711. (a) Before seeking to withdraw traditional circuit-switched and other legacy telephone services pursuant to this section, a telephone corporation transitioning to IP-enabled services and networks shall complete a customer education and outreach program explaining the IP transition, its benefits and advantages, which may include environmental benefits and advantages, and a description of the advanced services available to consumers. The customer education and outreach program shall also include information regarding the projected timeframes for the transition, including the fact that the withdrawal of any voice grade single-line telephone service will not take place prior to January 1, 2020.

(b) A telephone corporation planning to discontinue any voice grade single-line circuit-switched legacy telephone service shall first give prior notice to any customer that would be affected by the planned discontinuance. The notice to the customer shall include information regarding the projected timeframe for the discontinuance of legacy voice service and specify the alternative service or services that will be available to the customer after the withdrawal. The notice to the customer shall also state that, pursuant to subdivision (e), the telephone corporation will provide 90-days’ prior notice before legacy voice service is withdrawn and, if applicable, that legacy voice service will not be withdrawn sooner than January 1, 2020. Upon giving notice to customers, the telephone corporation shall provide notice to the commission certifying both of the following:

(1) The telephone corporation has completed the education and outreach program prescribed in subdivision (a).

(2) An alternative voice service is available for the affected customers in the affected area.

(c) Upon receipt of the notice to withdraw, the commission shall confirm that the alternative service has all of the following elements:

(1) Voice grade access to the public switched telephone network or its successor.

(2) Real-time, two-way voice communications.

(3) Access for end users of those services to the local emergency telephone systems described in the Warren-911-Emergency Assistance Act (Article 6 (commencing with Section 53100) of Chapter 1 of Part 1 of Division 2 of Title 5 of the Government Code), and where available, enhanced 911 access.

(4) Alternative services requiring a residential power supply to operate are in compliance with the backup-battery capability standards established by the Federal Communications Commission.

(d) The commission’s confirmation process shall be limited to the determination of whether the alternative service has the elements set forth in subdivision (c) and shall be completed within 120 days from receipt of notice from the telephone corporation pursuant to subdivision (b). If the commission fails to complete its technical review within 120 days from receipt of notice, the telephone corporation will be conclusively presumed to have complied with the requirements of subdivisions (b) and (c).

(e) Upon completion of the requirements of subdivisions (b), (c), and (d) for voice grade single-line circuit-switched legacy telephone services, but no sooner than January 1, 2020, a telephone corporation may elect to discontinue any legacy telephone service, upon giving no less than 90-days’ prior notice to the affected customers and to the commission. If the discontinuance of legacy telephone service includes voice grade single-line services, the notice shall include information regarding the availability of an alternative service as confirmed by the commission and how to seek commission review if the customer believes the alternative service is not available at the customer’s location. During the notice period, the telephone corporation shall continue to provide the legacy telephone service to the affected customers, except a customer that disconnects or changes the features of the service, but shall have no obligation to provide the legacy telephone service to any new customers in the affected area.

(f) Within 30 60 days after receipt of a telephone corporation’s notice of withdrawal of legacy voice service, a customer may request in writing that the commission review the availability of the alternative service at the customer’s location. The commission shall review and resolve the customer’s request within 60 days of receipt of the request. The commission’s review shall be limited to determining whether an alternative service that has the elements set forth in subdivision (c) is available to the customer at that customer’s location. If the commission determines that an alternative service is not available to the customer at the customer’s location, the commission may shall order the withdrawing telephone corporation to provide voice service to the customer at the customer’s location for a period no longer than 12 months after withdrawal. The withdrawing telephone corporation may utilize any technology or service arrangement to provide the voice services as long as it meets the requirements of subdivision (c).

(g) If an order to continue to provide voice service to a customer is issued pursuant to subdivision (f), during the period in which the withdrawing telephone corporation is required to provide voice service, the commission shall evaluate whether an alternative service has become available for the customer that is the subject of the order. If an alternative service meeting the elements of subdivision (c) does not become available during the period of the order, the commission may shall order the withdrawing telephone corporation to continue to provide voice service to the affected customer until an alternative service is available at the customer’s location. The withdrawing telephone corporation may utilize any technology or service arrangement to provide the voice service as long as it meets the requirements of subdivision (c).

(h)Nothing in this section grants the commission jurisdiction or control over an alternative service except as specifically set forth in this section.

(h) The commission’s duty to conduct a confirmation process pursuant to subdivision (c) and respond to a customer inquiry pursuant to subdivision (f) is pursuant to its jurisdiction over legacy service and does not grant the commission jurisdiction or control over an alternative service.

(i) Nothing in this section affects a telephone corporation’s ability to withdraw services under any other law.

(j) Nothing in this section affects or changes the commission’s authority to implement and enforce Sections 251 and 252 of the federal Communications Act of 1934, as amended (47 U.S.C. Secs. 251 and 252), including, but not limited to, the authority to arbitrate and enforce interconnection agreements pursuant to Section 252(b).

(k) Nothing in this section affects or changes the obligations of an incumbent local exchange carrier pursuant to Sections 251 and 252 of the federal Communications Act of 1934, as amended (47 U.S.C. Secs. 251 and 252). For these purposes, “incumbent local exchange carrier” is defined as in subsection (h) of Section 251 of Title 47 of the United States Code.