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Officials get an earful on cell service
No matter where you go in western Nebraska, the problems with cellular phones seem to be common. Dropped calls, billing problems, and unfriendly customer service are just a few of the complaints heard by Jerry Vap, Chairman of the Public Service Commissioner and Gene Hand, Director of Telecommunications for PSC.
The two were in McCook Tuesday night for a public hearing to hear complaints and concerns of wireless customers.
In the 2004 legislative session, the Public Service Commission was ordered to conduct public hearings to determine the need for wireless regulation. Currently, the state of Nebraska has no control over wireless communications, Vap told a group of about 21 Southwest Nebraska residents. While it fields many complaints, it has no regulatory authority to fix the problems.
Dropped calls and no service were of particular concern for two emergency medical technicians attending the meeting. Sen. Tom Baker, an EMT for the Trenton Volunteer Fire Department and Kathy Dernovich of Culbertson Rescue told Vap dropped calls were not just an inconvenience, but could be life-threatening.
"We rely on cell phones. It's very aggravating and dangerous to get a call dropped when we're having a conversation with the emergency room in McCook," Baker told the commission representatives.
The two agreed that cell phone companies should provide some kind of disclaimer if the service consumers are purchasing isn't going to work in the area where they need to use it.
After comments by Mike Finnesy of McCook, Vap asked several of those offering testimony if they would be willing to pay a 50 cent surcharge to be used for infrastructure improvement.
"Cell phone bills are already high," Finnesy told him. "I hate to see any more charges that don't go toward improving the system."
James Uerling of rural McCook told the commission he had stopped paying his bill since his cell phone company continued to bill him for dropped calls. Uerling said he has made as many as five calls before he could carry on a complete conversation.
When he called the wireless company, they told him there was no credit given for dropped calls.
"I think it's funny that they can connect these calls and charge us even though we can't talk, but they can't give any credit," he said.
Vap told him the Commission would act on his behalf. "Saving me $100 isn't going to help the problem we have in Southwest Nebraska," Uerling responded. Vap assured him that if the Public Service Commission began regulating the wireless industry in Nebraska, those problems would be ad-dressed.
"With wire line companies, service has to meet certain criteria or the phone companies are subject to heavy fines," Vap said. "If certain standards were set for wireless companies, they would have to be met."
He noted that a new Alltel transmitter on McCook's west water tower was expected to be in operation by Monday. That tower was expected to serve wireless customers in a 20-mile radius.
The commission has several more public hearings scheduled in the state. Once those hearings are completed, a report will be presented to the Transportation Committee of the Nebraska Legislature and new legislation will be drafted and considered by the full Nebraska Legislature during its session beginning in January.