The Impact of Alternative Forms of State Regulation of AT&T on Direct-Dial, Long-Distance Telephone Rates
通过计量分析比较了允许定价灵活性的州与采用回报率监管的州中AT&T的州内长途电话费率，发现前者各时段费率显著更低。
Federal and state regulatory agencies have traditionally used rate-of-return regulation to set profit and rate levels for utilities. A price cap framework, in which the regulatory agency sets a maximum rate below which the regulated utility has pricing flexibility, is possibly a more efficient alternative to rate-of-return regulation. This article presents an econometric analysis that compares AT&T's prices of intrastate, long-distance telephone service in states that allow AT&T pricing flexibility with those in states that do not. The results of this analysis suggest that AT&T's daytime, evening, nighttime, and weekend rates are significantly lower in states that allow pricing flexibility than in states that use rate-of-return regulation.