4927.02 [Effective Until 9/13/2010] State policy.
4927.02 [Effective Until 9/13/2010] State policy.
(A) It is the policy of this state to:
(1) Ensure the availability of adequate basic local exchange service to citizens throughout the state;
(2) Rely on market forces, where they are present and capable of supporting a healthy and sustainable, competitive telecommunications market, to maintain just and reasonable rates, rentals, tolls, and charges for public telecommunications service;
(3) Encourage innovation in the telecommunications industry;
(4) Promote diversity and options in the supply of public telecommunications services and equipment throughout the state;
(5) Recognize the continuing emergence of a competitive telecommunications environment through flexible regulatory treatment of public telecommunications services where appropriate;
(6) Consider the regulatory treatment of competing and functionally equivalent services in determining the scope of regulation of services that are subject to the jurisdiction of the public utilities commission;
(7) Not unduly favor or advantage any provider and not unduly disadvantage providers of competing and functionally equivalent services; and
(8) Protect the affordability of telephone service for low-income subscribers through the continuation of lifeline assistance programs.
(B) The public utilities commission shall consider the policy set forth in this section in carrying out sections 4927.03 and 4927.04 of the Revised Code and in reducing or eliminating the regulation of telephone companies under those sections as to any public telecommunications service.
Effective Date: 03-17-1989; 11-04-2005
This section is set out twice. See also § 4927.02, as amended by 128th General Assembly File No. 43, SB 162, § 1, eff. 9/13/2010.
4927.02 [Effective 9/13/2010] State policy
(A) It is the policy of this state to:
(1) Ensure the availability of adequate basic local exchange service to citizens throughout the state;
(2) Provide incentives for competing providers of telecommunications service to provide advanced, high-quality telecommunications service to citizens throughout the state;
(3) Rely primarily on market forces, where they exist, to maintain reasonable service levels for telecommunications services at reasonable rates;
(4) Encourage innovation in the telecommunications industry and the deployment of advanced telecommunications services;
(5) Create a regulatory climate that provides incentives to create and maintain high technology jobs for Ohioans;
(6) Promote diversity and options in the supply of telecommunications services and equipment throughout the state;
(7) Recognize the continuing emergence of a competitive telecommunications environment through flexible regulatory treatment of telecommunications services where appropriate;
(8) Consider the regulatory treatment of competing and functionally equivalent services and, to the extent practicable, provide for equivalent regulation of all telephone companies and services ;
(9) Not unduly favor or advantage any provider and not unduly disadvantage providers of competing and functionally equivalent services; and
(10) Protect the affordability of telephone service for low-income subscribers through the continuation of federal lifeline assistance programs.
(B) The public utilities commission shall consider the policy set forth in this section in carrying out this chapter.
Amended by 128th General Assembly File No. 43, SB 162, § 1, eff. 9/13/2010.
Effective Date: 03-17-1989; 11-04-2005
This section is set out twice. See also § 4927.02, effective until 9/13/2010.