Expanding the definition of and deregulating independent telephone +companies; exempting independent telephone companies or telecommunications +carriers from local rate restrictions or obligations; authorizing the companies to+ expand local calling areas through notice to the public utilities +commission, requiring the areas to be optional to customers; granting the +companies certain pricing and service offers authority and authorizing the companies to construct, purchase, lease or rent transport facilities to provide +expanded local calling and to enter into agreements to terminate expanded +local calling with other telephone companies and telecommunications carriers and +into bill and keep arrangements for local traffic exchange purposes under +certain conditions; authorizing amendments to or termination of expanded +local service upon notice to customers; authorizing use of credit rating reports +and information to determine the necessity for and amount of deposits; +exempting independent telephone companies from certain rules relating to +records, billing, notice and call tracing requirements, the telephone +assistance plan (TAP), conflict resolution and intervenor costs payment; requiring +the PUC to use certain criteria adopted by the federal communications commission+ (FCC) in determining the need to provide annual certification of eligible telecommunications carriers for continued receipt of federal +universal service funding (mk)