Telecommunications companies must give customers at least 30 days advance notice before ceasing operations under a rule adopted by the WUTC in January 2002.

A company must first give customers, the WUTC, and other companies at least 30 days written notice before ceasing service. The purpose of the notice requirement is to give customers a chance to make other arrangements and avoid losing telephone service. The rule requires a second notice, either oral or written, to customers at least 15 days before ceasing service.

The permanent rule will replaced an emergency rule adopted in May 2001. The emergency rule requires a company providing basic voice-grade or private line service to provide its customers with 30-days advance notice before ceasing service.

The cessation of service rule rule was adopted because of the possibility that a local phone company could cease operations or withdraw from a particular market. Several new companies have declared bankruptcy in the past year, and investment analysts have predicted that others could run out of operating funds this year.