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Thousands of people in CT do not have access to what has now become an essential utility, Gov. Ned Lamont said. (Shutterstock)
CONNECTICUT Gov. Ned Lamont announced that he plans to introduce legislation during the 2021 regular session of the Connecticut General Assembly with the goal of making broadband internet more accessible to Connecticut residents, particularly those in underserved households. The governor said on Tuesday that while broadband internet access has become more important in recent years than ever before, the coronavirus pandemic has deepened the digital divide even further, preventing some residents from accessing critical resources.
According to the Governor s Office, a 2018 survey found that 23 percent of Connecticut residents did not have internet access, including 21 percent of white households, 35 percent of Hispanic households, and 34 percent of African-American households.
New regulations would push utility companies to expand broadband internet access across the state under a plan announced Wednesday by Gov. Ned Lamont.
Lamont said he would introduce legislation with new broadband rules during the 2021 regular session of the Connecticut General Assembly.
Among other provisions, the new regulations would allow the Connecticut Public Utilities Regulatory Authority (PURA) to require internet service providers to provide access to all residents where they have video licenses. The companies would also be required to report metrics on availability, download and upload speeds and outages.
PURA would also gain oversight over complaints about internet access from residential and business customers and gain new powers to manage penalties for non-compliance.
Published Jan. 20, 2021
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The following is a contributed article by Jason Stanek, Chairman, Maryland Public Service Commission; Philip L. Bartlett II, Chairman, Maine Public Utilities Commission; Joseph L. Fiordaliso, President, New Jersey Board of Public Utilities; Marissa Paslick Gillet, Chairman, Connecticut Public Utilities Regulatory Authority; Willie L. Phillips, Chairman, Public Service Commission of the District of Columbia; Ted J. Thomas, Chairman, Arkansas Public Service Commission; Rebecca Cameron Valcq, Chair, Public Service Commission of Wisconsin; Hayley Williamson, Chair, Public Utilities Commission of Nevada; Dallas Winslow, Chair, Delaware Public Service Commission; and Carrie K. Zalewski, Chairman, Illinois Commerce Commission.
As chairs of public utility commissions, we begin the new year with optimism as it presents an opportunity to leverage lessons learned last year and move toward strengthening federal-st
Eversource customers in Connecticut are opening their monthly bills to find an increase in the service charge.Increased charges that were approved by Connecticut’s Public Utilities Regulatory Authority (PURA) in November of 2020, went in.