23-17-402. Legislative findings.

23-17-402. Legislative findings. It is the intent of the General Assembly in enacting this subchapter to: (1) Provide for a system of regulation of telecommunications services, consistent with the federal act, that assists in implementing the national policy of opening the telecommunications market to competition on fair and equal terms, modifies outdated regulation, eliminates unnecessary regulation, and preserves and advances universal service; (2) Recognize that a telecommunications provider that serves high-cost rural areas or exchanges faces unique circumstances that require special consideration and funding to assist in preserving and promoting universal service; (3) Recognize that the: (A) Widespread and timely deployment of broadband infrastructure is vital to the economic, educational, health, and social interests of Arkansas and its citizens; and (B) Arkansas High Cost Fund has enabled eligible telecommunications carriers to accelerate and promote the incremental extension and expansion of broadband services and other advanced services in rural or high-cost areas of the state beyond what would normally occur, and broadband services are now available in dozens of new communities to thousands of Arkansans who otherwise would not have access to broadband services and its benefits; (4)(A) Recognize differences between the small and large incumbent local exchange carriers, that there are customer-owned telephone cooperatives and small locally owned investor companies, and that it is appropriate to provide incentives and regulatory flexibility to allow incumbent local exchange carriers that serve the rural areas to provide existing services and to introduce new technology and new services in a prompt, efficient, and economical manner. (B) The General Assembly finds that the Arkansas Public Service Commission, when promulgating rules and regulations, should take into consideration the differences in operating conditions in the large and small incumbent local exchange carriers and the burdens placed on small carriers because of regulation; and (5)(A) Recognize that in areas of the state served by electing companies, telecommunications connections utilizing unregulated technologies such as wireless and Voice over Internet Protocol greatly outnumber traditional wireline connections that remain regulated by the commission. (B) The General Assembly finds that the removal of quality-of-service regulation of wireline services provided in the competitive exchanges of electing companies will serve to encourage private-sector investment in the telecommunications marketplace.