CO SB262

Repeals and reenacts Article 15 of Title 40 to eliminate price regulation for all telecommunications services except basic local exchange service and emergency service, while treating retail and wholesale services separately.

Requires all carriers to register with the Public Utilities Commission; eliminates certificate of public convenience and necessity requirement for carriers not providing regulated basic or emergency service.

Deregulates basic service rates for competitive local exchange carriers effective January 1, 2013, and for nonrural incumbent local exchange carriers in areas with sufficient competition (three or more providers offering equivalent service for two years).

Establishes incremental rate reductions for wholesale switched access service over three years starting January 1, 2012, until intrastate rates match interstate rates by January 1, 2014.

Creates Colorado High-Cost Support Mechanism to phase out by January 1, 2031, funded through neutral assessment on all telecommunications service providers to support basic service affordability in rural and high-cost areas.