Connecticut General Statutes 16-247b – Unbundling of telephone company’s network, services and functions. Access to telephone company’s telecommunications services, functions and unbundled network elements. Rates for competitive or emerging competi…
(a) On petition or its own motion, the authority shall initiate a proceeding to unbundle a telephone company‘s network, services and functions that are used to provide telecommunications services and which the authority determines, after notice and hearing, are in the public interest, are consistent with federal law and are technically feasible of being tariffed and offered separately or in combinations. Any telecommunications services, functions and unbundled network elements and any combination thereof shall be offered under tariff at rates, terms and conditions that do not unreasonably discriminate among actual and potential users and actual and potential providers of such local network services.
Terms Used In Connecticut General Statutes 16-247b
- another: may extend and be applied to communities, companies, corporations, public or private, limited liability companies, societies and associations. See Connecticut General Statutes 1-1
- Assets: (1) The property comprising the estate of a deceased person, or (2) the property in a trust account.
- Authority: means the Public Utilities Regulatory Authority and "department" means the Department of Energy and Environmental Protection. See Connecticut General Statutes 16-1
- Certified telecommunications provider: means a person certified by the authority to provide intrastate telecommunications services, as defined in section 16-247a, pursuant to sections 16-247f to 16-247h, inclusive. See Connecticut General Statutes 16-1
- Liabilities: The aggregate of all debts and other legal obligations of a particular person or legal entity.
- Telecommunications company: means a person that provides telecommunications service, as defined in section 16-247a, within the state, but shall not mean a person that provides only (A) private telecommunications service, as defined in section 16-247a, (B) the one-way transmission of video programming or other programming services to subscribers, (C) subscriber interaction, if any, which is required for the selection of such video programming or other programming services, (D) the two-way transmission of educational or instructional programming to a public or private elementary or secondary school, or a public or independent institution of higher education, as required by the authority pursuant to a community antenna television company franchise agreement, or provided pursuant to a contract with such a school or institution which contract has been filed with the authority, or (E) a combination of the services set forth in subparagraphs (B) to (D), inclusive, of this subdivision. See Connecticut General Statutes 16-1
- Telephone company: means a telecommunications company that provides one or more noncompetitive or emerging competitive services, as defined in section 16-247a. See Connecticut General Statutes 16-1
(b) Each telephone company shall provide reasonable nondiscriminatory access and pricing to all telecommunications services, functions and unbundled network elements and any combination thereof necessary to provide telecommunications services to customers. The authority shall determine the rates that a telephone company charges for telecommunications services, functions and unbundled network elements and any combination thereof, that are necessary for the provision of telecommunications services. The rates for interconnection and unbundled network elements and any combination thereof shall be based on their respective forward looking long-run incremental costs, and shall be consistent with the provisions of 47 USC 252(d).
(c) (1) The rate that a telephone company charges for a competitive or emerging competitive telecommunications service shall not be less than the sum of (A) the rate charged to another telecommunications company for a noncompetitive or emerging competitive local network service function used by that company to provide a competing telecommunications service, and (B) the applicable incremental costs of the telephone company.
(2) On and after the date the authority certifies a telephone company’s operations support systems interface pursuant to section 16-247n, the authority shall, upon petition, conduct a contested case proceeding to consider whether modification or removal of the pricing standard set forth in subdivision (1) of this subsection for a telecommunications service deemed competitive pursuant to section 16-247f is appropriate. Notwithstanding the provisions of subdivision (1) of this subsection, if the authority determines that such a modification or removal is appropriate and is consistent with the goals set forth in section 16-247a, the authority shall so modify or remove said pricing standard for such telecommunications service.
(3) Prior to the date that the authority certifies a telephone company’s operations support systems interface pursuant to section 16-247n, the authority may, upon petition, conduct a contested case proceeding to consider whether modification or removal of the pricing standard set forth in subdivision (1) of this subsection for a telecommunications service deemed competitive pursuant to section 16-247f is appropriate. Any petition filed pursuant to this subdivision shall specify the geographic area in which the applicant proposes to modify or remove such pricing standard. Notwithstanding the provisions of subdivision (1) of this subsection, if the authority determines that such modification or removal is appropriate, is consistent with the goals set forth in section 16-247a and facilities-based competition exists in the relevant geographic area, the authority shall so modify or remove said pricing standard for such telecommunications service. In determining whether facilities-based competition exists in the relevant geographic area, the authority shall consider:
(A) The number, size and geographic distribution of other providers of service;
(B) The availability of functionally equivalent services in the relevant geographic area at competitive rates, terms and conditions;
(C) The financial viability of each company providing functionally equivalent services in the relevant geographic market;
(D) The existence of barriers to entry into, or exit from, the relevant geographic market;
(E) Other indicators of market power that the authority deems relevant, which may include, but not be limited to, market penetration and the extent to which the applicant can sustain the price for the service above the cost to the company of providing the service in the relevant geographic area;
(F) The extent to which other telecommunications companies must rely upon the noncompetitive services of the applicant to provide their telecommunications services and carrier access rates charged by the applicant;
(G) Other factors that may affect competition; and
(H) Other factors that may affect the public interest.
(d) A telephone company shall not use the revenues, expenses, costs, assets, liabilities or other resources derived from or associated with providing a noncompetitive service to subsidize the provision of competitive, emerging competitive or unregulated telecommunications services by such telephone company or any affiliate that is a certified telecommunications provider.