CT SB00545

Public Utilities Regulatory Authority (PURA) must establish, monitor, and enforce quality of service standards for all telephone companies, incumbent local exchange carriers, and certified telecommunications providers, regardless of transmission technology including VoIP, effective October 1, 2025

Telecommunications providers must submit semiannual quality of service reports and exception reports if they fail to meet any standard for more than two consecutive months; failure to comply results in fines up to $2,000 per violation

Remote reconnection fees are prohibited for service temporarily disconnected (fewer than 14 days) for any reason, including nonpayment, with violations subject to civil penalties up to $1,000 per customer per violation

Companies may require payment of outstanding balances before restoring service, except for residential accounts where all adult residents are over age 60 or meet definitions of blind, physically disabled, or intellectually disabled

Adds definition of "incumbent local exchange carrier" as telephone companies providing service in Connecticut before the federal Telecommunications Act of 1996