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SD 3350

Department of Telecommunications and Cable's Fiscal Year 2025 Annual Report

194th Legislature (2025-2026)

Places the FY2025 Department of Telecommunications and Cable annual report on file, providing transparency on regulation, consumer protections, and budget; no new policy changes.

Placed on file
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Bill Summary · SD 3350

Summary of SD 3350 — Department of Telecommunications and Cable's FY 2025 Annual Report

Status: Placed on file
Introduced: November 6, 2025
Title: Department of Telecommunications and Cable's Fiscal Year 2025 Annual Report
Classification: Proposed bill (house/senate action to place the report on file)

Purpose and scope

SD 3350 would formalize the placement on file of the Massachusetts Department of Telecommunications and Cable (DTC) FY 2025 Annual Report. The bill does not introduce new policy changes or funding; rather, it acknowledges and preserves the department’s annual report for review by the General Court. The annual report itself provides an overview of the DTC’s regulatory work, administrative operations, and outcomes for FY 2025, along with detailed appendices.

Key provisions and content of the annual report (as presented in the bill’s materials)

  • Regulatory responsibilities and funding: The DTC is funded by annual assessments on telecommunications and cable providers, with an FY 2025 operating budget of $3,631,243. The department’s duties include overseeing telecommunications and cable industries, ensuring quality service at just and reasonable rates, promoting sustainable competition, protecting consumers, and advising on policy at the state and federal levels.
  • Industry scope and revenue context:
    • Telecommunications: 205 registered carriers (calendar year 2023 intrastate revenues: $726,575,990).
    • Cable: 8 providers serving ~1.2 million cable video subscribers in 323 of Massachusetts’ 351 cities/towns; intrastate revenues in calendar year 2024: $2.1 billion.
  • Consumer protection and service quality:
    • FY 2025 consumer refunds and savings: over $216,000.
    • Consumer inquiries/complaints: 1,915 investigated.
    • Initiatives to improve accessibility, language access, and public understanding of consumer rights.
  • Organizational and programmatic structure:
    • Divisions: Administration, Competition, Legal, and Consumer (with relevant responsibilities and activities described in the report).
    • Appendices detail department orders/rulings, consumer division statistics, and organizational chart.

Who is affected

  • General public and consumers: Enhanced reporting on consumer protections, refunds, and rights; improved access and understanding of services.
  • Telecommunications and cable providers: Subject to DTC oversight, billing and service protections, and regulatory actions described in the annual report.
  • Massachusetts government: Provides transparency and accountability for the DTC’s activities and budgeting.

Procedural/timeline aspects

  • The bill is listed as “Placed on file,” indicating no further legislative action is required beyond formal acknowledgment of the report.
  • The annual report is produced pursuant to M.G.L. c. 25C, § 6, and includes detailed sections and appendices (see Table of Contents in the report).
  • If enacted, the effect is to formally place the FY 2025 DTC annual report in the public record of the General Court; no new fiscal or regulatory authorities are created.

Key takeaways

  • SD 3350 is essentially a housekeeping measure to place the DTC’s FY 2025 Annual Report on file.
  • The accompanying report provides a comprehensive view of the department’s regulatory work, financials, industry landscape, and consumer protection efforts for FY 2025, along with actionable data and appendices.

Compiled from official sources — confirm details with the bill’s official record.

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