TITLE 69. PUBLIC UTILITIES AND CARRIERS

CHAPTER 3. REGULATION OF UTILITIES

Part 8. Montana Telecommunications Act

Costs For Services Provided -- Jurisdiction Over Complaints

69-3-811. Costs for services provided -- jurisdiction over complaints. (1) Prices charged for a regulated telecommunications service must be above relevant costs unless otherwise ordered by the commission. If the commission determines that a price is below relevant costs, it may ensure that shareholders and not ratepayers are responsible for any relevant costs not recovered through prices.

(2) With regard to competitive services, the term "relevant costs" includes the price for any components that are used by the telecommunications provider and that would be essential for alternative providers to use in providing the competitive services pursuant to commission-approved methodology.

(3) The commission has jurisdiction to consider complaints and initiate investigations to determine whether the price charged by a provider of regulated telecommunications service is above relevant costs. The commission may also consider complaints that a pricing or promotional practice violates any provision of this title.

History: En. Sec. 7, Ch. 210, L. 1991.