§7901. Telephone lines

1.  Connection between the lines of 2 or more utilities.  When the commission, after a hearing, finds that a physical connection can reasonably be made between the lines of 2 or more telephone utilities whose lines can be made to form a continuous line of communication by the construction and maintenance of suitable connections for the transfer of messages or conversations and that public convenience and necessity will be served by the connection, or finds that 2 or more telephone utilities have failed to establish joint rates, tolls or charges for service by or over their lines, and that joint rates, tolls or charges ought to be established, the commission may, by its order:

A. Require that the connection be made, except where the purpose of the connection is primarily to secure the transmission of local messages or conversations between points within the same city or town;   [PL 1987, c. 141, Pt. A, §6 (NEW).]

B. Require that conversations be transmitted and messages transferred over the connection under such rules as the commission may establish; and   [PL 1987, c. 141, Pt. A, §6 (NEW).]

C. Prescribe through lines and joint rates, tolls and charges to be made and to be used, observed and enforced in the future.   [PL 1987, c. 141, Pt. A, §6 (NEW).]

[PL 1995, c. 225, §14 (AMD).]

2.  Division of costs between utilities.  If the telephone utilities do not agree upon the division between them of the cost of the physical connection or connections or the division of the joint rates, tolls or charges established by the commission over the through lines, the commission may, after further hearing, establish the division by supplemental order.

[PL 1995, c. 225, §14 (AMD).]

SECTION HISTORY

PL 1987, c. 141, §A6 (NEW). PL 1995, c. 225, §14 (AMD).