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The rules for enforcing local competition “are largely left to the FCC and the Public Utilities Commissions (PUC)” . Nevertheless, the authorization is given by the FCC at the federal level and the PUC at the local level and is conditional . When the FCC faced to the RBOCs resorting to litigation, it only confirms the power of a federal regulator to rule on open access to regional and local networks. A time delay between 1996 and 1999 caused some argues about abolishment of the FCC.
Viewed above reasons, the 1996 Act is far away an appropriate regulatory framework which can create business opportunities in the new technology and information era yet. Even though the FCC is given the power to reduce the monopoly power, it has to face many problems.
IV. OFCOM AND THE DRAFT COMMUNICATION BILL (UK)
The Draft Communications Bill (the Bill) was published in July 2002 in UK. Faced to the new technology of digital content delivery and the convergence, the Bill restructures the current system by combining nine separate regulators covering television, radio and telecommunications with different regulators into one regulatory body—the OFCOM—responsible for both the communications and media industries. The OFCOM will cover telecommunications, television and radio, content and communications networks, promote competition and also manage spectrum and deal with the following two areas:”
● Regulations of the delivery of content through broadcasting and telecommunications networks which hereafter shall be referred to as “infrastructure regulation”;
● Regulation of the actual content delivered through those broadcasting and telecommunications networks which hereafter shall be referred to as “content regulation”.”
With the OFCOM’s establishment, five bodies or office holders will be disappeared, which are: BSC (the Broadcasting Standards Commission), DGT (the Director General of Telecommunications—responsible for running OFTEL ), ITC (the Independent Television Commission), RA (the Radio Authority ) and SoS (the Secretary of State).
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