Docket Number: 97-826 (Consolidated with MCI v. Iowa Utilities, 97-829; Local Telecom v. Iowa Utilities, 97-830; FCC v. Iowa Utilities, 97-831; Ameritech v. FCC, 97-1075; GTB v. FCC, 97-1087; U.S. West v. FCC, 97-1099; Southern New England Telephone v. FCC, 97-1141)
Appealed From: U.S. Court of Appeals, 8th Circuit
Subjects: Telecommunications Regulation; Prices and Competition; Federal Communications Commission Jurisdiction

At Issue: Whether the Federal Communications Commission exceeded its authority when it set out pricing requirements for new competitors seeking to use parts of local telephone networks.

Decision: The court ruled that the Federal Communications Commission has authority to set pricing rules for opening local telephone markets to competition.

• The full text of the AT&T Corp. v. Iowa Utilities Board decision is available at the FindLaw Internet Legal Resources Web site.

• The full text of the 1997 decison by the 8th Circuit, Iowa Utilities Board, et al. v. FCC also is available at FindLaw.

• The Telecommunications Act of 1996 is available at the Federal Communications Commission Web site.

Sources: The Washington Post, Supreme Court, The United States Law Week (a Bureau of National Affairs, Inc. publication)