N.H. House Passes COLR Relief Bill

New Hampshire ILECs could seek relief of carrier of last resort obligations at the state energy department, under a bill passed Wednesday by the House. State lawmakers passed an amended HB-257 in a voice vote. The department must approve the petition if it finds at least one alternative wireline facilities-based voice provider with service to at least 95% of a municipality’s households and at least one mobile telecom provider with service to at least 97% of households there. Or the department could approve the petition if it finds at least one provider other than the ILEC received state, federal or local funding for the entire municipality.