"Telecom deregulation bill gets state Legislature's OK"- sounds like a bad idea...

[lutefisk]

I really don't understand why this has bipartisan support:

"The state could no longer investigate complaints from consumers about their telephone and Internet providers or regulate service rates under a bill expected to soon become law...

The bill will dramatically shift how the telecommunications industry is regulated in the state. It will repeal current state statutes requiring that telecommunications companies provide reasonable and adequate service at fair prices, including prohibitions on discriminatory pricing. The Wisconsin Public Service Commission will no longer have the authority to investigate consumer complaints and suspected violations, nor could it order any changes to the industry as a result of such investigations. It essentially strips the PSC of authority to set rates and regulate Internet services, leaving some questions about the agency’s responsibilities once the bill becomes law. Providers wouldn’t have to provide the commission any information about their prices and service terms. They also wouldn’t have any obligation to serve customers everywhere in the state after April 2013."

http://host.madison.com/wsj/news/local/govt-and-politics/article_f4ceb314-7bf8-11e0-8887-001cc4c03286.html

[dembotoz]

1. work in the industry--the psc seems to be the only organization

that frightened the telecoms-more att than others.
I have seen folks get good results in billing problems using the psc-wonder where they will go now.
Not talking about the run of the mill my long distance rate went from 5 to 10 cents per minute.
I am talking about the poor companies who had thier phone system hacked and now find they are liable for a weekend of calls to somalia for like 50,000 bucks.

what would have been nice is if the other phone companies found they had to play by the same rules as at&t.
That rule enforcement was increased for all instead of rules for major carriers being dumbed down to
low levels.