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Articles 31 - 60 of 82
Full-Text Articles in Communications Law
Why Adco? Why Now? An Econmic Exploration Of Industry Structure For The "Last Mile" In Local Telecommunications Markets, T. Randolph Beard, George S. Ford, Lawrence J. Spiwak
Why Adco? Why Now? An Econmic Exploration Of Industry Structure For The "Last Mile" In Local Telecommunications Markets, T. Randolph Beard, George S. Ford, Lawrence J. Spiwak
Federal Communications Law Journal
This Article discusses important economic characteristics of local exchange markets. First, this Article explains that entry into the market requires large fixed and sunk costs, making entry risky and necessitating scale economies. Consequently, only a few local access networks can supply the market. These networks cannot be small, however, because a large market share is required to realize sufficient scale economies to effectively compete with the ILEC and survive. Secondly, acquiring the needed market share may be difficult for entrants who either attempt to purchase unbundled network elements from the incumbent or attempt to build their own network from the …
The Concrete Barrier At The End Of The Information Superhighway: Why Lack Of Local Rights-Of-Way Access Is Killing Competitive Local Exchange Carriers, Christopher R. Day
The Concrete Barrier At The End Of The Information Superhighway: Why Lack Of Local Rights-Of-Way Access Is Killing Competitive Local Exchange Carriers, Christopher R. Day
Federal Communications Law Journal
The Telecommunications Act of 1996 contained the promise of a deregulated national telecommunications market with unfettered competition in both the local and long-distance telecommunications markets. Unfortunately, five years after the Act was signed, competition in local telephony is still not a reality in many areas. While some of the blame may be placed on failed business models and the withdrawal of venture capital from the market, a series of regulatory failures have also served to create an inhospitable environment for competitive local exchange carriers. One of the areas where this failure has been most evident is in governmental failure to …
Smut On The Small Screen: The Future Of Cable-Based Adult Entertainment Following United States V. Playboy Entertainment Group, Bradley A. Skafish
Smut On The Small Screen: The Future Of Cable-Based Adult Entertainment Following United States V. Playboy Entertainment Group, Bradley A. Skafish
Federal Communications Law Journal
This Note argues that the most important aspect of Playboy is the Court's determination that cable television is not analogous to broadcast media. Provided it withstands the test of time, this distinction allows the cable industry to avoid the more stringent regime placed upon broadcast media. The Playboy decision also shows the Court's willingness to invalidate laws even when they serve a compelling interest and impose less restrictions than a complete ban. Members of the Court differed on whether "signal bleed" actually constituted an influence harmful to children. This discrepancy evinces a significant disagreement on where lines should be drawn …
Paved With Good Intentions: How Interlata Data Relief Undermines The Competitive Provisions Of The 1996 Act, Jean F. Walker
Paved With Good Intentions: How Interlata Data Relief Undermines The Competitive Provisions Of The 1996 Act, Jean F. Walker
Federal Communications Law Journal
In the past few decades, the competitive climate has transformed for telecommunications companies from unification to fragmentation and back again. Rapidly changing technologies have created a “digital divide”—a technological gap between the “haves” and the “have nots.” H.R. 1542 attempts to solve the problem of the digital divide by providing Bell operating companies with expansive interLATA relief for data services. Although this bill has been a long time in the making, its sponsor, Representative Tauzin, recently reintroduced it in committee. This Note examines the problem of the digital divide, and provides the context in which H.R. 1542 developed. It also …
Federal Common Law, Cooperative Federalism, And The Enforcement Of The Telecom Act, Philip J. Weiser
Federal Common Law, Cooperative Federalism, And The Enforcement Of The Telecom Act, Philip J. Weiser
Publications
Congress increasingly has enacted cooperative federalism programs to achieve complex regulatory policy objectives. Such programs combine the authority of federal regulators, state regulators, and federal courts in creative and often pathmarking ways, but the failure of these actors to appreciate fully their respective roles threatens to undermine cooperative federalism's effectiveness. In this Article, Professor Philip Weiser develops a coherent vision of how federal courts should enforce cooperative federalism regulatory programs. In particular, he relates the rise and purpose of cooperative federalism to the federal courts' increased reluctance to make federal common law under the Erie doctrine and their greater deference …
Who’S Taking Whom: Some Comments And Evidence On The Constitutionality Of Telric, David Gabel, David I. Rosenbaum
Who’S Taking Whom: Some Comments And Evidence On The Constitutionality Of Telric, David Gabel, David I. Rosenbaum
Federal Communications Law Journal
The FCC requires that the price of unbundled network elements be equal to the total element long-run incremental cost of production plus a reasonable contribution to common and joint costs. This pricing standard has the potential of making the telecommunications market more competitive. TELRIC prices, however, are set independently of historic costs and therefore may not compensate investors for incurred costs. Hence, incumbent local exchange carriers have been fighting its implementation. In all probability, the U.S. Supreme Court will become involved in the debate over its adoption. The Supreme Court has looked at changes in valuation methods in the past. …
Progress And Regress On Interlata Competition, David M. Mandy
Progress And Regress On Interlata Competition, David M. Mandy
Federal Communications Law Journal
At this writing, the FCC has denied Bell Operating Company applications for entry into in-region interLATA (long-distance) markets in Oklahoma, Michigan, South Carolina, Louisiana, and on a reapplication in Louisiana; approved one application for New York; and is currently considering an application for Texas. Thus, almost four years elapsed from the passage of the Telecommunications Act of 1996 until any Bell Company received relief from the line-of-business restriction, and even now relief has been received in only one state. This Article briefly reviews the economics of Bell Company entry into interLATA markets; summarizes the reasons given by the FCC for …
Strategies To Promote Advanced Telecommunications Capabilities, Bob Rowe
Strategies To Promote Advanced Telecommunications Capabilities, Bob Rowe
Federal Communications Law Journal
Section 706 instructs both the FCC and state public utility commissions to promote deployment of advanced telecommunications capabilities. Much policy discussion of broadband access to date has focused on rearguing preexisting telecommunications policy debates, and has not produced significant incremental deployment of ATCs. ATC issues are much more diverse and specific than is commonly assumed, potentially requiring a menu of strategies to resolve. The "cooperative federalist" structure of the Telecommunications Act provides important context and guidance for implementing section 706. A Federal-State Joint Conference or task force would be a cooperative federalist vehicle for identifying ATC issues, developing strategies to …
The Unfinished Business Of Breaking Up "Ma Bell:" Implementing Local Telephone Competition In The Twenty-First Century, Michael T. Osbourne
The Unfinished Business Of Breaking Up "Ma Bell:" Implementing Local Telephone Competition In The Twenty-First Century, Michael T. Osbourne
Richmond Journal of Law & Technology
Responding to the statutory deadline in the Telecommunications Act of 1996, the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) released its first Local Competition Order (LCO), In Re Implementation of the Local Competition Provisions in the Telecommunications Act of 1996, First Report and Order, CC Docket No. 96-98 (FCC 96-325), on August 8, 1996. Designed to implement local competition nationwide, this Order in nearly 1500 pages promulgated detailed provisions regarding the relationship between the Regional Bell Operating Companies ("RBOCs") (traditional monopoly providers of local telephone service) and new entrants in local telecommunications. This article focuses on several key provisions in the first LCO …
Pay For Play: An Old Tactic In A New Environment, Douglas Abell
Pay For Play: An Old Tactic In A New Environment, Douglas Abell
Vanderbilt Journal of Entertainment & Technology Law
Promotional strategies involving payola --the payment of cash, drugs, or any other consideration to radio stations and their employees in exchange for airplay-- are generally illegal under federal law. Theoretically, these laws prohibit only undisclosed payola practices. Payola scandals of the late 1980s, however, illustrate that such practices have not ended. In fact, the Telecommunications Act of 1996 (the "Act") created an environment in which pay-for-play, a disclosed and fully legal form of payola, could thrive. The possibility of returning to practices reminiscent of illegal payola has, however, sparked debate as to whether record labels should ever pay radio stations …
Paradigm Changes In Telecommunications Regulation, Phil Weiser
Paradigm Changes In Telecommunications Regulation, Phil Weiser
Publications
No abstract provided.
Not In My Backyard: The Siting Of Wireless Communications Facilities, Malcolm J. Tuesley
Not In My Backyard: The Siting Of Wireless Communications Facilities, Malcolm J. Tuesley
Federal Communications Law Journal
Given the increasing prominence of wireless communications within the broader realm of technological advancement, the deployment of a national infrastructure capable of meeting the demands of PCS is critical. The Telecommunications Act of 1996 takes substantial steps to ensure the expeditious deployment and ultimate success of such technology. The spur of the 1996 Act is necessary to bring otherwise disinterested communities to the table with providers. While the 1996 Act greatly enhances the position of service providers as they deal with local communities, education and cooperation between federal, state and local governments, and service providers offer the greatest potential for …
Riding On A Diamond In The Sky: The Dbs Set-Aside Provisions Of The 1992 Cable Act, Richard L. Weber
Riding On A Diamond In The Sky: The Dbs Set-Aside Provisions Of The 1992 Cable Act, Richard L. Weber
William & Mary Law Review
No abstract provided.
The Common Law In Cyberspace, Tom W. Bell
The Common Law In Cyberspace, Tom W. Bell
Michigan Law Review
Wrong in interesting ways, counts for high praise among academics. Peter Huber's stirring new book, Law and Disorder in Cyberspace, certainly merits acclaim by that standard. The very subtitle of the book, Abolish the FCC and Let Common Law Rule the Telecosm, announces the daring arguments to follow. A book so bold could hardly fail to make some stimulating errors, the most provocative of which this review discusses. Thanks to his willingness to challenge musty doctrines of telecommunications law and policy, moreover, Huber gets a great deal right. Law and Disorder in Cyberspace argues at length that the Federal Communications …
Federal Preemption Of State Universal Service Regulations Under The Telecommunications Act Of 1996, Mark P. Trinchero, Holly Rachel Smith
Federal Preemption Of State Universal Service Regulations Under The Telecommunications Act Of 1996, Mark P. Trinchero, Holly Rachel Smith
Federal Communications Law Journal
With the passage of the Telecommunications Act of 1996, Congress revamped federal universal service policy by requiring that universal service support be explicit. The Act also provides that states can supplement federal universal service support with state universal service support. However, under section 254(f) of the Act, state programs must not be "inconsistent with" the FCC’s rules for implementing the Federal Plan. Section 254(f) provides for express preemption of state universal service plans but uses FCC rules as a measure for determining when preemption is required. As a result, the case law governing express preemption by Congress is in and …
Chevron, Cooperative Federalism, And Telecommunications Reform, Philip J. Weiser
Chevron, Cooperative Federalism, And Telecommunications Reform, Philip J. Weiser
Publications
No abstract provided.
A Birthday Party: The Terrible Or Terrific Two’S? 1996 Federal Telecommunications Act, Kathleen Wallman
A Birthday Party: The Terrible Or Terrific Two’S? 1996 Federal Telecommunications Act, Kathleen Wallman
Federal Communications Law Journal
As we celebrate the second anniversary of the Telecommunications Act of 1996, we can see that the predictions of instant cross-industry competition that were made at its birth were rather euphoric. Despite the unexpected twists and turns of the first two years, there have been a number of significant market developments suggesting that the lowering of barriers that the Act effected have put things on the right course. However, the success of the Act will be rather fragile during the next few years, as it is subject to reversal by market as well as judicial forces. We should therefore continue …
"Chilling" The Internet? Lessons From Fcc Regulation Of Radio Broadcasting , Thomas W. Hazlett, David W. Sosa
"Chilling" The Internet? Lessons From Fcc Regulation Of Radio Broadcasting , Thomas W. Hazlett, David W. Sosa
Michigan Telecommunications & Technology Law Review
Congress included the Communications Decency Act (CDA) in the Telecommunications Act signed into law on February 8, 1996. The bill seeks to outlaw the use of computers and phone lines to transmit "indecent" material with provisions of jail terms and heavy fines for violators. Proponents of the bill argue it is necessary to protect minors from undesirable speech on the Internet. The CDA was immediately challenged in court by the American Civil Liberties Union, and the special 3-judge federal panel established to hear the case recently declared the Act unconstitutional. Yet, its ultimate adjudication remains in doubt. Ominously, the federal …
Editor's Note, Michael M. Pratt
Editor's Note, Michael M. Pratt
Federal Communications Law Journal
No abstract provided.
Section 253 Of The Telecommunications Act Of 1996: A Permanent Physical Appropriation Of Private Property That Must Be Justly Compensated, Jennifer L. Worstell
Section 253 Of The Telecommunications Act Of 1996: A Permanent Physical Appropriation Of Private Property That Must Be Justly Compensated, Jennifer L. Worstell
Federal Communications Law Journal
Section 253 of the Telecommunications Act of 1996 was promulgated in an effort to remove unnecessary regulation by local governments and open up competition among local phone companies, cable providers, and other telecommunications concerns. However, this provision effectively prohibits local governments from managing their rights-of-way. Furthermore, it violates modern Fifth Amendment takings jurisprudence, Section 253 and the first three FCC and court decisions examining it not only have jeopardized effective municipal management and resource allocation discretion, but also have usurped local governments' property rights without just compensation in explicit violation of the United States Constitution.
The Telecommunications Act Of 1996: Codifying The Digital Divide, Allen S. Hammond Iv
The Telecommunications Act Of 1996: Codifying The Digital Divide, Allen S. Hammond Iv
Federal Communications Law Journal
The Telecommunications Act of 1996 purports to ensure every American eventual access to advanced telecommunications networks and services, and more immediate access to basic telephone networks and services. This access is essential because it determines the ease with which Americans can acquire an education, obtain employment, control financial affairs, access emergency assistance, and participate in the political process. The interpretation and implementation of the 1996 Act is critical because there is an imminent danger that a large portion of society— in inner cities, near suburbs, and small towns— not be connected to the "national electronic nervous system." To ensure that …
Section 254 Of The Telecommunications Act Of 1996: A Hidden Tax?, Nichole L. Millard
Section 254 Of The Telecommunications Act Of 1996: A Hidden Tax?, Nichole L. Millard
Federal Communications Law Journal
Congress has the sole power to levy and collect taxes. The Supreme Court has ruled that Congress may delegate this authority to administrative agencies so long as the will of Congress is clearly defined in the legislation. However, section 254 of the Telecommunications Act of 1996 operates as an unconstitutional delegation of Congress' authority to tax. This legislation provides the FCC with unfettered discretion in defining the boundaries of universal service and the authority to mandate that all consumers of telecommunications services subsidize the cost for low-income and rural consumers, as well as schools, libraries, and health care providers.
Whither Unregulated Access Competition?, Clayton C. Miller
Whither Unregulated Access Competition?, Clayton C. Miller
Federal Communications Law Journal
Book Review: Universal Service: Competition, Interconnection, and Monopoly in the Making of the American Telephone System, by Milton L. Mueller, Jr., MIT Press and AEI Press, 1997, 191 pages.
Hanging Up On Consumers: Why The Fcc Cannot Stop Slamming In The New Telecommunications Market , Christopher R. Day
Hanging Up On Consumers: Why The Fcc Cannot Stop Slamming In The New Telecommunications Market , Christopher R. Day
American University Law Review
No abstract provided.
Getting Wireless Carriers Wired For Less: An Argument For Federal Regulation Of Lec-Cmrs Interconnection Agreements, Derek Yeo
William & Mary Law Review
No abstract provided.
Telecommunications Act Of 1996: 704 Of The Act And Protections Afforded The Telecommunications Provider In The Facilities Sitting Context, The, Peter M. Degnan, Scott A. Mclaren, Michael T. Tennant
Telecommunications Act Of 1996: 704 Of The Act And Protections Afforded The Telecommunications Provider In The Facilities Sitting Context, The, Peter M. Degnan, Scott A. Mclaren, Michael T. Tennant
Michigan Telecommunications & Technology Law Review
The Telecommunications Act of 1996, signed into law by President Clinton in February, addresses, among many other important subjects, some of the technical problems that have arisen from the increasing popularity of mobile communications. This article will provide an overview of the Act and will focus specifically on the protections afforded a telecommunications provider in § 704 of the Act.
Digital Television And The Allure Of Auctions: The Birth And Stillbirth Of Dtv Legislation, Ellen P. Goodman
Digital Television And The Allure Of Auctions: The Birth And Stillbirth Of Dtv Legislation, Ellen P. Goodman
Federal Communications Law Journal
Although relatively few provisions of the 1996 Telecommunication Act relate to digital broadcast television, these provisions have contributed to the ongoing debate over assignment of spectrum for DTV uses. Attention to the disputed issues of DTV has accentuated the differences between methods of spectrum management: how spectrum should be assigned among various services and users, and what roles the FCC and Congress should play. Two camps have emerged from the controversy: one viewing spectrum as a commodity that should be assigned by auction, the other viewing spectrum as a resource that must be allocated according to strict technical criteria and …
The 1996 Telekommunikationsgesetz And The Telecommunications Act Of 1996: Toward More Competitive Markets In Telecommunications In Germany And The United States, Carl B. Kress
Federal Communications Law Journal
Following a worldwide trend of increased market competition in telecommunications, both the United States and Germany passed new legislation in 1996 aimed at liberalizing communications regulation. Germany passed the Telekommunikationsgestz (TKG), and the United States passed the Telecommunications Act of 1996. The TKG was enacted in response to European Community requirements that Germany open its telecommunications market. While the TKG covers a broad spectrum of issues, five areas stand out as the law's primary focus: licensing, universal service, market-dominant position regulation, interconnection, and rights-of-way. A comparison between the U.S and German laws in these five areas demonstrates the …
Editor's Note, Randall W. Sifers
Editor's Note, Randall W. Sifers
Federal Communications Law Journal
No abstract provided.
Bibliography, Kenneth L. Parker, Tania A. Hrickik
Bibliography, Kenneth L. Parker, Tania A. Hrickik
Federal Communications Law Journal
A Selected Bibliography on the Telecommunications Act of 1996