Public Policy Payphone Program

How to apply

The Commission has had a Public Policy Payphone Program (PPPP) in place since 1990. The purpose of the program was to provide payphones to the general public in the interest of public health, safety, and welfare at locations where there would otherwise not be a payphone. However, this program only applied to the service territories of Pacific Bell (now known as AT&T) and GTE California Inc. (now known as Verizon).

In D.98-11-029, the Commission implemented major changes to the PPPP. The changes included a statewide expansion of the PPPP, limited the PPPs to locations designated as an emergency gathering place or where residents cannot individually subscribe to telephone service because of unavailability of facilities.

On June 12, 2008, the Commission approved Interim Decision, D.08-06-020, addressing  Telecommunications Public Policy Programs. The interim decision addresses four of the five Telecommunications Public Policy Programs at issue in this proceeding. ULTS (Lifeline) program will be dealt with separately in a future decision.

The California Teleconnect Fund (CTF)

1. The Payphone Enforcement Program.
2. Public Policy Payphone Program 
3.  Deaf and Disabled Telecommunications Program.

Changes To The Payphone Enforcement Program

Pursuant to Commission Decision 08-06-020, determinations to fund Public Policy Payphones according to the new Program shall be based on the following criteria:

• enhance public health and safety;
• rural or remote area with significant public traffic, even if only seasonally;
• interstate or state highway rest stop;
• low income or disadvantaged community setting with limited landline telephone availability;
• demonstrated need for a public payphone, with the request supported by a governmental entity or local community group willing to pay at least half the costs; or
• presentation of other facts justifying the need for a publicly supported payphone.

Please utilize the attached application in order to assist us in the overall evaluation of the PPPP request.

Changes To The Public Policy Payphone

The exisiting Public Policy Payphone Program established pursuant to D.90-06-018 and modified and expanded statewide by D.98-11-029 is now eliminated. The Commission believes that a very limited Public Payphone Policy Program should be put in place for no more than 50 public payphones, supported by a surcharge levied on all users. See our press release.

• The Commission delegates to the Executive Director the task of setting up the most appropriate surcharge mechanism, including utilizing an existing program, such as CTF.  The Commission orders any funds leftover in the public payphone program be used for this new program, which is consistent with the goals of the prior program. (The Commission shall seek to obtain any necessary legislation to accomplish this transfer to the new program.  See P.U. Code § 270.)
• We direct staff to use the following non exclusive criteria in designating a public payphone:  (1) little or no wireless service coverage; (2) rural or remote area that is nonetheless trafficked by the public, even if seasonally; (3) interstate or state highway rest stop; (4) low income or disadvantaged community setting with little or no landline phone availability; or (5) demonstrated need for a public payphone, with the request supported by a governmental entity or local community group willing to pay at least half the costs. 
• We order this program begun within one year, and that it be administered in a streamlined manner with an eye to controlling costs. 
• Should the number of public payphones in the program fall below 10 public payphones, the staff may recommend to the Commission a termination of this program permanently.

What qualifies as a Public Policy Payphone?

Pursuant to D.98-11-029, for a payphone to be classified as a public policy payphone the following criteria must be satisfied:

• Necessity must be based on public service, health, and safety.
• The payphone must not generate revenues to cover the cost of installation or operation of the payphone.
• All revenue sources, including interconnection fee arrangements and call termination should be considered in determining profitability.
• Seasonal businesses may qualify based on annualized revenue to determine profitability.
• An entity (including but not limited to a city or county government, airport authority or shopping center) is not permitted a public policy payphone if it has a contract for compensation from a Payphone Service Provider (PSP).
• No other payphones may be located at the same address.
• The station agent upon whose property the public policy payphone is located agrees to no compensation.
• The public must be granted unrestricted access to the public policy payphone. However, all private clubs are excluded.
• The station agent agrees to post signs outside and inside directing public to the public policy payphone.
• One of the following conditions must be met:
  • Location must be designated as an emergency gathering place, or
  • Payphone is located where residents cannot individually subscribe because of unavailability of facilities for access, or
  • there is no other payphone within 50 yards of the public policy payphone.

How to request a PPPP application?

To request a PPPP, you must first meet the PPP criteria listed above. If you believe that you do, then obtain a PPPP application by clicking the following link:   PPPP Application

Your completed application form should be sent to:

PPPP
Consumer Protection & Safety Division
California Public Utilities Commission
505 Van Ness Avenue, 2E
San Francisco, CA 94102.

You will be contacted by Commission staff for further information regarding the proposed payphone location conditions using the PPPP criteria. Your application will then be reviewed by the Payphone Service Providers Committee (PSPE) which consists of members of the payphone industry and Commission staff. If you have difficulty downloading the PPPP application from this webpage, you may contact Commission staff at (415) 703-1246 to have an application mailed to you.

Who administers the PPPP and what is the source of its funding?

Determinations to fund Public Policy Payphones pursuant to the new Program shall be based on the following criteria:

• enhance public health and safety;
• rural or remote area with significant public traffic, even if only seasonally;
• interstate or state highway rest stop;
• low income or disadvantaged community setting with limited landline telephone availability;
• demonstrated need for a public payphone, with the request supported by a governmental entity or local community group willing to pay at least half the costs; or
• presentation of other facts justifying the need for a publicly supported payphone.

A hard copy of Commission decisions/orders can be obtained for a fee by calling 415-703-2045.

Questions about this program should be directed to Felix Robles by phone at 415-703-1193 or by e-mail to fvr@cpuc.ca.gov.