Ky. Gov. Ernie Fletcher (R) signed a phone deregulation bill that...
Ky. Gov. Ernie Fletcher (R) signed a phone deregulation bill that will deregulate rates for all retail services other than basic local service, effective July 12. The PSC under HB-337 will keep its authority over wholesale services. The new…
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law lets large incumbent telcos pick a program freezing basic local rates 5 years, and then allows annual increases equal based on national Consumer Price Index rises. Small incumbents will have a one-year rate freeze, and then can make impose increases based on the CPI. Rates for nonbasic services will be deregulated. The measure ends PSC jurisdiction over VoIP service. The law gives customers who buy a deregulated service 30 days to cancel without early- termination penalties. It also retains PSC jurisdiction over retail service quality, and over consumer complaints involving billing, slamming and cramming for all services, along with jurisdiction over Lifeline and 911 services.