The new 24-page Ratewatcher Guide, a publication of the Office of the Public Advocate that helps customers make informed choices about their telephone and broadband options is now available online and in print.

This is the 25th edition of the Ratewatcher, which was first published in September 1997. The latest edition includes detailed charts with information for more than 49 phone and broadband providers, plan comparisons, and guidance for how to determine the best phone and broadband service for a customer’s current needs. 

“Our goal is to help simplify the complicated process of choosing Internet, phone and cell phone services in Maine, by putting all the information a consumer might need in one place,” said Tim Schneider, the Maine Public Advocate.

The Ratewatcher also includes informational articles on related topics, such as how to prepare for a power outage depending on the type of phone you use. Headlining this edition are recent state policy developments affecting telecommunications, highlighting the changes in broadband policy that resulted from the Legislature’s work this session.

More than 21,500 Maine homes and businesses subscribe to the Ratewatcher, which is also available in libraries and community resource centers across the state. The material is also currently being prepared as an online resource for the OPA website. A pdf version is currently available at www.maine.gov/meopa/utilities/telephone/Ratewatcher-2015.pdf.

To receive a free copy of the Ratewatcher by mail or email, please contact the Office of the Public Advocate by phone at 207-287-2445 or via email at opa@maine.gov.