BILL NUMBER: AB 610	INTRODUCED
	BILL TEXT


INTRODUCED BY   Assembly Member Calderon

                        FEBRUARY 17, 2005

   An act to amend Section 2890.2 of the Public Utilities Code,
relating to telecommunications.


	LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL'S DIGEST


   AB 610, as introduced, Calderon.   Telecommunications: mobile
telephony services.
   Existing law requires a provider of mobile telephony services, as
defined, no later than January 1, 2004, to provide subscribers with a
means by which a subscriber can obtain reasonably current and
available information on the subscriber's calling plan or plans and
service usage, including roaming usage and charges.
   This bill would require that a provider of mobile telephony
services provide subscribers, no later than January 1, 2006, with a
means by which a subscriber can obtain reasonably current and
available information on the subscriber's calling plan or plans and
service usage, including roaming usage and charges and text messaging
and Internet usage and charges.
   Vote: majority. Appropriation: no. Fiscal committee: no.
State-mandated local program: no.


THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF CALIFORNIA DO ENACT AS FOLLOWS:


  SECTION 1.  Section 2890.2 of the  Public Utilities Code  is
amended to read:
   2890.2.  (a) No later than January 1,  2004  
2006  , a provider of mobile telephony services shall provide
subscribers with a means by which a subscriber can obtain reasonably
current and available information, as determined by the provider, on
the subscriber's calling plan or plans and service usage, including
roaming usage and charges  and text   messaging and
Internet usage and charges  .(b) Each provider of mobile
telephony services shall inform subscribers at the time service is
established of the availability of the information described in
subdivision (a) and how it may be obtained.
   (c) For purposes of this section, "mobile telephony services"
means 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
Communications Services (PCS), and digital Specialized Mobile Radio
(SMR). "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.
  SEC. 2.  Section 1 of Chapter 286 of the Statutes of 2002 is
amended to read:
   Section 1.  The Legislature finds and declares all of the
following:(a) Mobile telephony service subscribers may currently be
unable to monitor their call time minutes, including roaming usage
and charges  and text messaging and Internet usage and charges
 , and, as a result, they face higher rates because they
unknowingly exceed the number of minutes included under their plans.

   (b) Mobile telephony service subscribers need reasonably accurate
information relative to their current service usage in order to
enable them to better utilize their particular calling plans.
   (c) Providing mobile telephony service subscribers with a
reasonable estimate that includes a differentiation between the types
of usage covered by their plans, such as "peak" versus "free"
minutes, will enable subscribers to make informed decisions about
their mobile telephony service.
   (d) The Legislature intends to require the provision of reasonably
available usage information by mobile telephony service providers by
January 1,  2004   2006  .
   (e) Technology exists to provide mobile telephony service
subscribers with reasonably accurate information relative to their
current service usage, including roaming usage and charges  and
text messaging and Internet usage and charges  , and this type
of information can be obtained through a variety of sources,
including, but not limited to,  cellular telephone 
 mobile telephony service  providers, Internet Web sites,
and traditional telephone customer service providers, such as 1-800
telephone numbers.
   (f) The Legislature intends that reasonably available, current
usage information be provided to all mobile telephony service
subscribers, taking into consideration technical limitations that may
affect reporting to a consumer, including, but not limited to,
limitations on reporting "roaming" minutes incurred when a mobile
telephony service subscriber is outside his or her plan coverage area
 and text messaging and Internet usage and charges  .