An incumbent local exchange company may launch a new service after 10 days' notice, but must price it at or above long run incremental cost.
Sec. 52.0583. NEW SERVICES. (a) An incumbent local exchange company may introduce a new service 10 days after providing an informational notice to the commission, to the office, and to any person who holds a certificate of operating authority in the incumbent local exchange company's certificated area or areas or who has an effective interconnection agreement with the incumbent local exchange company. (b) An incumbent local exchange company shall price each new service at or above the service's long run incremental cost. The commission shall allow a company serving fewer than one million access lines in this state to establish a service's long run incremental cost by adopting, at that company's option, the cost studies of a larger company for that service that have been accepted by the commission. (c) An affected person, the office on behalf of residential or small commercial customers, or the commission may file a complaint at the commission challenging whether the pricing by an incumbent local exchange company of a new service is in compliance with Subsection (b). (d) If a complaint is filed under Subsection (c), the incumbent local exchange company has the burden of proving that the company set the price for the new service in accordance with the applicable provisions of this subchapter. If the complaint is finally resolved in favor of the complainant, the company: (1) shall, not later than the 10th day after the date the complaint is finally resolved, amend the price of the service as necessary to comply with the final resolution; or (2) may, at the company's option, discontinue the service. (e) A company electing incentive regulation under Chapter 58 or 59 may introduce new services only in accordance with the applicable provisions of Chapter 58 or 59. Added by Acts 1999, 76th Leg., ch. 1212, Sec. 8, eff. Sept. 1, 1999.