Ohio Telecom Association Questions Monopoly-Era Rules

“Regulations to check monopoly power that no longer exists make no sense,” the Ohio Telecom Association (OTA) told the state regulator Friday. The Ohio Public Utilities Commission received comments on a five-year review of retail telecom service rules (see 2311010060). "Regulations authorizing the review of prices and restrictions on withdrawal of services were a response to the ability of monopolies to extract excess profits or otherwise injure consumers through unfair practices,” OTA commented in docket 23-817-TP-ORD. “The monopoly provision of retail communications services, however, is a relic." In addition, some PUCO rules exceed the regulator's legal authority, the association said. One is the PUCO's asserted authority to review certain charges and fees related to special construction where a phone company must build facilities in certain circumstances to fulfill a customer's request for service, it said. “The rules that assert rate review authority over excess construction charges, late payment charges, or installation fees, and reconnection fees lack an express statutory basis.”