skip to main content
skip to newscasts

Thursday, March 28, 2024

Public News Service Logo
facebook instagram linkedin reddit youtube twitter
view newscast page
play newscast audioPlay

Pulling back the curtains on wage-theft enforcement in MN; Trump's latest attack is on RFK, Jr; NM LGBTQ+ equality group endorses 2024 'Rock Star' candidates; Michigan's youth justice reforms: Expanded diversion, no fees.

view newscast page
play newscast audioPlay

Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg says rebuilding Baltimore's Key Bridge will be challenging and expensive. An Alabama Democrat flips a state legislature seat and former Connecticut senator Joe Lieberman dies at 82.

view newscast page
play newscast audioPlay

Historic wildfires could create housing and health issues for rural Texans, a Kentucky program helps prison parolees start a new life, and descendants of Nicodemus, Kansas celebrate the Black settlers who journeyed across the 1870s plains seeking self-governance.

Consumer Advocates: Don't Hang Up on Internet Phone Protections

play audio
Play

Monday, April 3, 2017   

ST. PAUL, Minn. -- For more than a century, phone service in Minnesota has been regulated by the Public Utilities Commission. But as many in the state transition to internet-based phone services, some lawmakers want to change that.

House File 1665 would eliminate many of the basic consumer protections around what is known as Voice Over Internet Protocol, or VOIP. That includes service quality rules, protections against discriminatory pricing for rural customers, and requirements to notify customers before service is disconnected.

Mary Jo George, associate state director for advocacy with AARP Minnesota, said these are especially important for older customers for whom the phone line can quite literally be a lifeline.

"Telephone communication is a basic necessity allowing older Minnesotans to maintain social contact, preserve health and safety, and gain assistance in an emergency,” George said.

Proponents of the bill argue that traditional phone service would still be protected under the legislation, but George said it's important to note that many people may not even be aware that they have internet-based phone service.

State Rep. Sheldon Johnson of St. Paul opposes the bill because, he said, he believes rules should be based on the service provided, not on the technology behind it.

"They don't know if it's this new internet protocol, or the old analog style of communication - it doesn't make any difference,” Johnson said. "And my opinion is it shouldn't make any difference with respect to the protections we have in place."

Some have argued that regulatory changes are necessary to help spread broadband internet service across greater Minnesota. However, consumer advocates believe the state's communications infrastructure can be expanded without rolling back customer protections and safeguards.


get more stories like this via email

more stories
A report from the Tennessee HealthCare Campaign recommended the federal government needs to strengthen 340B drug pricing and other federal negotiation mechanisms to make needed medicines more readily available and less expensive for hospitals to purchase and administer. (Spotmatikphoto/AdobeStock)

Health and Wellness

play sound

A recent report examined how some rural Tennessee hospitals have managed to stay afloat despite financial challenges. The report includes interviews …


Social Issues

play sound

Earlier this month, a new Arizona Public Service rate hike went into effect and one senior advocacy group said those on a fixed income may struggle …

Social Issues

play sound

Michigan recently implemented a significant juvenile justice reform package following recommendations from a task force made up of prosecutors…


Nearly 13 million Americans receive health coverage through unique plans under both Medicare and Medicaid. They are known as Dual-Eligible Special Needs Plans. (Adobe Stock)

Health and Wellness

play sound

Medicare and Medicaid are key sources of health coverage for many Americans and some people qualify for assistance under both programs. With lagging …

Social Issues

play sound

A mix of policy updates and staffing boosts has helped to put wage theft enforcement on the radar in Minnesota, and officials leading the efforts are …

More than six in 10 Americans favor keeping the abortion pill mifepristone available in the U.S. as a prescription drug, while over a third are opposed, according to a Gallup poll. (Adobe Stock)

Social Issues

play sound

New research shows more than six in 10 abortions in the U.S. last year were medically induced, and U.S. Sen. Catherine Cortez Masto - D-NV - is …

Social Issues

play sound

Colorado is working to boost the state's agricultural communities by getting more fresh, nutritious foods into school cafeterias - and a new online …

Social Issues

play sound

Missouri lawmakers are concerned with protecting people from the potential risks of the increasing accessibility of AI-generated images and videos…

 

Phone: 303.448.9105 Toll Free: 888.891.9416 Fax: 208.247.1830 Your trusted member- and audience-supported news source since 1996 Copyright © 2021