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Illinois 31st State Senate District
Telecommunications Act Rewrite Signed into Law
SPRINGFIELD, IL— State Sen. Michael Bond (D-Grayslake) joined Governor Pat Quinn today as he signed the much anticipated rewrite of the Telecommunications Act into law. Bond is the sponsor of Senate Bill 107, designed to modernize the telecommunications industry in Illinois, aligning it with newer trends in technology.
"This is a big step forward in creating many new jobs in our state," Bond said. "By modernizing our existing law to reflect the recent advances in technology, we will promote competition among telephone carriers, generating economic growth and job creation throughout Illinois."
The previous Telecommunications Act was written in 1985 and focused on wire-line residential telephone service, as it was the standard at that time. It was revisited in 2001, but recent advances in technology necessitated improved provisions. Senate Bill 107 levels the playing field for telephone carriers and changes the emphasis to the more modern technologies of wireless and broadband. Under Bond’s proposal, telephone carriers can opt-in to a new form of regulation, at which point they are considered "Electing Providers". The money freed up from the new regulation standards will allow the carriers to invest in broadband and other technologies, creating many jobs in the process and updating the state’s existing infrastructure.
Important consumer protection clauses are built into the legislation and create a regulatory framework that provides certainty in telephone services. These measures ensure that consumers do not face severe increases to their existing service. The "Safe Harbor" packages are designed to protect consumers who rely solely on landline service for communication. These three packages range from 30 calls a month, to unlimited calls with additional features. All of the plans will cost consumers less than $20 a month. These rates are guaranteed for the full-term of the newly crafted Act. Lawmakers will revisit the Act in three years to ensure that it is reflective of the current technology.
"One of the most important aspects of this legislation was that we have safeguards in place to protect consumers in Illinois," Bond said. "We wanted to ensure that residents who still rely heavily on land-line telephone service will have affordable options to choose from. As we make strides to boost investment in cutting-edge technology, we want to make sure we are providing security for those individuals who rely on land-line phone service."
Additional consumer protection safeguards include service quality requirements. If these requirements are not met, consumers will be given financials credits to offset any delays or interruptions of services. The Illinois Commerce Commission maintains authority to impose penalties on providers who do not comply with these requirements.
"The key to success in this legislation is the balance between market competition and consumer protection," Bond said. "These elements will ensure economic viability and protection for Illinois residents. By investing in this industry we will create many new jobs and provide greater private investment in our state."
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