Bill Text: HI HB254 | 2010 | Regular Session | Introduced
Bill Title: Public Utilities; Local Exchange Intrastate Service; Competition
Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Democrat 1-0)
Status: (Engrossed - Dead) 2009-05-11 - Carried over to 2010 Regular Session. [HB254 Detail]
Download: Hawaii-2010-HB254-Introduced.html
Report Title:
Public Utilities; Switched Access Telephone Service; Competition
Description:
Requires the public utilities commission to treat switched access phone service as fully competitive.
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HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES |
H.B. NO. |
254 |
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TWENTY-FIFTH LEGISLATURE, 2009 |
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STATE OF HAWAII |
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A BILL FOR AN ACT
relating to public utilities.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF HAWAII:
SECTION 1. The legislature finds that competition in the telecommunications market is robust. Consumers have many choices when deciding how to communicate: traditional land-line telephony, voice over internet-protocol, and wireless phone service.
The legislature further finds that advances in voice over internet-protocol and wireless phone services make these technologies a viable substitute for traditional land-line, or switched access, telephony. These services currently provide 9‑1‑1 capability, number portability, reliable service, and extensive network coverage. Even though some federal and state regulators feel these new technologies, especially wireless phone service, can never replace the traditional land-line phone for casual and emergency communication needs, many consumers do not share this same view. According to the Federal Communications Commission, the number of switched access lines of Hawaii's incumbent local exchange carrier decreased from 735,459 in 2001 to only 541,030 in 2007. The number of wireless subscribers in Hawaii, however, increased from 595,721 to 1,096,181 over the same period. While some consumers subscribing to wireless phone service maintain their land-line or wired phone service, other consumers are subscribing to wireless service as a true alternative and thus are disconnecting their land-line service. Hawaii is not unique; this telecommunication market trend is similar across the United States.
The legislature further finds that competition in Hawaii's telecommunications market is not a level playing field; the incumbent local exchange carrier is highly regulated, while other telecommunications service providers do not share the same level of regulation. Although the incumbent local exchange carrier continues to maintain the majority of switched access lines, this dominance of market share does not take into account the meteoric rise of wireless subscribers and voice over internet-protocol service. In order to determine competition in a modern telecommunications market, all types of services need to be evaluated for their effects in the marketplace.
The purpose of this Act is to require the public utilities commission to treat switched access service as fully competitive in order for switched access providers to compete with new technology and advanced service.
SECTION 2. Chapter 269, Hawaii Revised Statutes, is amended by adding a new section to be appropriately designated and to read as follows:
"§269- Switched access service; fully competitive. After July 1, 2009, the public utilities commission shall treat the State's switched access service, under the commission's classification of services relating to costs, rates, and pricing, as fully competitive and apply all commission rules in accordance with that designation."
SECTION 3. New statutory material is underscored.
SECTION 4. This Act shall take effect upon its approval.
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INTRODUCED BY: |
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