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Martin O'Malley, Governor Ch. 581
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THE CUSTOMER THAT THE COMMISSION DOES NOT HAVE JURISDICTION OVER
THE REGULATION OF VOIP SERVICE AND THAT COMPLAINTS ABOUT VOIP
SERVICE MAY BE FILED WITH THE DIVISION OF CONSUMER PROTECTION IN
THE OFFICE OF THE ATTORNEY GENERAL.
SECTION 2. AND BE IT FURTHER ENACTED, That nothing in this Act
authorizes a company to move a customer from a service the customer ordered under a
tariff approved by the Public Service Commission to another service that may be
tariffed or nontariffed unless:
(1) the customer consents; or
(2) the service the customer ordered under a Commission-approved
tariff is discontinued with the approval of the Commission.
SECTION 3. AND BE IT FURTHER ENACTED. That, on or before December 1,
2010, the Department of Business and Economic Development and the Public Service
Commission, with input from the Office of the Attorney General and other appropriate
agencies as necessary, shall report to the General Assembly, in accordance with §
2-1246 of the State Government Article, on the status of the deployment of Internet
Protocol-enabled services, including VoIP services, in Maryland and the status of any
federal legislation or regulatory proceedings before the Federal Communications
Commission relating to Internet Protocol-enabled services.
SECTION 4. AND BE IT FURTHER ENACTED. That, the Public Service
Commission, with input from the Office of the Attorney General and the Office of
People's Counsel, shall track the number of consumer complaints received by those
State agencies regarding the provision of VoIP services in Maryland, including
consumer complaints related to service outages, terminations without consumer
consent, poor service, or billing disputes. If. at any time, the Commission determines
that additional consumer protections may be necessary for the public interest based on
consumer complaints or that a substantial number of consumers lack alternatives for
voice service, including regulated voice services offered under Commission—approved
tariffs or VoIP service offered by other providers, the Commission on its own initiative
may report its findings and recommendations to the General Assembly, in accordance
with § 2-1246 of the State Government Article.
SECTION 2. 5. AND BE IT FURTHER ENACTED, That this Act shall take
effect October 1, 2007.
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Approved by the Governor, May 17, 2007.
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- 3773 -
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