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As smartphones continue to replace home phones and wireless Internet seems to continuously find its way into restaurants, museums and schools, concern is now growing over a passed Ohio law that could eventually mean the end of traditional landlines.
Ohio House Bill 64, the state’s two-year budget passed last summer, included a provision to deregulate landlines, meaning companies could cut the cord in providing traditional home phone services.
Though the actual implementation could take until around 2018, advocates, officials and those at senior centers in the state are alerting consumers to prepare for what may be ahead.
“We’re worried about the impact on the consumer,” said Rick Hindman, associate director of the Buckeye Hills-Area Agency on Aging Region 8. “The change that concerns us the most is that the burden of proof has shifted from phone companies to the customers to justify abandoning local service.”
As part of the law that was rolled into Ohio’s budget, consumers that live in areas with maybe spotty or unreliable cellphone service or just who do not have other options must prove just that within 30 days of being notified that their service could be cut off.
Similar bills have been proposed in Ohio several times in past years without success.
“Before, the company had to justify withdrawing service and ensure that they aren’t leaving anyone without service,” Hindman said. “Now, they (the customers) have to determine what comparable service there might be available to them. But a lot of our consumers don’t have cellphone service, or can’t use or afford cellphones.”
Hindman is part of a collaborative of advocacy groups and phone companies that have joined together through the Public Utilities Commission of Ohio to look at the law and identify the gaps in who is most likely to need help in identifying a lack of alternative options.
“If we can identify folks early on, they will already be ready to go when it happens,” Hindman said. “These are often older folks and folks on fixed incomes that we’re worried about, so we’re trying to be proactive.”
The Federal Communications Commission began reviewing the possibility of the phaseout of basic “copper wire” landlines more than a year ago, and officials said it will likely not be until 2018 or so before companies can actually dump the service.
Phone companies argue that this law allows them to be proactive to help transition the state to Internet-based phone systems, rather than copper wire landlines.
They also believe that with the advancement of technology, that this allows them to reinvest in broadband and technology advancement, rather than continuing to have to spend money on landlines that a gradually decreasing amount of people even use.
According to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, about 16 percent of adults in Ohio use a landline the most. The amount of people who only use traditional “switched” landlines is projected to continue to decrease.
“The new CDC data, along with wireline competition trends, provide clear indicators that wireless is a competitive voice alternative and that traditional wireline providers are no longer dominant and should not be singled out for burdensome regulations,” said Patrick Brogan, an author for the Ohio Telecom Association, which represents companies like AT&T and CenturyLink, in a press release.
Opponents argue, however, that basic landlines provide services that cannot compare, financially or service-wise, to Internet-based phone systems.
“A lot of people depend on emergency response service in their home through their landlines, and unless they can pay for a more expensive cell service, they need the landline,” Hindman said. “Landlines have standards for the deaf, for 411, things many people are still used to using.”
Currently, phone companies designated a “carrier of last resort,” like CenturyLink and AT&T, are required to provide basic local phone service, which includes 911, caller ID blocking and other services at a low price.
“Imagine not having a landline or cell service in your home,” said Connie Huntsman, executive director of the O’Neill Center in Marietta. “I’m fearful of what could happen in the community and the county with limited resources.”
When PUCO decided to form the collaboration, it set several meetings throughout winter to compile and discuss concerns from consumers. The agency is currently accepting either online or letter-form comments from the public about the transition.
“Seniors need help in finding other options, learning to use cellphones, and we’d be willing to educate them on things like that, but they have to get them first, and there’s costs involved,” Huntsman said. “We know this is a done deal as far as the law, so we’re just working in advocating and trying to get comments in.”
Ohio Rep. Andy Thompson, R-Marietta, said the issue is understandably concerning for rural areas like his district, but is assuring those who are concerned that officials are working to make sure no one falls through the gaps.
“If you feel that the technology isn’t reaching you, we will make sure companies find a solution,” Thompson said. “We want to encourage those companies to invest in quality for everybody.”
The idea is that if PUCO determines that certain areas just do not have a viable and affordable alternative to a basic landline, than it would force companies to continue that service. It is the areas that might have some alternatives-but maybe not perfect ones- that many are concerned about.
“I think technology is making us more and more able to fill in the gaps,” Thompson said. “As soon as they (the FCC) takes action, we will have a time frame to figure that out.”
Those wishing to make comments to PUCO for submission can visit Puco.ohio.gov or address mail to PUCO Telecommunications and Technology Division, 180 East Broad St., Columbus, Ohio 43215.