<?xml version='1.0' encoding='utf-8'?>
<section article="gpu" article_name="Public Utilities" number="4-301" title_number="4" title_name="Rate Regulation" subtitle_number="3" subtitle_name="Specific Rate Regimes">
  <level label="a">
    <text>Notwithstanding § 4-101 of this title or any other law to the contrary, the Commission may regulate a telephone company through alternative forms of regulation.</text>
  </level>
  <level label="b">
    <text>The Commission may adopt an alternative form of regulation under this section if the Commission finds, after notice and hearing, that the alternative form of regulation:</text>
    <level label="1">
      <text>protects consumers by, at a minimum:</text>
      <level label="i">
        <text>producing affordable and reasonably priced basic local exchange service, as defined by the Commission; and</text>
      </level>
      <level label="ii">
        <text>ensuring the quality, availability, and reliability of telecommunications services throughout the State;</text>
      </level>
    </level>
    <level label="2">
      <text>encourages the development of competition; and</text>
    </level>
    <level label="3">
      <text>is in the public interest.</text>
    </level>
  </level>
  <level label="c">
    <text>An alternative form of regulation may include:</text>
    <level label="1">
      <text>price regulation;</text>
    </level>
    <level label="2">
      <text>revenue regulation;</text>
    </level>
    <level label="3">
      <text>ranges of authorized return;</text>
    </level>
    <level label="4">
      <text>rate of return;</text>
    </level>
    <level label="5">
      <text>categories of services; or</text>
    </level>
    <level label="6">
      <text>price indexing.</text>
    </level>
  </level>
</section>
