Section 63-9A-2 - Purpose.

63-9A-2. Purpose.

The legislature declares that it remains the policy of the state of New Mexico to maintain the availability of access to telecommunications services at affordable rates. Furthermore, it is the policy of this state to have comparable telecommunications service rates, as established by the commission, for comparable markets or market areas. To the extent that it is consistent with maintaining availability of access to service at affordable rates and comparable telecommunications service rates, it is further the policy of this state to encourage competition in the provision of public telecommunications services, thereby allowing access by the public to resulting rapid advances in telecommunications technology. It is the purpose of the New Mexico Telecommunications Act [63-9A-1 NMSA 1978] to permit a regulatory framework that will allow an orderly transition from a regulated telecommunications industry to a competitive market environment. It is further the intent of the legislature that the encouragement of competition in the provision of public telecommunications services will result in greater investment in the telecommunications infrastructure in the state, improved service quality and operations and lower prices for such services.