Illinois telecom regulation will change immediately under a bill Gov....

only on cellphones, Quinn’s office said. “The new law eliminates obsolete regulatory standards which will enable telecom companies to shift more investment to wireless and broadband technologies,” a release said. A 1-3 percent increase in broadband penetration in Illinois would create 13,000 to 39,000 non-farm jobs, according to the Brookings Institution, the statement said. The measure, sponsored by Sen. Michael Bond and Rep. Kevin McCarthy, both Democrats, allows telcos to opt in to a new regulatory scheme that promotes competition and encourages investment in new technologies. The law will ensure that Illinois residents have affordable telecom options by extending low-cost packages aimed at consumers relying on landlines, but with varying communication needs, Quinn said. Low-cost package rates will be frozen through June 2013. “One of the most important aspects of this legislation was that we have safeguards in place to protect consumers in Illinois,” said Bond. “We wanted to ensure that residents who still rely heavily on land-line telephone service will have affordable options to choose from. We want to make sure we are providing security for those individuals who rely on land-line phone service.” Enactment of Senate Bill 107 “considerably” bolsters the possibility of greater private sector broadband investment in Illinois, McCarthy said. The Illinois Commerce Commission will keep its authority to sanction providers who don’t comply with service quality requirements. Violators risk more than $200,000 per offense.