{"formats":[{"name":"JSON","format":"json","url":"\/downloads\/2025\/code-json\/56-235.5_1.json"},{"name":"Plain Text","format":"text","url":"\/downloads\/2025\/code-text\/56-235.5_1.txt"},{"name":"XML","format":"xml","url":"\/downloads\/2025\/code-xml\/56-235.5_1.xml"},{"name":"HTML","format":"html","url":"\/downloads\/2025\/code-html\/56-235.5_1.html"}],"law_id":87078,"edition_id":1,"section_id":87078,"structure_id":14465,"section_number":"56-235.5:1","catch_line":"Local exchange telephone service competition policy","history":"2004, c. 151; 2010, c. 748; 2013, c. 26.","full_text":"A\n\nThe Commission, in resolving issues and cases concerning local exchange telephone service under the federal Telecommunications Act of 1996 (P.L. 104-104), this title, or both, shall, consistent with federal and state laws, consider it in the public interest to, as appropriate, (i) treat all providers of local exchange telephone services in an equitable fashion and without undue discrimination and, to the greatest extent possible, apply the same rules to all providers of local exchange telephone services; (ii) promote competitive product offerings, investments, and innovations from all providers of local exchange telephone services in all areas of the Commonwealth; and (iii) reduce or eliminate any requirement to price retail and wholesale products and services at levels that do not permit providers of local exchange telephone services to recover their costs of those products and services.B\n\nIn order to treat all providers of local exchange telephone service more equitably and without undue discrimination by ensuring that they are subject to the same rules:1\n\nNotwithstanding any other provision of law, the Commission shall (i) for incumbent local exchange carriers serving more than 15,000 access lines in its incumbent territory, establish a schedule that eliminates the carrier common line charge element of intrastate carrier switched access charges no later than July 1, 2013, provided that (a) any such carrier that directly receives no later than April 1, 2010, a Broadband Initiatives Program grant and loan for use in the Commonwealth from the Rural Utilities Service of the U.S. Department of Agriculture under the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 (P.L. 111-5) shall be considered under clause (ii), and (b) any such carrier that has not been the subject of a Commission proceeding to investigate its carrier common line charge may apply to the Commission for an opportunity to be heard as to why it is in the public interest and why it will not unreasonably prejudice or disadvantage telephone customers throughout the Commonwealth to extend the deadline for the elimination of its carrier common line charge to a date determined by the Commission, but in no case later than July 1, 2014; and (ii) for incumbent local exchange carriers with 15,000 or fewer access lines in its incumbent territory, determine, no later than July 1, 2011, and after notice and an opportunity for a hearing, a schedule for the elimination of the carrier common line charge element of intrastate carrier switched access charges in a manner to be determined by the Commission.2\n\nThe Commission shall permit any incumbent local exchange carrier to increase its retail rates to recover a reasonable amount of carrier common line charge revenue lost due to the reductions required in subdivision 1.","order_by":null,"text":{"0":{"id":311802,"text":"The Commission, in resolving issues and cases concerning local exchange telephone service under the federal Telecommunications Act of 1996 (P.L. 104-104), this title, or both, shall, consistent with federal and state laws, consider it in the public interest to, as appropriate, (i) treat all providers of local exchange telephone services in an equitable fashion and without undue discrimination and, to the greatest extent possible, apply the same rules to all providers of local exchange telephone services; (ii) promote competitive product offerings, investments, and innovations from all providers of local exchange telephone services in all areas of the Commonwealth; and (iii) reduce or eliminate any requirement to price retail and wholesale products and services at levels that do not permit providers of local exchange telephone services to recover their costs of those products and services.","type":"section","prefixes":["A"],"prefix":"A","entire_prefix":"A","prefix_anchor":"A","level":1,"next_prefix":"B"},"1":{"id":311803,"text":"In order to treat all providers of local exchange telephone service more equitably and without undue discrimination by ensuring that they are subject to the same rules:","type":"section","prefixes":["B"],"prefix":"B","entire_prefix":"B","prefix_anchor":"B","level":1,"prior_prefix":"A","next_prefix":"B1"},"2":{"id":311804,"text":"Notwithstanding any other provision of law, the Commission shall (i) for incumbent local exchange carriers serving more than 15,000 access lines in its incumbent territory, establish a schedule that eliminates the carrier common line charge element of intrastate carrier switched access charges no later than July 1, 2013, provided that (a) any such carrier that directly receives no later than April 1, 2010, a Broadband Initiatives Program grant and loan for use in the Commonwealth from the Rural Utilities Service of the U.S. Department of Agriculture under the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 (P.L. 111-5) shall be considered under clause (ii), and (b) any such carrier that has not been the subject of a Commission proceeding to investigate its carrier common line charge may apply to the Commission for an opportunity to be heard as to why it is in the public interest and why it will not unreasonably prejudice or disadvantage telephone customers throughout the Commonwealth to extend the deadline for the elimination of its carrier common line charge to a date determined by the Commission, but in no case later than July 1, 2014; and (ii) for incumbent local exchange carriers with 15,000 or fewer access lines in its incumbent territory, determine, no later than July 1, 2011, and after notice and an opportunity for a hearing, a schedule for the elimination of the carrier common line charge element of intrastate carrier switched access charges in a manner to be determined by the Commission.","type":"section","prefixes":["B","1"],"prefix":"1","entire_prefix":"B1","prefix_anchor":"B1","level":2,"prior_prefix":"B","next_prefix":"B2"},"3":{"id":311805,"text":"The Commission shall permit any incumbent local exchange carrier to increase its retail rates to recover a reasonable amount of carrier common line charge revenue lost due to the reductions required in subdivision 1.","type":"section","prefixes":["B","2"],"prefix":"2","entire_prefix":"B2","prefix_anchor":"B2","level":2,"prior_prefix":"B1"}},"ancestry":[{"id":14465,"edition_id":1,"name":"Services, Rates, Charges, Etc","identifier":"2","label":"article","depth":3,"order_by":1,"parent_id":13238,"metadata":{},"date_created":"2026-06-26 03:48:13","date_modified":"2026-06-26 03:48:13","permalink":{"id":248755,"object_type":"structure","relational_id":14465,"identifier":"2","token":"56\/10\/2","url":"\/56\/10\/2\/","edition_id":1,"permalink":0,"preferred":1}},{"id":13238,"edition_id":1,"name":"Heat, Light, Power, Water and Other Utility Companies Generally","identifier":"10","label":"chapter","depth":2,"order_by":1,"parent_id":12881,"metadata":{},"date_created":"2026-06-26 03:44:30","date_modified":"2026-06-26 03:44:30","permalink":{"id":248721,"object_type":"structure","relational_id":13238,"identifier":"10","token":"56\/10","url":"\/56\/10\/","edition_id":1,"permalink":0,"preferred":1}},{"id":12881,"edition_id":1,"name":"Public Service Companies","identifier":"56","label":"title","depth":1,"order_by":1,"parent_id":null,"metadata":{},"date_created":"2026-06-26 03:43:58","date_modified":"2026-06-26 03:43:58","permalink":{"id":248473,"object_type":"structure","relational_id":12881,"identifier":"56","token":"56","url":"\/56\/","edition_id":1,"permalink":0,"preferred":1}}],"structure_contents":[{"id":87361,"structure_id":14465,"section_number":"56-234","catch_line":"Duty to furnish adequate service at reasonable and uniform rates","url":"\/56-234\/","token":"56\/10\/2\/56-234","metadata":false},{"id":74382,"structure_id":14465,"section_number":"56-234.1","catch_line":"Liability to customer for violation of duty to determine and charge lowest rate applicable","url":"\/56-234.1\/","token":"56\/10\/2\/56-234.1","metadata":false},{"id":56457,"structure_id":14465,"section_number":"56-234.2","catch_line":"Review of rates","url":"\/56-234.2\/","token":"56\/10\/2\/56-234.2","metadata":false},{"id":78493,"structure_id":14465,"section_number":"56-234.3","catch_line":"Approval of expenditures for and monitoring of new generation facilities and projected operation programs of electric utilities","url":"\/56-234.3\/","token":"56\/10\/2\/56-234.3","metadata":false},{"id":72152,"structure_id":14465,"section_number":"56-234.4","catch_line":"Authority to investigate utility operations to determine efficiency","url":"\/56-234.4\/","token":"56\/10\/2\/56-234.4","metadata":false},{"id":84236,"structure_id":14465,"section_number":"56-234.5","catch_line":"Required disclosure by certain officers and directors of certain utilities","url":"\/56-234.5\/","token":"56\/10\/2\/56-234.5","metadata":false},{"id":77453,"structure_id":14465,"section_number":"56-235","catch_line":"When Commission may fix rates, schedules, etc.; 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This law was first created in 2004. The record of its establishment is cataloged in chapter 151<\/a> of that year\u2019s edition of \u201cActs of Assembly,\u201d the annual state publication listing all changes made to the Code of Virginia in that year. It has been modified 2 times. Those modifications are cataloged by \u201cThe Acts of Assembly,\u201d a state publication, by year and chapter. Those modifications that can be read on the General Assembly\u2019s website will be linked accordingly. Those modifications are as follows: in 2010, chapter 748<\/a>; in 2013, chapter 26<\/a>.<\/p>","references":false,"refers_to":false,"permalink":{"id":248825,"object_type":"law","relational_id":87078,"identifier":"56-235.5:1","token":"56\/10\/2\/56-235.5_1","url":"\/56-235.5_1\/","edition_id":1,"permalink":0,"preferred":1},"url":"\/56-235.5_1\/","token":"56\/10\/2\/56-235.5_1","dublin_core":{"Title":"Local exchange telephone service competition policy","Type":"Text","Format":"text\/html","Identifier":"\u00a7 56-235.5:1","Relation":"Code of Virginia"},"html":"\n\t\t\t\t\t\t

A.<\/span> The Commission<\/span>, in resolving issues<\/span> and cases concerning local exchange telephone service<\/span> under the federal Telecommunications Act of 1996 (P.L. 104-104), this title, or both, shall, consistent with federal and state laws<\/span>, consider it in the public interest to, as appropriate, (i) treat all providers of local exchange telephone services<\/span> in an equitable<\/span> fashion and without undue discrimination and, to the greatest extent possible, apply the same rules to all providers of local exchange telephone services<\/span>; (ii) promote competitive product offerings, investments, and innovations from all providers of local exchange telephone services<\/span> in all areas of the Commonwealth; and (iii) reduce or eliminate any requirement to price retail and wholesale products and services at levels that do not permit providers of local exchange telephone services<\/span> to recover their costs of those products and services. <\/i><\/a><\/p><\/section>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t

B.<\/span> In order<\/span> to treat all providers of local exchange telephone service<\/span> more equitably and without undue discrimination by ensuring that they are subject to the same rules: <\/i><\/a><\/p><\/section>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t

1.<\/span> Notwithstanding any other provision of law<\/span>, the Commission<\/span> shall (i) for incumbent local exchange carriers serving more than 15,000 access lines in its incumbent territory, establish a schedule that eliminates the carrier common line charge element of intrastate carrier switched access charges no later than July 1, 2013, provided that (a) any such carrier that directly receives no later than April 1, 2010, a Broadband Initiatives Program grant and loan for use in the Commonwealth from the Rural Utilities Service of the U.S. Department of Agriculture under the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 (P.L. 111-5) shall be considered under clause (ii), and (b) any such carrier that has not been the subject of a Commission<\/span> proceeding to investigate its carrier common line charge may apply to the Commission<\/span> for an opportunity to be heard as to why it is in the public interest and why it will not unreasonably prejudice or disadvantage telephone customers throughout the Commonwealth to extend the deadline for the elimination of its carrier common line charge to a date determined by the Commission<\/span>, but in no case later than July 1, 2014; and (ii) for incumbent local exchange carriers with 15,000 or fewer access lines in its incumbent territory, determine, no later than July 1, 2011, and after notice and an opportunity for a hearing<\/span>, a schedule for the elimination of the carrier common line charge element of intrastate carrier switched access charges in a manner to be determined by the Commission<\/span>. <\/i><\/a><\/p><\/section>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t

2.<\/span> The Commission<\/span> shall permit any incumbent local exchange carrier to increase its retail rates<\/span> to recover a reasonable amount of carrier common line charge revenue lost due to the reductions required in subdivision 1. <\/i><\/a><\/p><\/section>","plain_text":" CODE OF VIRGINIA\n\nLOCAL EXCHANGE TELEPHONE SERVICE COMPETITION POLICY (\u00a7 56-235.5:1)\n\nA. The Commission, in resolving issues and cases concerning local exchange\ntelephone service under the federal Telecommunications Act of 1996 (P.L.\n104-104), this title, or both, shall, consistent with federal and state laws,\nconsider it in the public interest to, as appropriate, (i) treat all providers\nof local exchange telephone services in an equitable fashion and without undue\ndiscrimination and, to the greatest extent possible, apply the same rules to all\nproviders of local exchange telephone services; (ii) promote competitive product\nofferings, investments, and innovations from all providers of local exchange\ntelephone services in all areas of the Commonwealth; and (iii) reduce or\neliminate any requirement to price retail and wholesale products and services at\nlevels that do not permit providers of local exchange telephone services to\nrecover their costs of those products and services.\n\nB. In order to treat all providers of local exchange telephone service more\nequitably and without undue discrimination by ensuring that they are subject to\nthe same rules:\n\n 1. Notwithstanding any other provision of law, the Commission shall (i) for\n incumbent local exchange carriers serving more than 15,000 access lines in its\n incumbent territory, establish a schedule that eliminates the carrier common\n line charge element of intrastate carrier switched access charges no later\n than July 1, 2013, provided that (a) any such carrier that directly receives\n no later than April 1, 2010, a Broadband Initiatives Program grant and loan\n for use in the Commonwealth from the Rural Utilities Service of the U.S.\n Department of Agriculture under the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of\n 2009 (P.L. 111-5) shall be considered under clause (ii), and (b) any such\n carrier that has not been the subject of a Commission proceeding to\n investigate its carrier common line charge may apply to the Commission for an\n opportunity to be heard as to why it is in the public interest and why it will\n not unreasonably prejudice or disadvantage telephone customers throughout the\n Commonwealth to extend the deadline for the elimination of its carrier common\n line charge to a date determined by the Commission, but in no case later than\n July 1, 2014; and (ii) for incumbent local exchange carriers with 15,000 or\n fewer access lines in its incumbent territory, determine, no later than July\n 1, 2011, and after notice and an opportunity for a hearing, a schedule for the\n elimination of the carrier common line charge element of intrastate carrier\n switched access charges in a manner to be determined by the Commission.\n\n 2. The Commission shall permit any incumbent local exchange carrier to\n increase its retail rates to recover a reasonable amount of carrier common\n line charge revenue lost due to the reductions required in subdivision 1.\n\nHISTORY: 2004, c. 151; 2010, c. 748; 2013, c. 26.","edition":{"id":1,"name":"2025","slug":"2025","date_created":"2026-06-21 22:39:22","date_modified":"2026-06-21 22:39:22","current":1,"order_by":1,"last_import":null}}