SANFORD — Some FairPoint telephone customers in Sanford and Biddeford will have changes coming to their landline service, and in an effort to inform them, the state Public Utilities Commission is hosting meetings this month.

There will be public meetings at 6 p.m. July 14 in Sanford City Hall, 919 Main St., and at 6 p.m. July 28 at Biddeford City Hall, 205 Main St.

Come August, FairPoint Communications will no longer be required to offer Provider of Last Resort (POLR) landline telephone services to customers in 22 of Maine’s most populous communities, including Sanford and Biddeford, following passage of L.D. 466 in the last legislative session.

But those customers currently using POLR services – considered the most basic of landline telephone services and without options like long distance – will continue to have it for a year under the same terms and conditions they currently enjoy, said Maine Public Advocate Tim Schneider.

Schneider said the data shows that there are competitive options in the communities where the deregulation was approved.

“The assumption is, people can go with a cable provider or one of various cell phone providers” in those 22 communities,” he said.

Amy Gallant of AARP Maine said the agency had opposed the deregulation of POLR services since 2012.

“Because of our strong opposition, L.D. 466 was significantly amended to slow down the process and includes strong consumer protections,” said Gallant in an email. “AARP Maine gained critical protections in the fight to preserve basic landline phone service.”

The consumer protections include:

• The law’s immediate application is limited to the 22 most populous towns; the original proposal was to deregulate service statewide.

• FairPoint must meet service quality requirements, and if it fails to do so, it will not be allowed to make any other changes to basic landline service.

• Customers will be notified in their monthly bills of changes to their service, and the Public Utilities Commission will hold the aforementioned informational public hearing in each municipality.

• Customers will be grandfathered for one year, with guaranteed rates, terms and conditions.

• The law prohibits the impairment, reduction or discontinuation of service.

• The PUC must measure and report the impact of deregulation on customers, workforce and service, and the Legislature will have the opportunity to address any issues with the service changes.

AARP Maine recommends that residents who aren’t sure whether they are POLR customers contact FairPoint at (866) 984-2001 with their name and customer account number.

— Senior Staff Writer Tammy Wells can be contacted at 324-4444 (local call in Sanford) or 282-1535, ext. 327 or twells@journaltribune.com.