摘要：A general principle underlying the Telecommunications Act of 1996 ("Telecom Act" or "Act") is that making telecomrrtunications markets competitive will "bring new packages of services, lower prices and increased innovation" to consumers) However, tearing down the regulatory framework of the Communications Act of 1934 that created the local exchange monopolies will not instantly transform the telecommunications arena into a competitive marketplace. Congress realized that regulatory intervention would be necessary in the shortterm to minimize the barriers to market entry and to offset-the competitive advantages built up by incumbent carriers. Accordingly, the Telecom.Act sets out two courses of action to achieve reform: (1) it direcfly:reihoves many of the regulatory barriers that formerly restricted which lines of business competitors could enter and (2) it imposes statutory "obligations "2 and empowers the Federal Communications Commission ("FCC') to implement these provisions to facilitate nearterm competition.
