SB 17-081

Senate Bill 17-081, known as the Rural Broadband Deployment bill, updates how broadband networks are defined and regulated in Colorado. It also changes how financial assistance is given to telecommunications companies that provide services in areas with little competition, ensuring they can better serve rural communities. Additionally, it limits the amount of funding a household or business can receive for both wired and wireless lines. Since the bill has been signed into law, these updates are now official state policies affecting telecommunications providers and their customers across Colorado.

Official Summary

Section 1 of the bill updates the definition of a broadband network for purposes of telecommunications regulation and deregulation. Section 2 updates how the public utilities commission (commission) makes an effective competition determination for high cost support mechanism (HCSM) funding, which is financial assistance provided to telecommunications companies that provide basic telephone service or broadband service in areas that lack effective competition. Section 3 establishes that HCSM funding cannot be used to support more than one wireline and one wireless line per individual household or individual business. (Note: This summary applies to this bill as introduced.)

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