The Virgin Islands Code assigns to the Public Services Commission the task of regulating public utilities in the Territory including telephone service.  The PSC is required to ensure that the telephone service “is reasonably safe and adequate and in all respects just and reasonable.”  The charge made to consumers by the telephone company is required to be “reasonable, just and non-discriminatory.”  The PSC must approve the rates charged by the telephone company for all services.  The PSC is required by law to review those charges and services no less than every five years. 

In addition, consumers who dispute the billings of the telephone company may dispute the billing without risking termination of service for non-payment by depositing the disputed sum with the Public Services Commission until the dispute is resolved by the Commission.  The Commission’s complaint forms are and a description of the complaint process is available on this website [add link].   Any appeal of a Public Services Commission decision must be filed with the Superior Court of the Virgin Islands. 

The Public Services Commission’s regulatory power does not apply to cellular telephone service providers.  Regulation of cellular telephone service providers is performed by the Federal Communications Commission in Washington, DC (www.fcc.gov).