Over the last couple of months, we have spent a great deal of time rallying support for SB469/AB696. Passing this legislation is crucial to creating an environment in Wisconsin that puts the “welcome mat” out for new businesses to call our state home.
As the legislative session draws to a close, we are delighted that folks around the state–legislators, business owners, and tech industry leaders–are joining together with us in support of SB469/AB696: Telecom Rules Modernization.
From the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, Revamping regulation, April 12, 2010
Loosening the harness on companies such as AT&T is a sensible and overdue way to increase competition and encourage more investment in the state’s telecommunications infrastructure. We believe consumers will be well-protected by DATCP, which already handles hundreds of phone complaints a year. (Complaints to both DATCP and the PSC have been declining, by the way, which we take to be a sign that the relentless competition is having an effect: Customers know they have options – and so do companies providing the service.)
From the Milwaukee Business Journal, Telecom rules need overhaul, April 9, 2010
…Wisconsin has one major drawback — outdated telecommunications regulations, which could be seen by the Internet giant as a drawback to choosing any community in Wisconsin for the sought-after network. Google plans to choose cities to lay new fiber lines and provide Internet service that the company says would reach more than 1 gigabit per second, 100 times faster than standard Internet access.
From the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, Regulation to keep pace with new technology, April 3, 2010
Senate Bill 469 will apply the same set of rules to all of the landline companies providing service in Wisconsin’s telecommunications industry. Competitive landline, alternative landline providers and cable phone companies have been governed by a standard set of rules and regulations for years. SB 469 applies this set of more recent, streamlined and proven rules and regulations to all landline carriers equally.
SB 469 also ensures that all customers are protected evenly, regardless of which phone company they use. By eliminating redundancies and reinforcing existing Department of Agriculture, Trade and Consumer Protection statutes and rules, this bill guarantees that DATCP will have the jurisdiction and authority to respond to the questions, needs and complaints of all telephone consumers in the state, not just those served by competitive providers.
The bottom line: technology evolves so quickly that legislation has a hard time keeping up. Passing SB469/AB696 is a big step forward for Wisconsin and our state’s ability to compete with other states that have already passed similar legislation.
Please continue to support Telecom Rules Modernization legislation SB469/AB696 for a 21st Century Wisconsin that welcomes new business and sets the stage for job creation in our great state.
