The way state laws are written can have a big impact on customer services, particularly as service providers consolidate. Traditional utilities have strict regimens they must follow in most states, spelling out when services can be disconnected or interrupted, and how customers with delinquent-payment problems must be offered various payment options to prevent an interruption of service. Based on some personal experiences last week, the broadband service providers have a long way to go in this regard.

I am a 16-year Adelphia Communications broadband customer with no record of delinquent payments. On Nov. 9, my service was inexplicably shut off with no advance notice, despite a bill being paid in full on Oct. 31. This happened in the same week that the trade name for the bankrupt Adelphia disappeared for good, its business now split between Comcast and Time Warner. Nevertheless, a confusing corporate ownership transition should not lead to unexplained shutoffs in the customer base.

Unfortunately, what broadband wireline providers offer is as horrendous as the wireless operators' attempts to meet legal requirements. Under number-portability laws, wireless phone numbers must be transitional not only across various carriers as customers go through "churn," but also within carriers across their different user plans.

Cingular still does not offer number portability across plans promulgated by the original Cingular and the former AT&T Wireless. The excuse is incompatible billing and operation support systems. The problem is, the law does not recognize a grace period for not having your act together. The law spells out what is expected of service providers, and service providers must comply.

My broadband wireline service was restored within a few hours after I lodged formal complaints with the Better Business Bureau, Federal Trade Commission and Colorado attorney general, but would that have been the case if I had been Average Joe Consumer? My experience is the perfect argument for state legislatures, and the U.S. Congress where appropriate, to take hard lines on making service providers in both the wired and wireless worlds comply with minimal requirements for customer service.

In the always-connected 21st century, broadband comms should be considered a mission-critical utility like power and heat. Service providers must be given explicit mandates spelling out what is expected for minimal customer service, then be forced to comply.

By Loring Wirbel (lwirbel@cmp.com), communications editor for EE Times