Public Law 104-104, enacted February 8, 1996, provided comprehensive reform of the 1934 Communications Act. The Act was designed to foster competition among local telephone, long distance telephone, cable and other communications companies.
Established as law on 2.8.96, this act changed the laws affecting telecommunications and the Internet. An attachment to the act was the Communications Decency Act, which was intended to protect children from obscene information on the WWW.
Telecommunications legislation passed by the U.S. Congress in 1996. Although it covers many aspects of the field, the most controversial has been the deregulation of local phone service, allowing competition in this arena for the first time. Long-distance carriers (IXCs) and cable TV companies can get into the local phone business, while local telcos (the LECs) can get into long distance. Some of the major provisions follow.
Federal legislation passed in 1996 intended to increase competition among wireless and wireline carriers for the benefit of consumers.
A bill signed in order to "promote competition and reduce regulation in order to secure lower prices and higher quality services for American telecommunications consumers and encourage rapid deployment of new telecommunications technologies." This act required local service providers in the 100 largest metropolitan areas to implement local number portability by the end of 1998, enabling the CLECs to better compete. It also allowed local RBOCs into long distance service once they had met certain conditions about competition in their local monopoly areas. In addition, the goal of universal service to all Americans was introduced, with special considerations established to address the telecommunications needs of schools, libraries, and rural health care providers.
Most recent in a succession of federal acts governing telecommunications and cable. This is the act that that requires eventual competition in telecommunication services, even provision of dial-tone services.
The Telecommunications Act, as related to TV, permitted owners of TV stations to own more stations, covering up to 35% of the country. In 2004, legislation was passed rasing this ownership "cap" tp 39%.
Federal legislation that has opened up local telecommunications (dial tone) to competition with the goal of giving the American public more choices at lower costs.
Legislation designed to update the COMMUNICATIONS ACT OF 1934. Key provisions provide mechanisms for increased competition in local telephone service, cable television delivery and broadcast ownership.
A major overhaul of the Communications Act of 1934; the Snowe-Exon-Kerrey amendment of the 1996 Act provides the statutory basis for expanding the Universal Service Fund to include schools and libraries.
On February 8, 1996 a federal act was signed to promote competition of telephone companies. This act made telephone companies lower rates and give companies better service.
The first comprehensive overhaul of Federal telecommunications law since 1934. Congress approved this law with the intent of promoting competition and reducing regulation, while reducing prices, increasing available service options, improving service quality and encouraging the use of new technologies. TA-96 covers nearly all aspects of the telecommunications industry, including efforts to create a competitive marketplace for local telephone service.
A deregulating act to "promote competition and reduce regulation in order to secure lower prices and higher quality services for American telecommunications consumers and encourage rapid deployment of new telecommunication technologies." Mainly served to allow long-distance services from local providers. Seen as a watershed in telecom history, as it opened up the field for competition, gave some wiggling room to the underdogs and smaller start-ups and deregulated the playing field.
Enacted and signed into law by President Bill Clinton February 8, 1996, this act provides a comprehensive reform of the Communcations Act of 1934. It was designed to promote competition among wireless and wireline carriers.
The act passed by Congress that reformed the telecommunications industry, including cable. It called for the incumbent phone companies to open their markets to competition so they could have access to long distance telephone services outside their markets. To earn that, the FCC is requiring that they open up their markets to data services too.
According to its preamble, an Act to promote competition and reduce regulation in order to secure lower prices and higher quality services for American telecommunications consumers and encourage the rapid deployment of new telecommunications technologies.
Legislation designed to spur competition among wireless and wireline carriers.
Passed by the Federal Government and implemented by the FCC, this law deregulates the local telephone industry. Now for any given area of the country, other companies besides the RBOCs (Regional Bell Operating Companies) may offer local phone service. This is different from the 1983 deregulation that created competition in the long distance phone industry. See divestiture.
Signed into law by President Bill Clinton on February 8, 1996, it was the first major overhaul of federal communications law in more than 60 years. It addressed a number of newer telecom services, including cellular phones and satellite and cable television. The Act paved the way for a number of major mergers within the telephone industry, and though the intention was to deregulate the communications industries and promote competition, in reality consumers saw a decrease in choice of local telephone operators in the succeeding years.
The sprawling, sometimes vague federal legislation that opened the way for CLECs to compete with incumbent carriers.
Federal legislation enacted in 1996 to promote competition and reduce regulation in order to secure lower priced and higher quality services for American telecommunications consumers and encourage the rapid deployment of new telecommunications technologies. The Act gave various powers to FCC and states to accomplish these goals.
The Telecommunications Act of 1996P.L. No. 104-104, 110 Stat. 56 (1996). was the first major overhaul of United States telecommunications law in nearly 62 years, amending the Communications Act of 1934. It was approved by the 104th Congress on January 3, 1996.
