BILL ANALYSIS
AB 1379
Page 1
CONCURRENCE IN SENATE AMENDMENTS
AB 1379 (Calderon)
As Amended July 15, 2003
Majority vote
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|ASSEMBLY: |73-0 |(May 8, 2003) |SENATE: |25-13|(August 19, |
| | | | | |2003) |
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Original Committee Reference: U. & C.
SUMMARY : Requires roaming usage and minutes to be provided to
consumers where feasible.
The Senate amendments change the implementation date of this
bill from January 1, 2005 to January 1, 2004, as well as clarify
that current roaming usage and minutes be provided to consumers
while taking into consideration technical limitations and
feasibility.
AS PASSED BY THE ASSEMBLY this bill,
1)Required a provider of mobile telephony services to develop,
no later than by January 1, 2005, a means to allow subscribers
to obtain reasonable and available information on their
roaming usage and charges.
2)Defined mobile telephony services to mean commercially
available interconnected mobile phone services that provide
access to the public switched telephone network (PSTN) via
mobile communication devices employing radiowave technology to
transmit calls, including cellular radiotelephone, broadband
Personal Communication Services (PCS), and digital Specialized
Mobile Radio (SMR).
3)Specified that mobile telephony services does not include
mobile satellite services or mobile data services used
exclusively for the delivery of nonvoice information to a
mobile device.
FISCAL EFFECT : None
COMMENTS : This bill was amended in the Senate to adjust the
implementation date a year earlier than what was passed by the
AB 1379
Page 2
Assembly. Furthermore, the author amended this bill in the
Senate to add language allowing wireless carriers to provide
roaming usage information that takes into consideration
technical limitations and feasibility.
According to the author, this bill has been introduced to
resolve the initial shock a consumer has when they receive their
first cellular phone bill and find it to be unexpectedly high.
Presently, a consumer has avenues in which to access their usage
time, which means they can figure out before the bill comes,
there up to minute charges on usage time. What a consumer can't
find out is their update roaming usage and charges.
Analysis Prepared by : Dan Kim / U. & C. / (916) 319-2083
FN: 0002583