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Policymakers should adopt minimum service standards and consumer protections to ensure fair terms and conditions.

Policymakers should ensure network reliability and resiliency for utility and telecommunications services.

State policymakers should prohibit the use of credit scores or reports to determine the rates or deposits of essential residential utility services.

Policymakers should ensure affordable and reliable access to essential communications and utility services for all.

Policymakers should ensure that universal service funds are calculated fairly and distributed equitably.

Policymakers should establish a definition of “universal service” for the energy industry that is similar to the one in the Telecommunications Act of 1996.

Regulators and lawmakers should ensure that consumers with low incomes can afford their utilities. This includes telecommunications, energy, and water.

Access to affordable and reliable telecommunications, energy, and water services is crucial to health and economic well-being.

These principles build upon AARP’s general consumer principles, which apply to all products and services, including utilities (see also

Telecommunications and utility services are essential to health, safety, and economic welfare. These services must be reliable, safe, and affordable.