BILL ANALYSIS                                                                                                                                                                                                    



                                                                  SB 1903
                                                                  Page  1

          Date of Hearing:  June 24, 2002

                    ASSEMBLY COMMITTEE ON UTILITIES AND COMMERCE
                              Roderick D. Wright, Chair
                   SB 1903 (O'Connell) - As Amended:  June 19, 2002

          SENATE VOTE  :  24-14
           
          SUBJECT  :  Commercial mobile radio service providers:  subscriber  
          protection.

           SUMMARY  :  This bill would require mobile radio service providers  
          to give customers a way to obtain current information on their  
          calling plans and usage.  Specifically,  this bill  :   

          1)Requires a cellular provider to provide subscribers no later  
            than January 1, 2004 with a means by which a subscriber can  
            obtain reasonably current and available information, as  
            determined by the carrier, on the subscriber's calling plan or  
            plans and service usage.

          2)Requires carriers to inform subscribers of the availability of  
            this information, and how it may be obtained, at the time  
            service is established.

           EXISTING LAW  requires any person, corporation, or billing agent  
          that charges subscribers for products or services on a telephone  
          bill to, among other things, include in the telephone bill the  
          amount being charged for each product or service, including any  
          taxes or charges, and a clear and concise description of the  
          service or product.

           FISCAL EFFECT  :  Unknown

           COMMENTS  :  

          The author notes that this bill seeks to remedy a deficiency in  
          current law, which does not require cellular companies to  
          provide information to their customers so that they are able to  
          monitor their minutes of call time.  The author recently amended  
          this bill, in an effort to compromise with the opposition, by  
          removing the requirement that CPUC shall adopt regulations, as  
          it determines to be necessary, that may modify or exceed the  
          requirements of this bill.









                                                                  SB 1903
                                                                  Page  2

          Opponents still asserts that this bill would affect the rate  
          which the customer is charged for such services.  The opposition  
          also states that the competitive wireless industry is working as  
          is and this bill is not necessary.  Sprint states that it  
          "currently provides its PCS customers with this information"  
          through a variety of channels such as "the customer hand-set,  
          Sprint web site, and more traditional customer care channels"  
          and that this bill "only invites intrusion into Sprint's  
          customer relations."

          The Office of Ratepayer Advocates supports SB1903 stating that  
          "not every wireless carrier offers a way for subscribers to  
          monitor their call time minutes."

           REGISTERED SUPPORT / OPPOSITION  :



           Support 
           
          Office of Ratepayer Advocates
           
            Opposition 
           
          Verizon Wireless
          Nextel Communications
          VoiceStream Wireless
          Sprint


           Analysis Prepared by  :    Angela Haywood / U. & C. / (916)  
          319-2083