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Deregulation bill draws split testimony over copper networks, 911 and consumer protections
Summary
LB 4 would create a statutory path to deregulate certain landline exchanges with competition; supporters say it modernizes regulation and frees resources for fiber investment, while the Public Service Commission and local officials warned about consumer protections, outage response and areas left without a carrier of last resort.
Sen. Carolyn Bosn introduced LB 4, the Nebraska Telecommunications Exchange Deregulation Act, telling the Transportation and Telecommunications Committee the bill would update state law to reflect markets where multiple providers exist and permit reclassification of exchanges where competition meets specified thresholds.
"The Nebraska Telecommunications Exchange Deregulation Act aims to update our telecommunications regulations to better align with the current environment where multiple service providers exist," Bosn said. Under the bill, exchanges with population greater than 100,000 would be eligible for deregulation; for smaller exchanges the PSC would have discretion when at least two other carriers…
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