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Advocating for Prioritization of D.C. Residents
In a utility market characterized by growing retail competition, companies formerly headquartered in D.C. began merging with large organizations headquartered
outside the District. Naturally, such changes left D.C. consumers at increased risk of deprioritization. These conditions prompted OPC to ensure that customer service for D.C. residents remained a priority for utility companies, but especially those whose central operations moved outside D.C.
Doubling Down on Consumer Priorities: The Consumer Bill of Rights
The concept of consumer protections has been evolving since the institution of OPC. Legislation became a tool that could be used to codify, safeguard, and adapt consumer rights, and in 1975, OPC wasted no time in proposing the Consumer Bill of Rights (CBOR). PSC approved it in 1979 and issued an update in 2009. The outline of consumers’ rights hasn’t changed much since 1975, but the revision was necessary to incorporate new rules that address technological advances and the emergence of competitive energy and telecommunications providers. The CBOR educated consumers on their rights and gave them power to voice their concerns regarding utility services and providers.
Removal of Public Pay Telephones
Backed by rising concerns over the correlation between availability of public pay phones in certain District neighborhoods and escalating drug activity, OPC filed a petition on behalf of the citizens to request increased pay phone oversight. As a result, the PSC instituted rigorous regulations governing the installation and removal of public pay phones, which ended with the removal of 172 public pay phones from residential areas in 1992, addressing both safety and community concerns.23
OPC’s Journey to Protect Utility Consumers 25