After considering all of the comments submitted, the PUCO Staff has drafted, in rule form, a new comprehensive telecommunications reform proposal. The proposed rules establish requirements governing both the service provided by telephone companies to customers and the service provided by incumbent local telephone companies to competitive local telephone companies for the provision of local service. The proposed rules establish more oversight and less pricing flexibility for basic local exchange telephone services and services which PUCO staff believes to have a higher level of public policy interest.
More flexibility is granted to all other services.
PUCO Staff also has proposed rules for an alternative regulation plan that incumbent local telephone companies could opt into instead of proposing their own company-specific plan. Under this plan, a local telephone company would get earnings-free regulation with greater pricing flexibility for services other than basic local exchange telephone service, in exchange for committing to cap existing basic local exchange telephone service rates and to provide from all central offices in its territory the capability to deliver advanced telecommunications services. Legal Notices .