(a) Due to the following: Affordable, high quality telecommunications services that meet the needs of individuals and businesses in the state are necessary and vital to the welfare and development of our society; the efficient provision of modern telecommunications services by multiple providers will promote economic development in the state; expanded employment opportunities for residents of the state in the provision of telecommunications services benefit the society and economy of the state; and advanced telecommunications services enhance the delivery of services by public and not-for-profit institutions, it is, therefore, the goal of the state to (1) ensure the universal availability and accessibility of high quality, affordable telecommunications services to all residents and businesses in the state, (2) promote the development of effective competition as a means of providing customers with the widest possible choice of services, (3) utilize forms of regulation commensurate with the level of competition in the relevant telecommunications service market, (4) facilitate the efficient development and deployment of an advanced telecommunications infrastructure, including open networks with maximum interoperability and interconnectivity, (5) encourage shared use of existing facilities and cooperative development of new facilities where legally possible, and technically and economically feasible, and (6) ensure that providers of telecommunications services in the state provide high quality customer service and high quality technical service. The authority shall implement the provisions of this section, sections 16-1, 16-18a, 16-19, 16-19e, 16-22, 16-247b, 16-247c, 16-247e to 16-247h, inclusive, and 16-247k and subsection (e) of section 16-331 in accordance with these goals.

(b) As used in sections 16-247a to 16-247c, inclusive, 16-247e to 16-247h, inclusive, 16-247k, and sections 16-247m to 16-247r, inclusive:

(1) “Affiliate” means a person, firm or corporation which, with another person, firm or corporation, is under the common control of the same parent firm or corporation.

(2) “Competitive service” means (A) a telecommunications service deemed competitive in accordance with the provisions of section 16-247f, (B) a telecommunications service reclassified by the authority as competitive in accordance with the provisions of section 16-247f, or (C) a new telecommunications service provided under a competitive service tariff accepted by the authority, in accordance with the provisions of section 16-247f, provided the authority has not subsequently reclassified the service set forth in subparagraph (A), (B) or (C) of this subdivision as noncompetitive pursuant to section 16-247f.

(3) “Emerging competitive service” means (A) a telecommunications service reclassified as emerging competitive in accordance with the provisions of section 16-247f, or (B) a new telecommunications service provided under an emerging competitive service tariff accepted by the authority, in accordance with the provisions of section 16-247f, or of a plan for an alternative form of regulation approved pursuant to section 16-247k, provided the authority has not subsequently reclassified the service set forth in subparagraph (A) or (B) of this subdivision as competitive or noncompetitive pursuant to section 16-247f.

(4) “Noncompetitive service” means (A) a telecommunications service deemed noncompetitive in accordance with the provisions of section 16-247f, (B) a telecommunications service reclassified by the authority as noncompetitive in accordance with the provisions of section 16-247f, or (C) a new telecommunications service provided under a noncompetitive service tariff accepted by the authority, in accordance with the provisions of section 16-19, and any applicable regulations, or of a plan for an alternative form of regulation approved pursuant to section 16-247k, provided the authority has not subsequently reclassified the service set forth in subparagraph (A), (B) or (C) of this subdivision as competitive or emerging competitive pursuant to section 16-247f.

(5) “Private telecommunications service” means any telecommunications service which is not provided for public hire as a common carrier service and is utilized solely for the telecommunications needs of the person that controls such service and any subsidiary or affiliate thereof, except for telecommunications service which enables two entities other than such person, subsidiary or affiliate to communicate with each other.

(6) “Telecommunications service” means any transmission in one or more geographic areas (A) between or among points specified by the user, (B) of information of the user's choosing, (C) without change in the form or content of the information as sent and received, (D) by means of electromagnetic transmission, including but not limited to, fiber optics, microwave and satellite, (E) with or without benefit of any closed transmission medium, and (F) including all instrumentalities, facilities, apparatus and services, except customer premises equipment, which are used for the collection, storage, forwarding, switching and delivery of such information and are essential to the transmission.

(7) “Network elements” means “network elements”, as defined in 47 USC 153(a)(29).

(P.A. 85-187, S. 1, 15; P.A. 94-83, S. 2, 16; P.A. 99-222, S. 2, 19; P.A. 13-5, S. 14; P.A. 16-101, S. 3.)

History: P.A. 94-83 added provisions designated as Subsec. (a) re goal of the state and amended prior provisions designated as Subsec. (b) by deleting definitions of “bypass service” and “community antenna television company” and “telephone company”, adding definitions of “competitive service”, “emerging competitive service” and “noncompetitive service”, renumbering Subdivs. (4) and (5) as (5) and (6), and adding “in one or more geographic areas” in Subdiv. (6), effective July 1, 1994; P.A. 99-222 amended Subsec. (b) by making technical changes in introductory clause and Subdiv. (5) and adding new Subdiv. (7) defining “network elements”, effective June 29, 1999; P.A. 13-5 replace “department” with “authority”, effective May 8, 2013; P.A. 16-101 replaced “16-247i” with “16-247h” and made a technical change, effective June 2, 2016.