Utilities Code § 55.044

Sec. 55.044. EXEMPTION. (a) The commission may not require an incumbent local exchange company serving the petitioning or requested exchange to expand the company's toll-free local calling area under this subchapter if: (1) the incumbent local exchange company has fewer than 10,000 access lines; (2) the petitioning or requested exchange is served by a telephone cooperative corporation; (3) extended area service or extended metropolitan service is available between the exchanges; (4) the petitioning or requested exchange is a metropolitan exchange; or (5) the commission determines that the company has shown that to serve the area is not geographically or technologically feasible. (b) To promote the wide dispersion of pay telephones, the commission may: (1) exempt pay telephones from this subchapter; or (2) change the rates charged for calls from pay telephones. Acts 1997, 75th Leg., ch. 166, Sec. 1, eff. Sept. 1, 1997.