Considering the status of competition in the telecommunications industry, it is the policy of this state to:
(1) provide a framework for an orderly transition from the traditional regulation of return on invested capital to a fully competitive telecommunications marketplace in which all telecommunications providers compete on fair terms;(2) preserve and enhance universal telecommunications service at affordable rates;(3) upgrade the telecommunications infrastructure of this state;(4) promote network interconnectivity; and(5) promote diversity in the supply of telecommunications services and innovative products and services throughout the entire state, including urban and rural areas. Acts 1997, 75th Leg., ch. 166, Sec. 1, eff. Sept. 1, 1997.