Notwithstanding any general or special law to the contrary, there shall be a special commission  to examine the state of the telecommunications and broadband infrastructure in the commonwealth, including fiber-to-the-premises, cable, wireless, and landline technologies with the goal of recommending a comprehensive approach to manage, maintain, improve and expand the telecommunications network and ensure consumers, both residences and businesses, as well as competitive local exchange carriers have access to a reliable and competitive broadband network.

The commission shall review: (i) the status of competition and pricing for broadband communications services and networks; (ii) current and future consumer expectations; (iii) national and international approaches to ensuring core public interest principles and robust communication capabilities are maintained; (iv) reliability, resiliency and interoperability of networks in the commonwealth; (v) technology types and speeds available across the state; (vi) access and underservice issues; and (vii) comparative analysis of census data across the Commonwealth.

The commission shall consist of the following members or their designees: the commissioner of the department of telecommunications and cable, who shall serve as chair; (1) representative of the Massachusetts Communications Association; (1) representative of the Massachusetts Broadband Institute; (1) representative of the Massachusetts Municipal Association; (1) representative Massachusetts Technology Leadership Council; (1) representative designated by the President of the AFL-CIO from a telecommunications union in the commonwealth; and (3) members who shall be appointed by the governor, (1) of whom shall be a be a senior executive from a telecommunications company; (1) of whom shall be a professor with expertise in telecommunications research and policy; (1) one of whom shall be a senior executive from a competitive local exchange carrier.

The commission shall file a report of its recommendations and proposed legislation or regulatory changes, if any, with the clerk of the house and senate and with the chairs of the joint committee on telecommunications, utilities and energy not later than December 31, 2017.