IP Democracy: Indiana Telecom Dereg Bill Advances

The National Journal’s Tech Daily has this item about a telecom dereg bill that is moving in Indiana. Yesterday an Indiana Senate Committee advanced a bill, favored by incumbent telcos, that would, among other things, establish state-wide franchises and place restrictions on cities’ abilities to offer broadband services.

The bill would also allow phone companies to raise their regulated phone rates by $1 per month until 2009 if they provide high-speed Internet services to more than half the homes in areas affected by the price increases. The Indiana legislature is in the midst of a “short session,” and the bill must be approved by the full Senate by early February if it is to survive.

Posted by Cynthia Brumfield on January 12, 2006 9:13 AM to IP Democracy