Wyoming Consumer Groups Oppose CenturyLink Deregulation
Consumer advocates objected to deregulating CenturyLink in Wyoming. The carrier asked June 6 for a finding its basic residential and business Zones 2 and 3 service areas are effectively competitive. In Wednesday comments in docket 14742 at the Public Service…
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Commission, AARP consultant Susan Baldwin said CenturyLink hasn't shown the burden of regulatory oversight outweighs benefits of consumer protection or prevents the company from competing and investing. “Other providers have expanded with various services within CenturyLink’s voice market,” but the ILEC “continues to dominate and enjoy a monopoly in the wireline market in rural communities,” she said. Deregulating could lead to price increases, the AARP official said. Wyoming Office of Consumer Advocate (OCA) Administrator Bryce Freeman said it’s true the carrier lost many landlines, but functionally equivalent alternatives aren't available at prices or terms and conditions offered by the telco. Granting the petition would leave the PSC no authority to enforce a pending service quality investigation in docket 14475, where OCA testified the telco's service is inadequate in three counties, Freeman said.