Summary

Pursuant to a legislative requirement, GAO reviewed the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) new rule on competitive service safeguards for local exchange carrier provision of commercial mobile radio services and implementation of Section 601(d) of the Telecommunications Act of 1996. GAO noted that: (1) the rule would modify the current structural separation requirement for the provision of cellular service; (2) the rule requires that all incumbent local exchange carriers provide in-region broadband commercial mobile radio service (CMRS), including cellular services, through a CMRS affiliate; and (3) FCC complied with applicable requirements in promulgating the rule.