ions, which were then divided into seven Regional Bell Operating Companies also known as RBOCs. The divestiture of AT&T and the Modification of Final Judgment created a non-competitive marketplace through the obligation of line of business restrictions, which in effect prevent the RBOCs from competing with AT&T. The MFJ Granted a monopoly over local service areas to the newly formed operating companies, provided that they give equal access to all telephone service carriers, especially AT&Ts competitors. Other terms of the MFJ are, the provision of inter-exchange services, the provision of information services, the manufacture of telecommunications products and customer premises equipment and the marketing of such equipment and directory advertising. The court justified the restrictions because they said it was necessary in order to prevent the newly formed operating companies from subsidizing prices in competitive markets with profits earned in monopoly markets. Up until this point there have been many bills passed. Provisions in House Bill 3626 to lift MFJ restrictions on BOCs would have allowed local telephone companies to effectively compete in the growing telecommunications industry without compromising concerns about protecting American consumers from anticompetitive behavior. Enactment of similar measure in the next Congress would further the development of the NII and increase competition for communications services, resulting in lower prices and better service for consumers.In conclusion the house Bill 3626 would have given the FCC and the Attorney General the power to review any authorizations for antitrust and public policy concerns, fully empowering them to deny authorization to requests that do not satisfy these standards. Further, the bill would have taken control of telecommunications policy away from the decree courts triennial review and appeal process, and replaced it with more efficient and immediate review by ...
