(1) A telecommunication provider that provides either basic local exchange or toll service, or both, shall not discontinue either service to an exchange unless 1 or more alternative providers for toll service, or 2 or more alternative providers for basic local exchange service, are furnishing a comparable voice service to the customers in the exchange. A comparable voice service includes any 2-way voice service offered through any form of technology that is capable of placing and receiving calls from a provider of basic local exchange service, including voice over internet protocol services and wireless services.

    (2) A telecommunication provider proposing to discontinue a regulated service to an exchange shall file a notice of the discontinuance of service with the commission, publish the notice in a newspaper of general circulation within the exchange, provide notice to each of its customers within the exchange by first-class mail or within customer bills, and provide other reasonable notice as required by the commission.

    (3) Within 60 days after the date of publication or receipt of the notice required by subsection (2), a person or other telecommunication provider affected by a discontinuance of services by a telecommunication provider may apply to the commission to determine if the discontinuance of service is authorized under this act. Within 90 days after the date of publication of the notice required by subsection (2), the commission may, in response to a request or on its own initiative, commence a proceeding to determine if the discontinuance of service is authorized under this act. The commission has 180 days from the date any proceeding is initiated under this subsection to issue its final order. A provider shall not discontinue service unless it has provided at least 60 days' notice to each customer after a commission order has been issued under this subsection or after the last day for initiating a proceeding under this subsection.

    (4) Discontinuance of basic local exchange service under this section by an incumbent local exchange carrier does not affect the requirements of that incumbent local exchange carrier under federal law and this act. As used in this subdivision, "incumbent local exchange carrier" means that term as defined in section 251(h) of the telecommunications act of 1996, 47 USC 251. This section does not create, restrict, or expand the commission's jurisdiction and authority for any of the following:

    (a) The jurisdiction and authority established under section 201.

    (b) The jurisdiction and authority to carry out the commission's obligations to enforce the rights, duties, and obligations of an entity that are established in sections 251 and 252 of the telecommunications act of 1996, 47 USC 251 and 252, and any applicable agreement or wholesale tariff or state law, rule, regulation, or order related to wholesale rights, duties, and obligations, including, but not limited to, interconnection and exchange voice traffic.

    (c) The jurisdiction and authority to regulate switched access rates, terms, and conditions, including the implementation of federal or state law concerning intercarrier compensation.

    (5) Subsections (1) to (3) do not apply after December 31, 2016. Beginning January 1, 2017, a telecommunication provider that provides basic local exchange or toll service may discontinue that service in an exchange by doing each of the following:

    (a) At the same time as filing a petition under section 214 of the telecommunications act of 1996, 47 USC 214, all of the following:

    (i) File a notice of the proposed discontinuance of service with the commission.

    (ii) Publish a notice of the proposed discontinuance of service in a newspaper of general circulation within the exchange.

    (iii) Provide notice of the proposed discontinuance of service to each of the telecommunication provider's customers within the exchange by first-class mail or within customer bills.

    (iv) Provide notice of the proposed discontinuance of service to any interconnecting telecommunication providers by first-class mail or other notice permitted under the terms of the interconnection agreement between the providers.

    (b) Upon approval of the federal communications commission to discontinue service, at least 90 days before discontinuing service, all of the following:

    (i) File a notice of the discontinuance of service with the commission.

    (ii) Publish a notice of the discontinuance of service in a newspaper of general circulation within the exchange.

    (iii) Provide notice of the discontinuance of service to each of the telecommunication provider's customers within the exchange by first-class mail or within customer bills.

    (iv) Provide notice to any interconnecting telecommunication providers by first-class mail or other notice permitted under the terms of the interconnection agreement between the providers.

    (6) After January 1, 2017, and only in an area in which a telecommunication provider either has given notice of a proposed discontinuance of service under subsection (5) or has discontinued service within the previous 90 days, a customer of that provider or any interconnecting telecommunication provider may request the commission to investigate the availability of comparable voice service with reliable access to 9-1-1 and emergency services to that customer or a customer of an interconnecting telecommunication provider. If the commission, after conducting an investigation to last no longer than 180 days regarding the availability of comparable voice service with reliable access to 9-1-1 and emergency services, determines that the federal communications commission failed to make a finding that the present and future public convenience and necessity is not adversely affected or has not adequately addressed the issue, the commission shall declare by order that an emergency exists in an area in this state that is not served by at least 1 voice service provider offering comparable voice service with reliable access to 9-1-1 and emergency services through any technology or medium and shall conduct a request for service process to identify a willing provider of comparable voice service with reliable access to 9-1-1 and emergency services in that area, including the current provider. A provider shall not be required to participate in the request for service process. The willing provider may utilize any form of technology that is capable of providing comparable voice service with reliable access to 9-1-1 and emergency services, including voice over internet protocol services and wireless services. If the commission determines that another provider is not capable of providing comparable voice service with reliable access to 9-1-1 and emergency services in that area, the commission shall issue an order requiring the current telecommunication provider to provide comparable voice service with reliable access to 9-1-1 and emergency services in that area utilizing any form of technology that the commission determines is capable of providing comparable voice service with reliable access to 9-1-1 and emergency services, including voice over internet protocol services and wireless services, until another willing provider is available. An intrastate universal service fund under section 316a shall not be created or used to compensate or fund a willing provider or current telecommunication provider to provide service under this section. As used in this subsection:

    (a) "Comparable voice service" includes any 2-way voice service offered through any form of technology, including voice over internet protocol services and wireless services, that is capable of placing calls to and receiving calls from a provider of basic local exchange service.

    (b) "Emergency services" means services provided to the public by police, fire, ambulance, or other first responders.

    (c) "Reliable access to 9-1-1" means the rules, regulations, and guidelines set forth in the FCC trials order, including all appendices, that provide comparable and reliable consumer access to emergency services.

    (d) "Willing provider" means a provider that voluntarily participates in the request for service process.

    (7) Beginning January 1, 2017, a telecommunication provider that discontinues service under this section shall adhere to all rules, regulations, and guidelines set forth in the FCC trials order, including all appendices, for each of that telecommunication provider's exchanges in this state, whether or not the discontinuance is undertaken pursuant to an official trial under the FCC trials order, except that all notices or reports to be filed with the federal communications commission shall be submitted to the Michigan public service commission for its information. This subsection is effective until the federal communications commission determines the legal and policy framework and establishes the requirements for the IP-transition including emergency connectivity requirements that provide comparable and reliable consumer access to emergency services.

    (8) As used in this section, "FCC trials order" means the order of the federal communications commission, GN docket nos. 13-5 and 12-353, adopted January 30, 2014, and any subsequent order of the federal communications commission modifying or revising that order that includes emergency connectivity requirements that provide comparable and reliable consumer access to emergency services.

    (1) Except as otherwise provided by this section, a telecommunication provider shall not discontinue basic local exchange telecommunication service to the residence of a qualifying customer who has made a filing under this section. A customer making a filing under this section shall retain the telephone number assigned to the customer on the date of the filing.

    (2) A qualifying customer may apply for shut-off protection for telecommunication service under this section by notifying the provider that the qualifying customer is in need of assistance caused by a reduction in household income through a call to active duty status in the military.

    (3) A provider of service may request verification of the call to active duty status from the qualifying customer. A provider of service may also request verification of the qualified customer's reduction in household income.

    (4) A provider of service may require restrictions or elimination of calling features or toll service as a condition of granting a qualifying customer's request for shut-off protection under this section.

    (5) A qualifying customer may receive shut-off protection from the provider of service under this section for up to 90 days. Upon application to the provider, the provider may grant the qualifying customer 1 or more extensions.

    (6) A qualifying customer receiving assistance under this section shall notify the provider of the end of the call to active duty status as soon as that status is known.

    (7) Unless waived by the provider, the shut-off protection provided under this section does not void or limit the obligation of the qualifying customer to pay for telecommunication services received during the time of assistance.

    (8) Within 48 hours of receiving all information requested of the qualifying customer, a provider shall do all of the following:

    (a) Create a repayment plan requiring minimum monthly payments that allows the qualifying customer to pay any past due amounts over a reasonable time period not to exceed 1 year.

    (b) Provide a qualifying customer with information regarding any governmental, provider, or other assistance programs.

    (9) This section does not affect or amend any commission rules or orders pertaining to billing standards. If the terms and conditions arranged by the provider with the qualifying customer under subsection (8) are not followed by the customer, then the provider shall follow procedures as set forth in the commission's billing standards for basic residential telecommunication service.

    (10) As used in this section, "qualifying customer" means all of the following:

    (a) A residential household where the income is reduced because the customer of record, or the spouse of the customer of record, is called to active military service by the president of the United States or the governor of this state during a time of declared national or state emergency or war.

    (b) Assistance is needed by the residential household to maintain telecommunication service.

    (c) The residential household notifies the provider of the need for assistance and provides verification of the call to active duty status.

    (1) Except as otherwise provided by this section, a telecommunication provider shall not discontinue basic local exchange telecommunication service to a residence of a person who is certified as deaf or hard of hearing, or speech-impaired by a licensed physician, licensed audiologist, or qualified state agency, who has made a filing under this section.

    (2) A deaf or hard of hearing, or speech-impaired customer may apply for shut-off protection for telecommunication services under this section by notifying the provider that the deaf or hard of hearing, or speech-impaired customer is in need of assistance caused by a reduction in household income.

    (3) A provider of service may request verification of the reduction in household income from the deaf or hard of hearing, or speech-impaired customer.

    (4) A provider of service may require restrictions or elimination of calling features or toll service as a condition of granting a deaf or hard of hearing, or speech-impaired customer's request for shut-off protection under this section. The provider shall not restrict the deaf or hard of hearing, or speech-impaired customer's access to a telecommunication relay service required under section 315.

    (5) A deaf or hard of hearing, or speech-impaired customer may receive shut-off protection from the provider of service under this section for up to 90 days. Upon application to the provider, the provider may grant the qualifying customer 1 or more extensions.

    (6) Unless waived by the provider, the shut-off protection provided under this section does not void or limit the obligation of the qualifying customer to pay for telecommunication services received during the time of assistance.

    (7) Within 48 hours of receiving all information requested of the deaf or hard of hearing, or speech-impaired customer, a provider shall do all of the following:

    (a) Create a repayment plan requiring minimum monthly payments that allows the deaf or hard of hearing, or speech-impaired customer to pay any past due amounts over a reasonable time period not to exceed 1 year.

    (b) Provide a deaf or hard of hearing, or speech-impaired customer with information regarding any governmental, provider, or other assistance programs.

    (8) This section does not affect or amend any commission rules or orders pertaining to billing standards. If the terms and conditions arranged by the provider with the deaf or hard of hearing, or speech-impaired customer under subsection (7) are not followed by the customer, then the provider shall follow procedures as set forth in the commission's billing standards for basic residential telecommunication service.