Thaila Sundaresan

If you're a company planning to offer voice service over your own facilities in California, obtaining a Certificate of Public Convenience and Necessity (CPCN) from the California Public Utilities Commission (CPUC) is a critical first step. This certificate is not just an administrative formality—it's a legal requirement needed to construct necessary facilities and provide specific services in the state.

Statutory interpretation of the Public Utilities Code now firmly in the hands of the courts In a recent decision, Center for Biological Diversity, Inc. v. Public Utilities Commission, the California Supreme Court unanimously rejected the "uniquely deferential" standard of review previously given to California Public Utilities Commission ("CPUC") decisions interpreting the Public Utilities Code.