Bell resale rules upheld. (Policy).(Baby Bell phone companies equipment leasing requirements from the Supreme Court)(Brief Article)

Multichannel News, May, 2002 by Enrich, David

WASHINGTON -- A U.S. Supreme Court ruling last week that required Baby Bell phone companies to lease equipment to competitors at a discounted price is unlikely to have a major impact on cable operators, industry officials say. Verizon Communications and other regional phone companies had challenged the legitimacy of rates set by the Federal Communications Commission for access to local phone networks, which Verizon and other phone companies had complained were too low.

In a 5-3 ruling handed down May 13, the Supreme Court disagreed. The majority found the FCC's current pricing scheme acceptable under the 1996 Telecommunications Act -- designed to promote competition between local phone companies. The decision is likely to be a boon for local...

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