more than the value of any additional goods or services provided with the cable or video services, the amount of the discount reflected in the price for cable services or video services for the period during which the consumer benefited from the discount, or a declining fee based on the remainder of the contract term.

(m) Cable or video providers shall not discriminate in the provision of services for the hearing and visually impaired, and shall comply with the accessibility requirements of 47 U.S.C. 613. Cable or video providers shall deliver and pick-up or provide customers with pre-paid shipping and packaging for the return of converters and other necessary equipment at the home of customers with disabilities. Cable or video providers shall provide free use of a converter or remote control unit to mobility impaired customers.

(n)(1) To the extent consistent with federal law, cable or video providers shall comply with the provisions of 47 U.S.C. 532(h) and (j). The cable or video providers shall not exercise any editorial control over any video programming provided pursuant to this Section, or in any other way consider the content of such programming, except that a cable or video provider may refuse to transmit any leased access program or portion of a leased access program that contains obscenity, indecency, or nudity and may consider such content to the minimum extent necessary to establish a reasonable price for the commercial use of designated channel capacity by an unaffiliated person. This subsection (n) shall permit cable or video providers to enforce prospectively a written and published policy of prohibiting programming that the cable or video provider reasonably believes describes or depicts sexual or excretory activities or organs in a patently offensive manner as measured by contemporary community standards.

(2) Upon customer request, the cable or video provider shall, without charge, fully scramble or otherwise fully block the audio and video programming of each channel carrying such programming so that a person who is not a subscriber does not receive the channel or programming.

(3) In providing sexually explicit adult programming or other programming that is indecent on any channel of its service primarily dedicated to sexually oriented programming, the cable or video provider shall fully scramble or otherwise fully block the video and audio portion of such channel so that a person who is not a subscriber to such channel or programming does not receive it.

(4) Scramble means to rearrange the content of the signal of the programming so that the programming cannot be viewed or heard in an understandable manner.

(o) Cable or video providers will maintain a listing, specific to the level of street address, of the areas where its cable or video services are available. Customers who inquire about purchasing cable or video service shall be informed about whether the cable or video provider's cable or video services are currently available to them at their specific location.

(p) Cable or video providers shall not disclose the name, address, telephone number or other personally identifying information of a cable service or video service customer to be used in mailing lists or to be used for other commercial purposes not reasonably related to the conduct of its business unless the cable or video provider has provided to the customer a notice, separately or included in any other customer service notice, that clearly and conspicuously describes the customer's ability to prohibit the disclosure. Cable or video providers shall provide an address and telephone number for a customer to use without a toll charge to prevent disclosure of the customer's name and address in mailing lists or for other commercial purposes not reasonably related to the conduct of its business to other businesses or affiliates of the cable or video provider. Cable or video providers shall comply with the consumer privacy requirements of the Communications Consumer Privacy Act, the Restricted Call Registry Act, and 47 U.S.C. 551 that are in effect as of June 30, 2007 (the effective date of Public Act 95-9) and as amended thereafter.

(q) Cable or video providers shall implement an informal process for handling inquiries from local units of government and customers concerning billing issues, service issues, privacy concerns, and other consumer complaints. In the event that an issue is not resolved through this informal process, a local unit of government or the customer may request nonbinding mediation with the cable or video provider, with each party to bear its own costs of such mediation. Selection of the mediator will be by mutual agreement, and preference will be given to mediation services that do not charge the consumer for their services. In the event that the informal process does not produce a satisfactory result to the customer or the local unit of government, enforcement may be pursued as provided in subdivision (4) of subsection (r) of this Section.

(r) The Attorney General and the local unit of government may enforce all of the customer service and privacy protection standards of this Section with respect to complaints received from residents within the local unit of government's jurisdiction, but it may not adopt or seek to enforce any additional or different customer service or performance standards under any other authority or provision of law.

(1) The local unit of government may, by ordinance, provide a schedule of penalties for any material breach of this Section by cable or video providers in addition to the penalties provided herein. No monetary penalties shall be assessed for a material breach if it is out of the reasonable control of the cable or video providers or its affiliate. Monetary penalties adopted in an ordinance pursuant to this Section shall apply on a competitively neutral basis to all providers of cable service or video service within the local unit of government's jurisdiction. In no event shall the penalties imposed under this subsection (r) exceed $750 for each day of the material breach, and these penalties shall not exceed $25,000 for each occurrence of a material breach per customer.

(2) For purposes of this Section, "material breach" means any substantial failure of a cable or video service provider to comply with service quality and other standards specified in any provision of this Act. The Attorney General or the local unit of government shall give the cable or video provider written notice of any alleged material breaches of this Act and allow such provider at least 30 days from receipt of the notice to remedy the specified material breach.

(3) A material breach, for the purposes of assessing penalties, shall be deemed to have occurred for each day that a material breach has not been remedied by the cable service or video service provider after the expiration of the period specified in subdivision (2) of this subsection (r) in each local unit of government's jurisdiction, irrespective of the number of customers affected.

(4) Any customer, the Attorney General, or a local unit of government may pursue alleged violations of this Act by the cable or video provider in a court of competent jurisdiction. A cable or video provider may seek judicial review of a decision of a local unit of government imposing penalties in a court of competent jurisdiction. No local unit of government shall be subject to suit for damages or other relief based upon its action in connection with its enforcement or review of any of the terms, conditions, and rights contained in this Act except a court may require the return of any penalty it finds was not properly assessed or imposed.

(s) Cable or video providers shall credit customers for violations in the amounts stated herein. The credits shall be applied on the statement issued to the customer for the next monthly billing cycle following the violation or following the discovery of the violation. Cable or video providers are responsible for providing the credits described herein and the customer is under no obligation to request the credit. If the customer is no longer taking service from the cable or video provider, the credit amount will be refunded to the customer by check within 30 days of the termination of service. A local unit of government may, by ordinance, adopt a schedule of credits payable directly to customers for breach of the customer service standards and obligations contained in this Article, provided the schedule of customer credits applies on a competitively neutral basis to all providers of cable service or video service in the local unit of government's jurisdiction and the credits are not greater than the credits provided in this Section.

(1) Failure to provide notice of customer service standards upon initiation of service: $25.00.

(2) Failure to install service within 7 days: Waiver of 50% of the installation fee or the monthly fee for the lowest-cost basic service, whichever is greater. Failure to install service within 14 days: Waiver of 100% of the installation fee or the monthly fee for the lowest-cost basic service, whichever is greater.

(3) Failure to remedy service interruptions or poor video or audio service quality within 48 hours: Pro-rata credit of total regular monthly charges equal to the number of days of the service interruption.

(4) Failure to keep an appointment or to notify the customer prior to the close of business on the business day prior to the scheduled appointment: $25.00.

(5) Violation of privacy protections: $150.00.

(6) Failure to comply with scrambling requirements: $50.00 per month.

(7) Violation of customer service and billing standards in subsections (c) and (d) of this Section: $25.00 per occurrence.

(8) Violation of the bundling rules in subsection (h) of this Section: $25.00 per month.

(t) The enforcement powers granted to the Attorney General in Article XXI of this Act shall apply to this Article, except that the Attorney General may not seek penalties for violation of this Article other than in the amounts specified herein. Nothing in this Section shall limit or affect the powers of the Attorney General to enforce the provisions of Article XXI of this Act or the Consumer Fraud and Deceptive Business Practices Act.

(u) This Article applies to all cable and video providers in the State, including but not limited to those operating under a local franchise as that term is used in 47 U.S.C. 522(9), those operating under authorization pursuant to Section 11-42-11 of the Illinois Municipal Code, those operating under authorization pursuant to Section 5-1095 of the Counties Code, and those operating under a State-issued authorization pursuant to Article XXI of this Act.

(Source: P.A. 95-9, eff. 6-30-07; 95-876, eff. 8-21-08.)

(220 ILCS 5/13-402.1 rep.)

(220 ILCS 5/13-408 rep.)

(220 ILCS 5/13-409 rep.)

(220 ILCS 5/13-505.1 rep.)

(220 ILCS 5/13-505.7 rep.)

(220 ILCS 5/13-506 rep.)

(220 ILCS 5/13-511 rep.)

(220 ILCS 5/13-802 rep.)

Section 15. The Public Utilities Act is amended by repealing Sections 13-402.1, 13-408, 13-409, 13-505.1, 13-505.7, 13-506, 13-511, and 13-802.

Section 90. Nothing in this amendatory Act of the 96th General Assembly shall be construed or interpreted to abate, suspend, alter, or otherwise affect (i) any decision or (ii) any condition that is rendered by the Illinois Commerce Commission pursuant to Section 7-204 of the Illinois Public Utilities Act between April 1, 2010 and July 1, 2010.

Section 99. Effective date. This Act takes effect upon becoming law.