PR-11-132 -- PSC Staff Issues Telecommunications Quality Of Service Report

Contact: Kevin Kelly (573) 751-9300

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE -- FEBRUARY 24, 2011

JEFFERSON CITY--A report filed by the staff of the Missouri Public Service Commission concludes that telephone companies in Missouri are generally installing and repairing telephone service in a timely manner.

But the report cautions that the information received by the PSC staff from the companies was presented on a company-wide basis and not exchange specific results.  “From Staff’s perspective company-wide results do not definitively address whether a company is providing acceptable levels of service on an exchange-specific basis,” said the PSC staff report.  “For example, a company could provide poor quality of service in specific exchanges but still produce an overall acceptable company-wide result.”

Telephone companies, under state law, are no longer required to keep statistical information on either a company-wide or exchange-by-exchange basis.

“Although such results do not definitely address the quality of service on an exchange-specific basis, the submitted results suggest most companies are providing an acceptable level of service.  More detailed information would be needed to determine if there are certain exchanges that require additional analysis, but there is no specific information to suggest further analysis is necessary at this time,” said the PSC staff report.

“Generally speaking, the report seems to indicate that on a company-wide basis, telephone companies appear to be providing satisfactory service to their customers,” said PSC Chairman Kevin Gunn.  “However, not having the information on an exchange-by-exchange basis makes it difficult to identify if problems exist within an exchange or exchanges.”

Although not required to provide the type of information the Commission would have received under previous PSC rules, the PSC staff has determined that companies continue to monitor the quality of service provided to customers.  The Commission plans to do the same and encourages customers who have quality of service issues to contact the Commission at 1-800-392-4211. 

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Case No. TO-2011-0047