And I particularly want to thank you, Commissioner Gillis, for the opportunity to speak this morning. I m a relatively new member of the Committee on Consumer Affairs, and I m delighted to be a part of the good work that the Committee is doing to advance a pro- consumer agenda. Moreover, the Committee supports several important initiatives that should help to facilitate cooperation among federal and state regulators in our consumer protection efforts. An increasingly competitive telecommunications marketplace requires us to be especially vigilant in protecting consumers interests.
Consumers have more choice than ever before among providers and among services.
Detailed information, however, is often hard to get. And those choices can be overwhelming. Telecom providers offer countless service packages and rate plans containing intricate price terms and conditions. Where competition flourishes, there will always be competitors who take advantage of consumers. But by forging relationships regulators can effectively combat the anti- consumer practices of unscrupulous providers.