State Senate Considers Deregulating Traditional Phones
Tuesday, March 22, 2011
By: Lynn Hatter, Florida Public Radio

March 22, 2011 | WMFE - A Central Florida lawmaker says its time Florida got rid of the last vestiges of traditional telephone rules. Senator David Simmons, a Republican from Altamonte Springs, says if cell phones, internet and other phone services are not regulated, it's unfair to only regulate land line service providers.

While cable and wireless internet services aren’t regulated by the state’s Public Service Commission, traditional landline services still are. Many people are now using an alternative telephone service such as voice-over-internet, or digital phone service from a cable provider. Senator Simmons said there’s no reason the state should still be regulating one segment of a growing industry.
“The public service commission will not regulate broadband services, VOIP, wireless telecommunications including commercial, radio, mobile service providers.” Simmons said. “This bill says that basic service and non-basic services are also not regulated.”
Several businesses and business organizations are supporting the bill.
But the Florida AARP opposes it. The senior advocacy group says the bill would allow phone companies to raise rates at will and points out that many seniors still use traditional land line phones.

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