What's the future of telecommunications in Washington?

Changes in technology have fundamentally altered the telecommunications industry. Until recently, companies providing “plain
old telephone service” enjoyed monopolies in their service areas, and states regulated them to ensure that rates were fair, just and reasonable. Today, these same companies face real or potential competition for many services from cable, wireless, Internet and other local exchange companies. As the regulated companies increasingly face competition, the commission must review the need for traditional rate-of-return regulation, the best policies to protect consumers during the transition from monopoly to competitive service, and the proper level of staffing and resources during the transition.

Commission staff will prepare a comprehensive report identifying and analyzing trends in the telecommunications industry, including the
degree of competition in the marketplace, the level of customer service, anticipated changes in federal and state law, the need for consumer protection measures and continued universal service programs. It will consult with industry and consumer representatives and other stakeholders in preparing the report. It will use this research to help identify what continued regulation, if any, is appropriate for telephone companies, determine the proper role for the UTC in this changing environment and assess the appropriate levels of staffi ng and resource allocation for telecommunciations-related activities.

Your comments on this docket are welcome. You can:
1) Use the Online comment form. Please include a return (email and postal) address and a brief description of the subject on which you are commenting (such as "Telecom Trends" or "UT-051808"); or
2) Write the UTC at P.O. Box 47250, Olympia, WA 98504.

More information on commenting is available on our Public Comment page.

This page is available as http://wutc.wa.gov/051808