Wisconsin Statutes & Annotations
Chapter 196 - Regulation of public utilities.
196.499 - Regulation of telecommunications carriers.

196.499 Regulation of telecommunications carriers.
(1) Scope. Notwithstanding any other provisions of this chapter, a telecommunications carrier is not subject to regulation under this chapter, except for s. 196.025 (6), and except under each of the following provisions:
(a) A telecommunications carrier shall comply with the requirements of this section.
(b) A telecommunications carrier shall be treated under ss. 196.218 (8) and 196.219 as a telecommunications provider.
(c) A telecommunications carrier shall be treated under s. 196.85 as a telecommunications utility.
(d) A telecommunications carrier shall be treated under s. 196.858 as an interexchange telecommunications utility.
(e) A telecommunications carrier may be assessed under s. 196.218 (3) as a telecommunications provider and shall respond, subject to the protection of the telecommunications carrier's competitive information, to all reasonable requests for information about its operations in this state from the commission necessary to administer the universal service fund. A telecommunications carrier may not be assessed in a manner that is inconsistent with this paragraph.
(f) For purposes of enforcing s. 196.218 (3) or (8), 196.219, 196.85, or 196.858, or for purposes of approving or enforcing an interconnection agreement to which a telecommunications carrier is a party, a telecommunications carrier shall be subject to ss. 196.02 (3), 196.32, 196.33, 196.39, 196.395, 196.40, 196.41, 196.43, 196.44 (3), and 196.48 and be treated as a party to the agreement under ss. 196.199 and 196.26, as a public utility under ss. 196.02 (5) and (6), 196.14, 196.24, 196.44 (2), 196.66, and 196.85 (1), and as a telecommunications provider under ss. 196.25 (3) and 196.65 (3).
(2) Tariffs. Every telecommunications carrier shall keep on file with the commission a tariff for each service, that contains all the rules, rates and classifications used by it in the provision of its telecommunications services, including limitations on liability unless the commission waives any requirement. A tariff shall be effective when filed or on a date indicated by the carrier. The telecommunications carrier shall provide notice of price increases by publication in newspapers or by any other reasonable means and may provide notice of price decreases or of tariffed promotional rates. Tariffs may be filed for services offered on an interim basis, for special promotions, for discounts, including discounts intended to maintain customer relations, or for individual contracts between carriers and customers. A telecommunications carrier shall charge rates in accordance with its tariff.
(3) Rates.
(a) Except as provided in this subsection, a telecommunications carrier may not charge different rates for residential basic message telecommunications services, business basic message telecommunications services, or single-line wide-area telecommunications service on routes of similar distances within the state, unless otherwise authorized by the commission.
(am) Paragraph (a) does not prohibit volume or term discounts, discounts in promotional offerings, differences in the rates for intralata and interlata services of similar distances, the provision of optional toll calling plans to selected exchanges or customers or the passing through of any state or local taxes in the specific geographic areas from which the taxes originate.
(b) Notwithstanding any other provision in this chapter, a telecommunications carrier may furnish services to its employees, officers, agents or pensioners at no charge or at rates that are lower than its tariff rates.
(c) A telecommunications carrier may contract to charge prices for services that are unique to a particular customer or group of customers if differences in the cost of providing a service or a service element justify a different price for a particular customer or group of customers or if market conditions require individual pricing.
(4) Abandonment of services. A telecommunications carrier shall provide written notice to the commission not less than 60 days before its abandonment of basic message telecommunications service to an exchange. The carrier shall also publish notice in a newspaper of general circulation within the exchange and provide any other notice required by the commission. A telecommunications carrier shall be subject to rules and procedures that the commission may establish for the continuance of basic message telecommunications service to an exchange if notice has been received that all providers of the service intend to abandon that service in the exchange. A rule or procedure may not regulate the price, terms or conditions of service other than as authorized in this section and may not discriminate in favor of or against any telecommunications provider.
(5) Complaints.
(a) In this subsection, “complaint" means a complaint filed with the commission that any rate, toll, charge or schedule relating to the provision of telecommunications service violates sub. (2) or (3) (a).
(am) In any complaint proceeding, the person initiating the complaint has the burden of proving a violation of sub. (2) or (3) (a).
(b) If any business organization, body politic or 25 individuals file a complaint against a telecommunications carrier, the commission, with or without notice, may investigate the complaint as it considers necessary. The commission may not issue an order based on the investigation without allowing the telecommunications carrier an opportunity for a hearing.
(c)
1. Before holding a hearing under this subsection, the commission shall notify the telecommunications carrier complained of that a complaint has been made, and no sooner than 10 days after the notice has been given the commission may set a time and place for a hearing.
2. The commission shall give the telecommunications carrier which is the subject of a complaint and the complainant at least 10 days' notice of the time and place of a hearing and the subject of the hearing. The commission may subpoena any witness at the request of the telecommunications carrier or complainant.
3. Notice under subds. 1. and 2. may be combined. The combined notice may not be given less than 10 days before a hearing.
(d) If the commission finds by a preponderance of the evidence that existing rates, tolls, charges or schedules violate sub. (2) or (3) (a), the commission may issue its order requiring compliance with sub. (2) or (3) (a).
(6) Investigations and hearings.
(a) If the commission believes that any rate or charge violates sub. (2) or (3) (a), the commission on its own motion summarily may investigate with or without notice.
(b) If after an investigation under par. (a) the commission determines that sufficient grounds exist to warrant a hearing, the commission shall set a time and place for a hearing. The hearing shall be conducted as a hearing under sub. (5). Notice of the time and place for a hearing under this paragraph shall be given to the telecommunications carrier, and to any other interested person as the commission considers necessary.
(7) Petitions. A telecommunications carrier may file a petition for relief with the commission on any matter affecting the telecommunications carrier's product or service.
(8) Depositions. The commission or any party in any investigation or hearing may take the depositions of witnesses in the manner prescribed for civil actions. Any expense incurred by or authorized by the commission in taking a deposition may be charged to the appropriation under s. 20.155 (1) (g).
(9) Records and transcripts. Sections 196.34 and 196.36, as they apply to records and transcripts relating to public utility hearings, apply to records and transcripts relating to telecommunications carrier hearings.
(11) Review. Any order or determination of the commission may be reviewed under ch. 227.
(12) Enforcement.
(a) The commission shall inquire into the neglect or violation of this section by telecommunications carriers, or by their officers, agents or employees or by persons operating telecommunications carriers, and shall enforce all laws relating to this section and report any violation to the attorney general.
(b) Upon request of the commission, the attorney general or a district attorney may aid in any investigation, hearing or trial under this section and shall prosecute any proceeding for the enforcement of laws relating to telecommunications carriers.
(c) A civil action to enforce this section shall be brought in the name of the state in the circuit court for Dane County or in the county that would be the proper place of trial under s. 801.50.
(d) This section and rules and orders of the commission promulgated or adopted under this section may be enforced by an action to recover forfeitures, an action for injunction, an action to compel performance or by other appropriate actions.
(13) Crisis situations.
(a) If a sheriff, a police chief or a law enforcement officer designated by a sheriff or police chief to respond in a crisis situation has probable cause to believe that a person is holding a hostage or is resisting apprehension through the use or threatened use of force, the sheriff, police chief or law enforcement officer may order a telecommunications carrier to interrupt or reroute telecommunications service to or from the suspected person for the duration of the crisis situation to prevent the person from communicating with anyone other than a person authorized by the sheriff, police chief or law enforcement officer.
(b) A telecommunications carrier may not be held liable for any action that it takes under par. (a).
(13m) Emergency services. A telecommunications carrier may not unreasonably refuse, restrict or delay access by any person to a telecommunications emergency service.
(14) Extension of facilities. Any telecommunications carrier may extend its facilities into or through any municipality for the furnishing of its services, subject to the reasonable regulation of the governing body of the municipality relative to the location of poles and wires and the preservation of the safe and convenient use of streets and alleys to the public. Upon a petition for relief made by a telecommunications carrier, the commission shall set a hearing and if it finds a contract, ordinance or resolution under this subsection to be unreasonable, the contract, ordinance or resolution shall be void.
(15) Certificates. A telecommunications carrier that is not authorized to provide intrastate telecommunications service on January 1, 1994, may not commence the construction of any plant, extension or facility, or provide intrastate telecommunications service directly or indirectly to the public, unless the telecommunications carrier obtains a certificate from the commission authorizing the telecommunications carrier to provide intrastate telecommunications. The commission may issue a certificate if the telecommunications carrier demonstrates that it possesses sufficient technical, financial and managerial resources to provide intrastate telecommunications services. A telecommunications carrier that is authorized to provide intrastate telecommunications service on January 1, 1994, is not required to be recertified under this subsection.
(16) Access service authorization. If a telecommunications utility with 150,000 or less access lines in use in this state is authorized in a geographic area to provide access service to the public or business access line and usage service within a local calling area, a telecommunications carrier may not offer in that same geographic area access service to the public or business access line and usage service within a local calling area without the authorization of the commission. The commission may authorize a telecommunications carrier to offer those services if, after notice and opportunity for hearing, the commission finds that public convenience and necessity require the offering of those services by the telecommunications carrier. The commission may not require a telecommunications carrier to meet a more stringent standard for authorization than the standard applied to any telecommunications provider seeking the same authority.
(17) Forfeitures.
(a) A telecommunications carrier who violates a provision of this section or rule or order of the commission promulgated or adopted under this section may be required to forfeit not less than $100 nor more than $1,000 for each violation. Each day of continued violation constitutes a separate offense.
(b) A telecommunications carrier that knowingly and intentionally violates sub. (2) or (3) (a) may be required to forfeit not less than $100 nor more than $5,000 for each violation.
History: 1993 a. 496; 1997 a. 27, 218; 2001 a. 105; 2009 a. 28; 2021 a. 24.

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