Another fast-tracked piece of legislation with potential wider ranging impacts . . .
From the Wisconsin Association of PEG Channels
Wisconsin Association of PEG Channels, Friends, and Press:
I just learned that AT&T has introduced a bill through co-sponsors Senator Plale and Rep. Zepnick to deregulate the Telephone Industry in Wisconsin. It was introduced on January 22 and a Public Hearing has been scheduled for this Tuesday at 11 am.
Can you say Fast Track to Gutting the Public Interest in Telephone?
I’ve attached an analysis by Rich Pearson, Communication Workers of America 4603 out of Milwaukee. He is asking for people to come to this public hearing and register AGAINST deregulating the phone industry in the State of Wisconsin. Rich wrote to me: “The bill also clearly states that VOiP (Voice over Internet Protocol) would be non-regulated as would any new means of communications. I am very concerned that if this bill passes AT&T would attempt to classify uVerse as a new means of communications, and there goes any regulation, including PEG funding.”
Here’s a couple of highlights from the attached memo:
AT&T will no longer have to report any financial data to the PSC, ask for permission for rate increases, allow the PSC to investigate its rates, nor will the PSC be allowed to mandate any projects. AT&T can also choose to be certified as a reseller than an incumbent which would potentially allow them to spin off all land lines to a subsidiary or a different company and then lease them back. In the alternative they could remain the incumbent but demand to be regulated as a reseller.
AT&T will be required to lower the amount they charge for intrastate access charges, but the PSC will be required to reimburse them for the loss in revenue from the Universal Service Fund in incremental percentages for several years and in addition allows them to raise customers rates to make up the difference.
As AT&T recently petitioned the FCC to convert all customers, at its sole discretion, from the traditional switched based network to VOIP, this would completely strip the PSC of the few powers it still had regarding service levels, outages, etc.
Mary Cardona also notes:
. . . if AT&T succeeds, it may have deregulatory repercussions on the “video streaming” side of AT&T’s business — what we call “cable.” That makes this bill our concern as an organization.
