in-20260923-IR-170260322FNA: TELEPHONE UTILITIES

Summary

The Indiana Utility Regulatory Commission (IURC) is soliciting public comment on amending and repealing rules at 170 IAC 7 concerning telephone utilities and communications service providers. CITATIONS AFFECTED: 170 IAC 7-1.1-19; 170 IAC 7-1.2; 170 IAC 7-1.3; 170 IAC 7-2.1; 170 IAC 7-6; 170 IAC 7-7; 170 IAC 7-8 For much of IURC's history, it or its predecessor regulated telecommunications companies as monopoly providers. IURC's jurisdiction was modified by the general assembly beginning in 2006 with House Enrolled Act (HEA) 1279 (P.L.27-2006), so that by July 1, 2009, the rates and charges for retail telecommunications services in Indiana were fully deregulated. Around 2009, the rules in 170 IAC 7 concerning telecommunications companies were revised to comply with the general deregulation. The rules were subsequently readopted without change; the last readoption being completed in 2022. This rulemaking continues the trajectory of streamlining the regulations over telecommunications by further revising and reducing the rules to even more closely conform to IURC's limited jurisdiction. Based on HEA 1623 (P.L.249-2023), the rules in 170 IAC 7 would expire at the end of 2026. IURC, therefore, reviewed 170 IAC 7 and made revisions designed to remove portions of the rules that are no longer needed, to conform the rules to the limited jurisdiction of IURC over telecommunications issues, and to simplify the rules overall. The implementation costs of the proposed rule are not...

The agency’s own summary, as published.