Nys Public Service Commission

NYS Public Service Commission

Becoming bipartisan in the nineteen seventies, the New York State Public Service Commission is headed by up to five members. The NYS Public Service Commission's main goal is to provide and protect the water, electric, gas, and telecommunication utilities in the state. The department has been organized into twelve branches in order to more easily manage the massive task that it is required to work on.

The telecommunications branch of the NYS PSC controls everything from cable television, local and long distance phone service, and payphone service, to internet (data network) related communications such as cable internet, Digital Subscriber Lines, and dialup. The telecommunications branch is further divided into four sections: Intercarrier Operations and Market Analysis, Carrier Performance, Municipal Assistance, and Telecommunications Technology. The Intercarrier Operations and Market Analysis section is mainly responsible for the resolution of issues that may arise between multiple carriers or competing telephone companies. It also observes the overall growth in New York States telecommunications. The Carrier Performance section has the chief task of making sure that the service that is being supplied is of an acceptable quality. It also reviews the money that telephone companies spend on their buildings and equipment. The focus of the Municipal Assistance section is cable television. Its job is to help cities, towns, and villages by introducing franchises and resolving conflicts between multiple cable television companies. Finally, the Telecommunications Technology section has a unique role. It conducts field studies of telecommunications companies. It also evaluates them to make sure that they're observing proper technical and safety standards.

One of the primary focuses of the New York State Public Service Commission is to ensure competition where it is available,