N.Y. Senate Committee Seeks More Telecom Reporting

New York Sen. Kevin Parker (D) expects “nominal” cost to industry from his bill to require telecom companies to report on the quality of copper-wire services, the Telecom Committee chairman said at the panel’s Thursday meeting. Companies may not want to report it, said Parker, but they have the information. The committee cleared S-5343 for a floor vote despite two Republican members’ opposition. The panel also advanced with two nays a bill (S-5272) to require telecom industry reporting on franchise fees, consumer complaints and denials of requests for service. Publishing those “shall illuminate the bad faith of certain cable companies … and place a proper check on their practices,” Parker wrote in a sponsor memo. S-5272 will go to the Finance Committee.