Title 47Telegraphs, Telephones, and RadiotelegraphsRelease 119-73

§257 Market entry barriers proceeding

Title 47 › Chapter CHAPTER 5— - WIRE OR RADIO COMMUNICATION › Subchapter SUBCHAPTER II— - COMMON CARRIERS › Part Part II— - Development of Competitive Markets › § 257

Last updated Apr 6, 2026|Official source

Summary

The Commission must finish a proceeding within 15 months after February 8, 1996, to find and remove barriers that keep entrepreneurs and small businesses from offering or owning telecommunications and information services, or from supplying parts or services to those providers, using rules it can make under this law (except this part). In doing this, the Commission must try to promote diversity of media voices, strong economic competition, technological progress, and the public interest, convenience, and necessity.

Full Legal Text

Title 47, §257

Telegraphs, Telephones, and Radiotelegraphs — Source: USLM XML via OLRC

(a)Within 15 months after February 8, 1996, the Commission shall complete a proceeding for the purpose of identifying and eliminating, by regulations pursuant to its authority under this chapter (other than this section), market entry barriers for entrepreneurs and other small businesses in the provision and ownership of telecommunications services and information services, or in the provision of parts or services to providers of telecommunications services and information services.
(b)In carrying out subsection (a), the Commission shall seek to promote the policies and purposes of this chapter favoring diversity of media voices, vigorous economic competition, technological advancement, and promotion of the public interest, convenience, and necessity.

Legislative History

Notes & Related Subsidiaries

Editorial Notes

References in Text

This chapter, referred to in text, was in the original “this Act”, meaning act June 19, 1934, ch. 652, 48 Stat. 1064, known as the Communications Act of 1934, which is classified principally to this chapter. For complete classification of this Act to the Code, see section 609 of this title and Tables.

Amendments

2018—Subsec. (c). Pub. L. 115–141 struck out subsec. (c). Text read as follows: “Every 3 years following the completion of the proceeding required by subsection (a), the Commission shall review and report to Congress on— “(1) any

Regulations

prescribed to eliminate barriers within its jurisdiction that are identified under subsection (a) and that can be prescribed consistent with the public interest, convenience, and necessity; and “(2) the statutory barriers identified under subsection (a) that the Commission recommends be eliminated, consistent with the public interest, convenience, and necessity.”

Reference

Citations & Metadata

Citation

47 U.S.C. § 257

Title 47Telegraphs, Telephones, and Radiotelegraphs

Last Updated

Apr 6, 2026

Release point: 119-73