If you live in Missouri and have phone service please take time to give this a quick read.
Thanks
Michael
Right now legislation is being considered in Jefferson City, MO that will adversely affect Socket, both as an Internet Service Provider and as a Telecommunications provider. This legislation will most likely also negatively affect YOU as a consumer of telecommunications services.
Price Cap Regulation Bill
The larger phone companies, such as CenturyTel, SBC, and Sprint, are pushing Senate Bill 237. Currently, these three companies are regulated under price cap regulation where retail rates are capped at a maximum rate. The companies are free to lower their rates below that cap. These companies can also request that the Public Service Commission remove the rate caps, if the company is able to prove it faces effective competition in an exchange area. Senate Bill 237, if passed, would make it much easier for the price cap to be removed as well as allow the phone companies to charge different rates to different customers for the exact same service.
Increased Rates
Senate Bill 237 would make it much easier for these phone companies to have the rate caps removed and be able to increase their retail rates. Based upon lists published by the Missouri Public Service Commission, caps on retail residential rates would be removed in an additional 100 exchanges and caps on retail business rates would be lifted in 127 additional exchanges. For example, under the proposed legislation, all business and residential services in Columbia could be declared competitive and the rate caps removed. CenturyTel would then be allowed to increase rates at their pleasure.
From Socket Telecom's perspective, it will allow CenturyTel to increase rates for services where they face no competition, such as residential phone line and single-line business services, to subsidize charging lower rates for services in competition with Socket Telecom's business phone services. From Socket Internet's perspective, CenturyTel, SBC, and Sprint would be able to charge Socket Internet higher rates for the same services than they charge other customers simply because Socket is a competitor.
From YOUR personal perspective, CenturyTel would be able to increase your residential phone rates above the current maximum price cap at their leisure.
Rate Discrimination
The second prong of this legislation is it would remove many of the consumer protections prohibiting unreasonable rate discrimination and requiring phone companies to charge similar rates for similar services to similarly-situated customers. When the two prongs of the legislation are combined, CenturyTel will be able to broadly increase rates and then offer reduced rates only to select customers based upon whatever criteria they want to use.
How You Can Be Heard
As a community, we need to make our legislators realize that Senate Bill 237 is bad for both businesses and consumers. Socket Telecom is a member of Show-Me Competition, an organization of CLECs opposing this legislation. Show-Me Competition established a toll-free number you can use to identify and contact your area legislator. You can leave a voicemail message for your State Senator or State Representative, telling them to vote "no" on the bill. You will need your 9-digit zip code ready to be put through to your specific legislator. Look up your code with the following Web site link - www.senate.mo.gov/llookup/leg_lookup.aspx. The number to call is 1-800-500-8839.
Share This News With Others
This bill has already been approved by the Senate and will be heard by the House Utility Committee on April 6, 2005. After that, it will be voted on by the entire House of Representatives. It is important to let your legislators know how you feel about this bill. I would also encourage each of you to share this with your family and friends and encourage them to contact their legislator as well. If you have any questions or comments, please let me know at rmkohly@socket.net or extension 119.
Matt Kohly
Phone service is coming to Missouri? ;D ;) ;D
QuotePhone service is coming to Missouri? ;D ;) ;D
Har-dee-har-har.
:P ;D
QuotePhone service is coming to Missouri? ;D ;) ;D
Hey Kris!
Did you get that new can.....uh... I mean receiver hookd up to your string yet? Mine works a lot better than the old tomato soup can I was using before ;D I can get ahold of old Uncle Billy Bob down in the hollar reeaaalll good now! He was atellin' me that he thought that you squeeled lik a pig real purrty :P
You guys are too funny. I have real phone service at my house! It's a 3 party line, though. 1 long and 2 shorts.