The something-less than loving relationship between AT&T and Connecticut officials has sprouted new tension. The state's Attorney General and its Office of Consumer Counsel are taking issue with the Department of Public Utility Control for giving AT&T a pass on its failure to meet minimum state requirements for phone repair since 2001. The DPUC requires a telephone company to repair 90 percent of out-of-service phones within 24 hours, a standard the AG and OCC say hasn't been met because the company has pared its workforce through repeated layoffs.
They want the DPUC to levy millions in fines for the company's poor performance, saying the company's failure to adhere to standards has endangered the public.
But the DPUC has drafted a decision that lets AT&T off the hook, saying the standards are outmoded. It's refused to pursue a major fine. Stay tuned.
For more:
- see this release
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