Analyst Kagan on Supreme Court's FCC Decision: Court Comment
Bloomberg News
January 25, 1999, 12:35 p.m. ET
Washington, Jan. 25 (Bloomberg) -- A comment by Jeffrey
Kagan, an independent telecommunications industry analyst in
Atlanta, on the decision by the U.S. Supreme Court saying the
1996 Telecommunications Act authorizes the U.S. Federal
Communications Commission, not the states, to set the rules
governing the prices and terms the regional Bell telephone
companies can demand from new rivals in return for access to
their networks.
''Today's ruling was a win for the FCC and the long-distance
companies and a setback for the Bells and the states,'' Kagan
said. ''If unchallenged by the Bells, this ruling may indeed have
the effect of opening local markets faster.''
''But don't expect the Bells to go quietly,'' he said. ''In
the last three years since the telecom act was signed into law
we've seen challenge after challenge. This is a very high stakes
poker game and both sides are trying to deal the best hand for
their side.''
--Alan M. Wolf in Washington (202) 624-1880/ah |
