Senate committee adopts phone regulations

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Thursday, April 8, 1999 | 9:18 a.m.

The new structure of the industry will make Nevada a national leader in telecommunications policy, Commerce and Labor Chairman Randolph Townsend, R-Reno, said Wednesday.

SB440, sent on a unanimous vote to the Senate floor, includes provisions from SB207 as well. It will put a cap on residential rates, encourage competition and new technologies and provides new rules for the industry.

"I'm very proud of this legislation," Townsend said. "This will promote more competition at the local level."

The industry will be able to market services to customers by bundling services, he said.

"This will allow freedom in bundling services to consumers, so people will be able to get packages that include basic service, call waiting, and other services at one price," he said.

The state's major telecommunications providers, the Public Utility Commission and the state's consumer advocate for utilities helped develop the bill.