Subdivision 1. Business customer; defined. For the purpose of this section, "business customer" means a customer subscribing to four or more business lines.

Subd. 2. Competitive area; defined. A "competitive area" is an exchange located in Minnesota.

Subd. 3. Reduced rate regulation. The rates, prices, tariffs, or charges to a business customer in a competitive area by a telephone company or a telecommunications carrier offering local service are only subject to sections 237.07, subdivision 1; 237.66; and 237.663, and are not subject to any rules imposing rate or price restrictions beyond those sections or to other order or investigation of local rates under section 237.081. A telephone company or telecommunications carrier subject to this subdivision is not required to file specific price information. However, upon request of the department, the commission, or the Office of Attorney General, a telephone company or telecommunications carrier must demonstrate that its pricing complies with subdivision 4.

Subd. 4. Protection from anticompetitive pricing. This subdivision applies to prices governed by subdivision 3. A telephone company must not price its local telephone services, whether offered singly or as part of a bundle of services, below the total service long-run incremental cost of providing the service or services.

Subd. 5. Enforcement. (a) The powers and duties granted to the commission by section 237.081 apply to violations or suspected violations of this section. A person aggrieved by a violation of this section may file a complaint as provided in section 237.081, which shall be treated as any other complaint filed under that section. The commissioner of commerce may investigate violations or alleged violations of this section.

(b) Section 237.461 applies to violations of this section.

History: 2004 c 261 art 6 s 1,5; 2005 c 10 art 1 s 80; 2008 c 277 art 1 s 30; 2009 c 57 s 1,4; 2010 c 247 s 1