House deregulates landlines

Competition from cell phone service providers convinced the Florida House to pass a bill deregulating landline telephone services Wednesday. The "Regulatory Reform Act" (HB 1231) passed 110-4 and now heads to the Senate.

The measure would make basic phone services exempt from Public Service Commission review. Bill sponsor Rep. Mike Horner, R-Kissimmee, who sponsored it, is quoted by the News Service of Florida saying, "We have a rotary-phone regulation system in an iPhone world.”

Opponents, including AARP, expressed the concern that the deregulation could increase prices especially for slow adapters to newer technology such as senior citizens or others less comfortable with modern phones.