(a) The State of Oregon cease regulation of telecommunications carriers on a rate of return basis;
(b) Telecommunications carriers subject to rate of return regulation have the ability to opt out of rate of return regulation;
(c) A telecommunications carrier that opts out of rate of return regulation under this section and ORS 759.405 shall be subject to price cap regulation and the carrier under price cap regulation shall continue to meet service quality requirements; and
(d) Telecommunications carriers that opt out of rate of return regulation under this section and ORS 759.405 shall make payments to the state to support the use of advanced telecommunications services and to support deployment of advanced telecommunications services.
(2) A telecommunications carrier that elects to be subject to this section and ORS 759.405 shall be subject to price regulation as provided in this section and shall not be subject to any other retail rate regulation, including but not limited to any form of earnings-based, rate-based or rate of return regulation.
(3) The price a telecommunications utility that elects to be subject to this section and ORS 759.405 may charge for basic telephone service shall be established by the Public Utility Commission under ORS 759.425. Subject to ORS 759.415, the regular tariff rate of intrastate switched access and retail telecommunications services regulated by the commission, other than basic telephone service, in effect on the date the carrier elects to be subject to this section and ORS 759.405 shall be the maximum price the telecommunications carrier may charge for that service.
(4) A telecommunications carrier that elects to be subject to this section and ORS 759.405 may adjust the price for intrastate switched access or a regulated retail telecommunications service between the maximum price established under this section and a price floor equal to the sum of the total service long run incremental cost of providing the service for the nonessential functions of the service and the price that is charged to other telecommunications carriers for the essential functions. Basic telephone service shall not be subject to a price floor.
(5) The price for a new regulated retail telecommunications service introduced by a telecommunications carrier within four years after the date the carrier elects to be subject to this section and ORS 759.405 shall be subject to a price floor test by the commission to ensure that the service is not priced below the sum of the total service long run incremental cost of providing the service for the nonessential functions of the service and the price that is charged to other telecommunications carriers for the essential functions. Beginning on the date four years after September 1, 1999, the price of a new telecommunications service shall be subject to a price floor test by the commission to ensure that the service is not priced below the total service long run incremental cost of providing the service, without regard to whether the service is considered essential or nonessential.
(6) A telecommunications carrier that elects to be subject to this section and ORS 759.405 may package and offer any of its retail telecommunications services with any other service at any price, provided the following conditions apply:
(a) Any regulated telecommunications service may be purchased separately at or below the maximum price.
(b) The price of the package is not less than the sum of the price floors of each regulated retail telecommunications service included in the package.
(c) The price of a package that is comprised entirely of regulated retail telecommunications services does not exceed the sum of the maximum prices for each of the services.
(d) The price of a package comprised of regulated and unregulated retail telecommunications services does not exceed the sum of the maximum prices established under this section for regulated services and the retail price charged by the carrier for the individual unregulated services in the package. A telecommunications carrier subject to regulation under this section shall provide notice to the commission within 30 days of a change in the price of an unregulated telecommunications service contained in the package.
(7) Nothing in this section or ORS 759.405 is intended to limit the ability of a telecommunications carrier to seek deregulation of telecommunications services under ORS 759.052.
(8)(a) Notice of a price change authorized under subsection (4) of this section, of the introduction of a new regulated telecommunications service or of the packaging of services, must be given to the commission within 30 days following the effective date of the price change, new service or packaged service. Notice of a new regulated telecommunications service shall indicate the retail price charged by the carrier for the service.
(b) The commission may investigate any price change authorized under subsection (4) of this section, the price of a new regulated telecommunications service or the price of a package of services to determine that the price complies with the provisions of this section and any other applicable law. If the commission determines that the price of the service or package of services does not comply with the provisions of this section or other applicable law, the commission may order the telecommunications carrier to take such action as the commission determines necessary to bring the price into compliance with this section or other applicable law.
(9) Nothing in this section affects the authority of a city or municipality to manage the public rights of way or to require fair and reasonable compensation from a telecommunications carrier, on a competitively neutral and nondiscriminatory basis, under ORS 221.420, 221.450, 221.510 and 221.515.
(10) Notwithstanding any other provision of this section, the commission shall establish prices for extended area service in a manner that allows a telecommunications carrier that elects to be subject to this section and ORS 759.405 to recover all costs and lost net revenues attributable to implementing new extended area service routes. The provisions of this subsection apply to telecommunications service provided on a flat or measured basis between exchanges defined by exchange maps filed with and approved by the commission. [1999 c.1093 §25; 2001 c.966 §1; 2005 c.232 §23]
Structure 2021 Oregon Revised Statutes
Volume : 19 - Utilities, Vehicle Code, Watercraft, Aviation
Chapter 759 - Telecommunications Utility Regulation
Section 759.005 - Definitions.
Section 759.016 - Legislative findings on broadband services.
Section 759.040 - Exemptions for certain unaffiliated utilities with fewer than 50,000 access lines.
Section 759.050 - Competitive zone service regulation.
Section 759.052 - Commission authority to exempt telecommunications services from regulation.
Section 759.070 - Charge to access public body radio tower; market rate; exception.
Section 759.075 - Authority to construct lines and facilities; condemnation power; procedure.
Section 759.120 - Form and manner of accounts prescribed by commission.
Section 759.130 - Closing date of accounts; filing balance sheet; audit.
Section 759.135 - Depreciation accounts; undepreciated investment allowed in rates; conditions.
Section 759.175 - Filing rate schedules and data with commission.
Section 759.180 - Hearing on reasonableness of rates; procedures; exceptions.
Section 759.182 - Rate schedules for service promotions; rules.
Section 759.210 - Classification of service and rates; considerations; rules.
Section 759.215 - Public access to schedules.
Section 759.218 - Revenues and expenses of unregulated activities.
Section 759.220 - Joint rates and classifications; procedure; considerations.
Section 759.230 - Measured service rate for business customers; restriction.
Section 759.235 - Mandatory measured service rate; prohibition.
Section 759.240 - Measuring quality of service; standards; rules.
Section 759.245 - Examination and testing of measuring appliances; rules; fees.
Section 759.257 - Extended area service: Portland to Scappoose.
Section 759.259 - Extended area service: Portland to Molalla.
Section 759.260 - Unjust discrimination in rates.
Section 759.265 - Practices not constituting unjust discrimination.
Section 759.275 - Undue preferences and prejudices.
Section 759.310 - When issuance of securities void.
Section 759.315 - Purposes for which securities may be issued; order required; exceptions; rules.
Section 759.320 - Application of ORS 759.315.
Section 759.345 - Use of proceeds from issuance; accounting; rules.
Section 759.360 - Prohibited acts regarding issuance of securities.
Section 759.375 - Approval prior to sale, mortgage or disposal of operative utility property.
Section 759.380 - Purchase of stock or property of another utility.
Section 759.390 - Contracts with affiliated interests; procedure; use in rate proceedings.
Section 759.393 - Applicability of ORS 759.385 and 759.390.
Section 759.400 - Definitions for ORS 759.400 to 759.455.
Section 759.500 - Definitions for ORS 759.500 to 759.570.
Section 759.535 - Application to serve unserved territory; hearing; notice.
Section 759.560 - Assignment or transfer of allocated territory; rules.
Section 759.570 - Application of law to local government.
Section 759.585 - Definitions for ORS 759.585 to 759.595.
Section 759.590 - Application for service by unserved person; rules.
Section 759.650 - Definitions for ORS 759.650 to 759.675.
Section 759.660 - Fixing charges or rates; criteria; costs of hearing.
Section 759.680 - Operator service provider duties to service users; rules.
Section 759.685 - Surcharge assessed on retail telecommunications subscribers; rules.
Section 759.687 - Residential Service Protection Fund.
Section 759.688 - Oregon Telephone Assistance Program Advisory Committee; duties; members; rules.
Section 759.693 - Definitions.
Section 759.696 - Telecommunication Devices Access Program Advisory Committee; duties; members.
Section 759.697 - Program coordinator; program administration.
Section 759.698 - Eligibility.
Section 759.700 - Definitions for ORS 759.700 to 759.720.
Section 759.705 - Program message preamble; information to be included.
Section 759.710 - Pay-per-call information; disclosure.
Section 759.730 - Unauthorized changes in telecommunications carriers ("slamming"); rules.