Telecommunications

As a result of changes in law enacted by the 125th Maine Legislature, the only retail telephone service offering that falls within the Commission’s regulatory authority is Provider of Last Resort (POLR) service.  POLR service is presently offered by incumbent local exchange carriers (ILECs) and provides consumers the ability to receive a flat-rate service with voice-grade access to the public switched telephone network within a basic local calling area.  The non-POLR offerings of the ILECs, Competitive Local Exchange Carriers (CLECs), and the wireless and Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) carriers, including ancillary service and in-state long distance, are no longer subject to Commission rate regulation.     

Wholesale services and the enforcement of certain provisions of the federal telecommunications statutes remain subject to the Commission’s jurisdiction.  In addition, the Commission continues to certificate CLECs.  The Commission does not regulate the broadband services offered by telephone, cable television, or cellular telephone companies. Interstate services are regulated by the Federal Communications Commission (FCC), which also has regulatory jurisdiction over wireless mobile carriers.
 

Related Information

  • Maine’s Telephone Utilities
    Learn more about Maine's Providers of Last Resort, Eligible Telecommunications Carriers, and Basic Service Calling Area.
  • Consumer Information
    Information about Maine's Local Telephone Utilities, POLR Service Quality Reports, In-state Toll Providers, Public Interest Payphones, and Telephone Laws and Rules.
  • Doing Business as a Telecom Company
    Learn more about doing business as a voice service provider in Maine. This link provides information about the application process to become a Competitive Local Exchange provider as well as obligations required for Mobile Wireless, Interexchange carriers, and Voice over Internet Protocol providers. Some of these obligations include contributing to the Maine Universal Service Fund, Maine Telecommunications Education Access Fund, and the E9-1-1 surcharage.
  • Maine School and Library Network
    MSLN provides internet access to approximately 950 schools and libraries statewide. MSLN is paid for using a combination of funding from the Federal E-Rate program and the Maine Telecommunications Education Access Fund.
  • Reports and Maine Telecom Data
    This link provides information about recent reports and data relating to Maine POLRs.

 

Telephone Division News