ip: U.S. Appeals Court Sets Aside FCC Phone Rules

[David Farber <farber () cis upenn edu>]

 Friday July 18 6:14 PM EDT 
U.S. Appeals Court Sets Aside FCC Phone Rules
By Roger Fillion 


WASHINGTON (Reuter) - A federal appeals court Friday overturned key parts
of landmark federal rules designed to pry open the $100 billion local
telephone market controlled by the regional Baby Bell companies. 


The Bells and other local phone carriers hailed the decision. But
long-distance companies and the nation's top phone regulator said it could
further slow efforts to allow consumers to choose their local phone carrier. 


The St. Louis-based court said the Federal Communications Commission lacked
the authority to issue rules governing the pricing of local phone service.
State regulators instead have that power, the court said. The rules are
part of the agency's bid to open local phone monopolies under last year's
telecommunications act. 




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http://www.yahoo.com/headlines/970718/business/stories/telephone_2.html