CenturyLink Deregulated in Rural Wyoming, Agrees to Partly Subsidize Satellite VoIP
The Wyoming Public Service Commission agreed to deregulate CenturyLink landlines in the state's remaining rural zones. Commissioners Thursday agreed 2-0, with retired Chairman William Russell concurring, to a ruling in dockets including 14742 that residential and business telecom services across…
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32 exchanges have effective competition. The telco got urban deregulation about five years ago. The PSC approved CenturyLink stipulations signed with consumer advocates and rural independent phone companies on service-quality and other concerns (see 1711160047). Proposed remedial action to improve service quality “is technically feasible, economically reasonable and can provide reasonably adequate alternative service to the Lusk, Wheatland, and Crook County exchanges,” the commission said. With consumer advocate support, CenturyLink will partly subsidize Hughes satellite VoIP service for Lusk and Wheatland exchange customers, who can also keep CenturyLink service, and the carrier will be bound by service quality standards there for two years. The telco agreed to maintain existing analog or digital phone service statewide for two years unless the customer discontinues service, and continue credits for service disruption. For CenturyLink to discontinue a landline customer, the PSC would have to OK it. The company agreed to maintain the same prices for residential customers across the state at a statewide average rate, and limit annual rate increases over the next two years to no more than $2 on the monthly rate. The stipulation with independent telcos included a clarification the PSC will maintain jurisdiction over CenturyLink wholesale services, unbundled network elements and carrier-to-carrier services and legal obligations. CenturyLink quality control includes "antiquated facilities and technology that requires significant ongoing maintenance and repair,” the regulator said. Many credible customers who testified at hearings viewed problems as “chronic,” the PSC said. The stipulation approved by the order addressed Wyoming Office of Consumer Advocate concerns, OCA Administrator Bryce Freeman told us. Satellite voice seemed like a good alternative given the "enormous" cost of replacing copper networks for relatively few customers, he said. The PSC decision "recognizes the increasingly competitive environment for consumer telecom services in Wyoming and the transition of technologies to provide economically reasonable and comparable service to rural customers," a CenturyLink spokesperson said.