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The Commission’s Regulatory Innovation and Strategy Division oversees the regulation of the telecommunications industry. The Division assists the Commission in regulating approximately 150 authorized telephone utilities as excepted local exchange carriers (ELECs). ELECs include all non-VoIP voice service providers, including incumbent local exchange carriers (ILECs), competitive local exchange carriers (CLECs), toll providers, and pay phone providers. The Commission does not regulate as public utilities providers of voice over IP, cable television, wireless or cellular, out-of-state long distance, or internet service.
As the need for retail telecommunications regulation declines due to the availability of multiple forms of voice communication, the Division continues to keep the Commission abreast of the regulatory requirements and technological advances in the industry. The Division also administers telephone numbering resources, striving to preserve the 603 area code, assists the Commission in regulating utility pole attachments, and ensures that the relationships between telephone utilities meet state and federal requirements for carrier interconnection and accessibility at just and reasonable rates and on nondiscriminatory terms and conditions.
