Title 47 — Telegraphs, Telephones, and RadiotelegraphsRelease 119-73

§261 Effect on other requirements

Title 47 › Chapter CHAPTER 5— - WIRE OR RADIO COMMUNICATION › Subchapter SUBCHAPTER II— - COMMON CARRIERS › Part Part II— - Development of Competitive Markets › § 261

Last updated Apr 6, 2026|Official source

Summary

Lets the FCC keep enforcing rules it made before February 8, 1996, as long as those rules do not conflict with this law. It also lets state regulators enforce their pre-February 8, 1996 rules or make new rules after that date, if those rules do not conflict with this law. States may also require phone companies to follow extra rules for services inside the state to help local competition, provided those requirements do not conflict with this law or with FCC rules.

Full Legal Text

Title 47, §261

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

(a)Nothing in this part shall be construed to prohibit the Commission from enforcing regulations prescribed prior to February 8, 1996, in fulfilling the requirements of this part, to the extent that such regulations are not inconsistent with the provisions of this part.

(b)Nothing in this part shall be construed to prohibit any State commission from enforcing regulations prescribed prior to February 8, 1996, or from prescribing regulations after February 8, 1996, in fulfilling the requirements of this part, if such regulations are not inconsistent with the provisions of this part.

(c)Nothing in this part precludes a State from imposing requirements on a telecommunications carrier for intrastate services that are necessary to further competition in the provision of telephone exchange service or exchange access, as long as the State’s requirements are not inconsistent with this part or the Commission’s regulations to implement this part.

Reference

Citations & Metadata

Citation

47 U.S.C. § 261

Title 47 — Telegraphs, Telephones, and Radiotelegraphs

Last Updated

Apr 6, 2026

Release point: 119-73