Montgomery, AL – The deregulation of the phone business in Alabama takes another big step Saturday with the state's utility regulatory board losing its last control over the rates of home and business phones maintained by four large companies.
After Saturday, the Public Service Commission will no longer control rates for the landlines of Windstream, Gulf Telephone Co., CenturyLink and AT&T's BellSouth.
The Legislature deregulated much of the phone business in 2005. Then in 2009, it voted to deregulate the remainder in competitive markets, effective the start of 2011. Residential customers affected Saturday are those with basic phone service and no optional features.
PSC Commissioner Terry Dunn said the utility regulatory board will still regulate the rates of 26 small rural phone companies.
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