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 and GTE California Inc.
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.
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 (213) 576-6252 to have an application mailed to you.
Who administers the PPPP and what is the source of its funding?
The PPPP is administered by the Commission through the PSPE. The program is funded by a portion of the monthly surcharge applied on all payphone access lines in the state.
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 Duane Filer by phone at 213-576-6252 or by e-mail to daf@cpuc.ca.gov.