The Regulatory Mix, TMI’s daily blog of regulatory activities, is a snapshot of PUC, FCC, legislative, and occasionally court, issues that our regulatory monitoring team uncovers each day. Depending on their significance, some items may be the subject of a TMI Regulatory Bulletin.
TELECOM
FCC
The national theme for the May 2014 Older Americans Month celebration is Safe Today, Healthy Tomorrow.
In recognition of Older Americans Month, the FCC announced that its Consumer and Governmental Affairs Bureau will host a workshop on Thursday, May 22, 2014. The workshop will provide information on online safety, communicating during emergencies, and how broadband and other technologies can be used to facilitate aging in place and telehealth. The event will include technology demonstrations. An agenda, with a list of presenters, will be released at a later date and posted at http://www.fcc.gov/events/workshop-older-americans-stay-safe-healthy-and-connected.
ENERGY
Pennsylvania
The PUC this week launched a mobile-friendly version of http://www.papowerswitch.com/, the agency’s website with information on shopping for electric suppliers, consumer alerts, and information, educational videos and more. In addition, the PUC has made additions and updates to the site’s content since January in order to educate consumers on hot-button issues regarding electricity. Topics that were added or revamped include variable and fixed rate contracts, consumer choices and rights, questions to ask suppliers when shopping, what to do at the end of a contract, and more.
“The variable rate issue this winter has brought higher traffic to PAPowerSwitch – both overall and with mobile users – and this is one more thing we’re doing to make it easier for consumers to navigate the competitive market,” said PUC Chairman Robert F. Powelson. “We want to help as many consumers as possible.” The new mobile version makes it easier for consumers to navigate the website and even switch their electric suppliers from their smartphone or tablet, rather than a desktop or laptop computer.
