SUBJECT:

PURPOSE:

ALBANY
Monday, March 13, 2006
11:00 a.m.
Chancellor's Hall
State Education Building
89 Washington Avenue (entrance on Hawk Street)
Albany, NY

The purpose of this hearing is to examine the need for increased consumer protection for wireless telephone customers in New York State and, if there is such need, what sort of legislation is needed to guarantee such protection. The hearing will also examine the effectiveness of voluntary consumer protection efforts undertaken by the wireless telecommunications industry and the impact of deregulation and market concentration of the industry on consumer protection.

The hearing will also investigate the need for enhanced protection of consumers' personal telephone records by wireless providers. Recent media reports have highlighted the vulnerability of consumers' telephone records. In one instance, reporters for MacLean's magazine were able to obtain the personal telephone records of the Privacy Commissioner of Canada. In a recent survey, the Electronic Privacy Information Center found forty websites that offer consumer's private call records. Issues of current industry efforts to safeguard consumers' telephone records, methods used by data brokers to obtain such information, and the need for new protections in this area will be addressed.

Oral testimony will be by invitation only and limited to ten minute durations. Ten copies of any prepared testimony should be submitted at the hearing registration desk. The Committees would appreciate advance receipt of prepared statements. Written testimony will also be accepted and may be sent to the contact persons listed on the reply form. In order to publicize the hearing further, please inform interested parties of the Committees' interest in receiving written testimony from all sources.

In order to meet the needs of those who may have a disability, the Senate and Assembly, in accordance with their policy of non-discrimination on the basis of disability, as well as the 1990 Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), has made its facilities and services available to all individuals with disabilities. For individuals with disabilities, accommodations will be provided, upon reasonable request, to afford such individuals access and admission to Senate and Assembly facilities and activities.

PUBLIC HEARING REPLY FORM

Persons invited to present testimony at the public hearing on Consumer Protection in the Wireless Telecommunications Industry to be held on March 13, 2006, or who wish to submit written testimony only, are requested to complete and return this reply form to:

Nichole Hedglin
Legislative Associate
Room 513 - Capitol
Albany, New York 12248
Phone: (518) 455-4355
Fax: (518) 455-4128

I will address my remarks to the following subjects:

I will require assistance and/or handicapped accessibility information. Please specify the type of assistance required: