Pennsylvania Telecom Reform Necessary to Level ILEC Playing Field, Verizon Says

摘要

Pennsylvania residents could see major changes to their wireline services in the state if the Legislaturernvotes for a bill that would eliminate carrier of last resort obligations (COLR) for local exchange carriersrnin competitive areas and limit the USF, said industry, two Pennsylvania Public Utility commissioners,rnthe state’s consumer advocate and other interested parties at a House Consumer Affairs Committee hearingrnThursday. House Bill 1608, sponsored by Rep. Warren Kampf (R), would remove the PUC’s oversightrnof ILECs, and it would allows ILECs to self-declare whole exchanges as competitive. The billrnwould end the state’s USF on Jan. 1, 2019, and prevent the PUC from raising the amount of money contributedrnto the fund each year.