Missouri Legislature to Debate Telecom Regulation This Week

According to a release from the Institute for Policy Innovation (IPI), Missouri's Public Service Commission is trying to regulate new voice technology and service, such as VoIP. "The Commission is also splitting hairs to draw distinctions among providers," said the release "aiming to put different, heavier regulation on the facilities-based IP voice technology such as that offered by network owners, than on VoIP offered by non-facilities-based providers such as Vonage.

According to IPI Senior Research Fellow Barry M. Aarons, "Instead of moving to deregulate old technologies that have no need for the competition-squelching, price-hiking supervision, the Missouri Commission is moving to regulate new technologies harming advances in technology, service to customers, and state competition in the process."

"Missouri is bucking a national trend to encourage investment and innovation in new technologies," said IPI. "States like Florida and Indiana have recognized the vast consumer benefits of competition and have acted to reduce, streamline or even completely eliminate regulation of IP phone services." KW