FLORIDA PUBLIC SERVICE COMMISSION LINK UP FLORIDA AND LIFELINE ASSISTANCE WORKSHOP APRIL 11, 2006 TALLAHASSEE, FLORIDA

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FLORIDA PUBLIC SERVICE COMMISSIONLINK UP FLORIDA
AND LIFELINE ASSISTANCE WORKSHOPAPRIL 11,
2006TALLAHASSEE, FLORIDA
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THE CASE FOR MAKING PAYPHONE LINES LIFELINE
LINK-UP ELIGIBLE

• PRESENTED BY THE FLORIDA PUBLIC
  TELECOMMUNICATIONS ASSOCIATION (FPTA)

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Introduction

• FPTA IS A NOT-FOR-PROFIT TRADE ASSOCIATION
  REPRESENTING THE PUBLIC COMMUNICATIONS INDUSTRY
  IN FLORIDA
• FPTAS MEMBERS INCLUDE INDEPENDENT PROVIDERS OF
  PUBLIC PAY TELEPHONE SERVICERANGING FROM FEWER
  THAN TEN TO THOUSANDS OF PAYPHONES
• FPTAS MEMBERSHIP ALSO INCLUDES SUPPLIERS OF
  EQUIPMENT AND SERVICES TO THE PAYPHONE INDUSTRY
• http//www.FPTA.com

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Background

• IN RECENT YEARS, INDEPENDENT PAYPHONE OPERATORS
  HAVE BECOME THE PROVIDERS OF LAST RESORT ALL
  ACROSS FLORIDA
• WITH THE EXPLOSIVE GROWTH IN WIRELESS SERVICES
  OVER THE PAST 5-6 YEARS, THE NUMBER OF PAYPHONES
  IN FLORIDA HAS DROPPED DRAMATICALLYFROM OVER
  120,000 IN 1999 TO JUST OVER 56,000 IN 2004
  (ACCORDING TO FCC STATISTICS)AND WELL BELOW THAT
  TODAY. DURING THIS SAME PERIOD, THE LARGEST
  PAYPHONE PROVIDER IN FLORIDA, BELLSOUTH, EXITED
  FROM THE PAYPHONE BUSINESS ENTIRELY
• WIDESPREAD PAYPHONE DEPLOYMENT IS AN ESSENTIAL
  ELEMENT OF THE UNIVERSAL SERVICE SOLUTION THAT
  MUST BE MAINTAINED

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WHY PUBLIC PAYPHONES ARE STILL IMPORTANT

• CORE UNIVERSAL SERVICE FUNCTIONS
• PAYPHONES ARE A TRUE LIFELINE SERVICE FOR THE
  HOMELESS, VISITORS AND THE MANY HUNDREDS OF
  THOUSANDS OF FLORIDIANS WHO CANNOT AFFORD TO HAVE
  A HOME PHONE
• PAYPHONES PROVIDE AS NEEDED PUBLIC ACCESS TO
  TELEPHONE SERVICE FOR ALL FLORIDIANS AND VISITORS
  TO OUR STATEON A 24/7/365 BASISWITH NO MONTHLY
  FEES OR HOOK UP CHARGES TO THE PAYPHONE USER
• PAYPHONES ARE A LIFELINE FOR THE MILLIONS OF
  FLORIDIANS (ESPECIALLY LOWER INCOME THE
  ELDERLY) WHO DO
• NOT HAVE CELLPHONES
• PAYPHONES EVEN PROVIDE AN IMPORTANT SERVICE FOR
  PEOPLE THAT DO HAVE CELLPHONESDEAD BATTERIES
  LOST OR MISPLACED HANDSETS MONTHLY MINUTES USED,
  OUT-OF-SERVICE-AREAS, ETC.

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WHY PUBLIC PAYPHONES ARE STILL IMPORTANT

• EMERGENCY AND SECURITY FUNCTIONS
• PAYPHONES ARE VITAL TO PUBLIC SAFETY ON BOTH
  EVERYDAY AND EMERGENCY BASESTHEY PROVIDE FREE
  24/7ACCESS TO 911 EMERGENCY SERVICES AND HAVE
  PROVEN VITAL IN TIMES OF NATIONAL AND REGIONAL
  EMERGENCY
• PAYPHONES HAVE LITERALLY SAVED THE DAY FOR THE
  CITIZENS MOST DIRECTLY AFFECTED DURING THE 9-11
  ATTACKS, THE GREAT NORTHEAST U.S. POWER BLACKOUT
  THE PAST TWO DIRE HURRICANE SEASONS
• WHEN CELLPHONE NETWORKS WERE DOWN, ALONG WITH
  NUMEROUS HOME AND BUSINESS PHONES, (AS WAS THE
  CASE IN EACH OF THE NOTED EMERGENCIES) PAYPHONES
  PROVIDED A TRULY RELIABLE AND WORKING MEANS OF
  COMMUNICATIONA SAFETY NET WE CANNOT AFFORD TO
  LOSE

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Division Street, Biloxi Mississippi. This
payphone is up andrunning and was found to have
survived the Katrina disaster. (Although the
store it was mounted in front of was not as
lucky!)
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• DESPITE THEIR CONTINUED IMPORTANCE, PAYPHONES
  ARE GETTING HARDER AND HARDER TO FIND IN MANY
  AREAS AND MORE AND MORE DIFFICULT TO MAINTAIN ON
  AN ECONOMICAL BASISHELP IS NEEDED

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What Must Be Done?

• WHEN PAYPHONES WERE PLENTIFUL, THE CONCEPT OF A
  PUBLIC INTEREST PHONE PROGRAM (TARGETED AT A
  FEW DOZEN OR EVEN A FEW HUNDRED LOCATIONS PARKS,
  PLAYGOUNDS, ETC.) WAS VIABLEIN THE CURRENT
  ENVIRONMENT THESE TYPES OF LIMITED PROGRAMS WILL
  NOT TRULY ADDRESS THE MAGNITUDE OF THE PROBLEM OR
  OUR RAPIDLY DWINDLING PAYPHONE BASE
• WHAT WE NEED IS A BROAD BASED FORM OF SUPPORT ON
  DIAL TONE FOR PAYPHONES (THAT REPRESENTS AN
  ESSENTIAL BUT HIGH COST ELEMENT OF PAYPHONE
  DEPLOYMENT)
• THE MOST EFFICIENT WAY TO PROVIDE THIS TYPE OF
  RELIEF IS TO UTILIZE THE EXISTING LIFELINE
  LINK-UP SUPPORT PROGRAMSPAYPHONES PROVIDE THE
  ESSENTIAL COMMUNICATIONS LINKS TO THE VERY SAME
  CITIZENS THESE PROGRAMS ARE DESIGNED TO ASSIST

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What Must Be Done? Contd.

• WHILE LIFELINE/LINK-UP CREDITS ON PAYPHONE
  LINES WILL NOT GUARANTEE RETENTION OF WIDESPREAD
  PAYPHONE DEPLOYMENTTHEY WILL CERTAINLY HELP STEM
  THE TIDE OF PAYPHONE REMOVALS BY MEANINGFULLY
  LOWERING ONE OF THE LARGEST MONTHLY PAYPHONE
  DEPLOYMENT AND RETENTION HURDLES IN PLACE TODAY
• FPTA IS ASKING THE FPSC TO CONSIDER HELPING TO
  HAVE THE FEDERAL-STATE UNIVERSAL SERVICE JOINT
  BOARD, IN CONJUNCTION WITH THE FCC, DECLARE THAT
  PAYPHONE LINES ARE ELIGIBLE FOR LIFELINE AND
  LINK-UP SUPPORT