The electronic transmission of information using telephone lines, computers and broadcast airwaves has raised a new series of questions regarding regulation and public policy, according to Thomas Hazlett, director of the newly formed Program on Telecommunications Policy at UC Davis. UC Davis is believed to be one of only a handful of academic institutions in the United States with a program on telecommunications policy that explores issues related to deploying new technologies. One of the first issues the program is tackling revolves around the messy question of competition in local telephone service, according to Hazlett. "No one really understands the economics of this issue in total," says Hazlett. "None of the state regulatory commissions knows what to do to introduce competition while still protecting consumers from the monopoly power of the local telephone company." Upcoming national meetings with members of several state public utilities commissions will evaluate how to increase competition in the local loop. "If we can increase competition it will bring a huge benefit to consumers and to American business because it will drive down prices and speed new services," says Hazlett.