Ah, “deregulation for the sake of competition. Bad days ahead for telephone customers?

This Star-Ledger story caught my eye because it affects me. Well, it affects everyone in New Jersey who doesn’t use cellular service to obtain residential telephone service.

According the S-L,

“Most of the state’s regulation of basic cable and land line telephone service would come to an end under a controversial bill that passed the state Assembly on Thursday.

“Supporters of the "Market Competition and Consumer Choice Act" (A3766) say it removes outdated rules that go back to the era of Ma Bell.

“But Stefanie Brand, the state ratepayer advocate, said in a letter to lawmakers that it would leave New Jersey residents "at the mercy of cable and telephone companies."

“And local officials are complaining it allows Verizon to go back on pledges it made to towns in exchange for getting a statewide franchise in 2006 so that it would not have to negotiate town-by-town to offer its FiOS service.”

What’s the fuss?

“Currently, companies offering basic telephone and land line services have to get the okay from the Board of Public Utilities before they can raise rates. The bill, which passed 66-7 with four abstentions, would eliminate that oversight.”

“It would also roll back rules requiring cable companies to give credits to customers whose service is out for more than four hours, correct billing errors and protect customers from "slamming," in which their telephone company for local or long distance service is switched without their permission.”

Now you know we are in trouble when a bill sponsor says,

"This is a competition bill," said Assembly Majority Leader Joseph Cryan (D-Union), a sponsor. "The telecommunications industry is one of the industries we can point to where deregulation actually works."

So, if you use a telephone in your home, you might want to read the full article and contact your elected representative.

For your next title order or

if you have questions about what you see here, contact

Stephen M. Flatow, Esq.

Vested Title Inc.

165 Passaic Avenue, Suite 101

Fairfield, NJ 07004

Tel 973-808-6130 - Fax 201-656-4506

E-mail vti@vested.com - www.vested.com

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