TURN Fights for Universal Service

Standing Up For Rural Communities

TURN won changes to a well-meaning consumer-funded program that had become a slush fund for AT&T and the other big phone companies.  The program was established to promote universal service by providing funding to support affordable basic phone service in remote, high-cost rural areas.

Thanks to TURN, support levels and eligibility guidelines were updated, which meant a more effective program with lower costs for consumers and better access for the consumers who need it most.  TURN stood up for rural consumers, bringing our battle for affordable basic service statewide to the Legislature.  It took TURN two years to pass SB 780 (Wiggins, D-Santa Rosa), which assures the continuation of current basic service standards in rural areas.

In addition, SB 780 requires the California Public Utilities Commission (CPUC) to conduct a study of phone affordability.  TURN has been demanding an affordability study from the CPUC for some time, but our requests have fallen on deaf ears.  Thanks to the Legislature, the CPUC will have to collect information on the price and costs of basic service, and on the accessibility and utilization of phone service by income, ethnicity, age and other factors.


Payphones Where Needed

Payphones continue to play a vital role in meeting universal service goals and providing access to emergency services for some parts of our state.  TURN recently convinced the CPUC to implement a public policy payphone program for 50 phones in high-cost areas that helps defray the expenses of vital pay phones. The phones selected will include phones that:

•    enhance public health and safety;
•    are in rural or remote areas with significant public traffic;
•    are on an interstate or a state highway rest stop;
•    are in a community with limited landline telephone availability;
•    are in areas with some other demonstrated need for a public payphone.

Everyone wants to be able to find a working phone in a reasonable distance if they are stuck on the road with no cell service, or in some other emergency situation, and this program makes it much more likely they’ll be able to.


A LifeLine for Low Income Californians

The California LifeLine program is supposed to help low-income Californians afford basic phone service.  But changes to the program in 2007 resulted in many eligible consumers being kicked off the program unfairly. TURN has worked with a coalition of consumer groups to advise the CPUC on how to best fix the problem, and several of TURN’s proposals, including short-term education outreach and more reasonable application deadlines, have been adopted.  Thanks to TURN’s efforts, more eligible, low-income Californians will be able to participate in the program.

Launched Universal Phone Service Campaign

Under leadership of TURN’s new organizing director, Ana Montes, a campaign was launched to increase Lifeline participation of low–income residents, preserve affordable rates for basic phone service, and develop strategies to expand broadband access for low–income communities.

The campaign commissioned a survey showing that customers value basic phone service that includes essential features such as a flat rate for unlimited local calling, emergency access to local 911 dispatch centers, privacy rights to an unlisted number without fees, and information retrieval through the yellow and white pages.

In July the campaign organized a Town Hall on Basic Phone Service in San Francisco and subsequently brought 60 people to speak out on phone issues at the July CPUC Public Meeting.  Community leaders statewide attended our CBO Summit to Save Lifeline the following fall and have continued to work with TURN to improve access and affordability for their communities.