Telecom Act of 1996

SHORT TITLE; REFERENCES.

(a) Short Title: This Act may be cited as the 'Telecommunications Act of 1996'.

(b) References: Except as otherwise expressly provided, whenever in this Act an amendment or repeal is expressed in terms of an amendment to, or repeal of, a section or other provision, the reference shall be considered to be made to a section or other provision of the Communications Act of 1934 (47 U.S.C. 151 et seq.).

Sec. 3. Definitions.

TABLE OF CONTENTS.

The table of contents for this Act is as follows:

TITLE I--TELECOMMUNICATION SERVICES

Subtitle A--Telecommunications Services
Sec. 101. Establishment of part II of title II.Part II--Development of Competitive Markets
Sec. 251. Interconnection.
Sec. 252. Procedures for negotiation, arbitration, and approval of agreements.
Sec. 253. Removal of barriers to entry.
Sec. 254. Universal service.
Sec. 255. Access by persons with disabilities.
Sec. 256. Coordination for interconnectivity.
Sec. 257. Market entry barriers proceeding.
Sec. 258. Illegal changes in subscriber carrier selections.
Sec. 259. Infrastructure sharing.
Sec. 260. Provision of telemessaging service.
Sec. 261. Effect on other requirements.
Sec. 102. Eligible telecommunications carriers.
Sec. 103. Exempt telecommunications companies.
Sec. 104. Nondiscrimination principle.

Subtitle B--Special Provisions Concerning Bell Operating Companies
Sec. 151. Bell operating company provisions.

Part III--Special Provisions Concerning Bell Operating Companies
Sec. 271. Bell operating company entry into interLATA services.
Sec. 272. Separate affiliate; safeguards.
Sec. 273. Manufacturing by Bell operating companies.
Sec. 274. Electronic publishing by Bell operating companies.
Sec. 275. Alarm monitoring services.
Sec. 276. Provision of payphone service.

TITLE II--BROADCAST SERVICES Sec. 201. Broadcast spectrum flexibility.
Sec. 336. Broadcast spectrum flexibility.
Sec. 202. Broadcast ownership.
Sec. 203. Term of licenses.
Sec. 204. Broadcast license renewal procedures.
Sec. 205. Direct broadcast satellite service.
Sec. 206. Automated ship distress and safety systems.
Sec. 365. Automated ship distress and safety systems.
Sec. 207. Restrictions on over-the-air reception devices.

TITLE III--CABLE SERVICES Sec. 301. Cable Act reform.
Sec. 302. Cable service provided by telephone companies.

Part V--Video Programming Services Provided by Telephone Companies
Sec. 651. Regulatory treatment of video programming services.
Sec. 652. Prohibition on buy outs.
Sec. 653. Establishment of open video systems
Sec. 303. Preemption of franchising authority regulation of telecommunications services.
Sec. 304. Competitive availability of navigation devices.
Sec. 629. Competitive availability of navigation devices.
Sec. 305. Video programming accessibility.
Sec. 713. Video programming accessibility.

TITLE IV--REGULATORY REFORM Sec. 401. Regulatory forbearance.
Sec. 10. Competition in provision of telecommunications service.
Sec. 402. Biennial review of regulations; regulatory relief.
Sec. 11. Regulatory reform.
Sec. 403. Elimination of unnecessary Commission regulations and functions.

TITLE V--OBSCENITY AND VIOLENCE Subtitle A--Obscene, Harassing, and Wrongful Utilization of Telecommunications Facilities
Sec. 501. Short title.
Sec. 502. Obscene or harassing use of telecommunications facilities under the Communications Act of 1934.
Sec. 503. Obscene programming on cable television.
Sec. 504. Scrambling of cable channels for nonsubscribers.
Sec. 640. Scrambling of cable channels for nonsubscribers.
Sec. 505. Scrambling of sexually explicit adult video service programming.
Sec. 641. Scrambling of sexually explicit adult video service programming.
Sec. 506. Cable operator refusal to carry certain programs.
Sec. 507. Clarification of current laws regarding communication of obscene materials through the use of computers.
Sec. 508. Coercion and enticement of minors.
Sec. 509. Online family empowerment.
Sec. 230. Protection for private blocking and screening of offensive material.

Subtitle B--Violence
Sec. 551. Parental choice in television programming.
Sec. 552. Technology fund.

Subtitle C--Judicial Review
Sec. 561. Expedited review.

TITLE VI--EFFECT ON OTHER LAWS Sec. 601. Applicability of consent decrees and other law.
Sec. 602. Preemption of local taxation with respect to direct-to-home services.

TITLE VII--MISCELLANEOUS PROVISIONS Sec. 701. Prevention of unfair billing practices for information or services provided over toll-free telephone calls.
Sec. 702. Privacy of customer information.
Sec. 222. Privacy of customer information.
Sec. 703. Pole attachments.
Sec. 704. Facilities siting; radio frequency emission standards.
Sec. 705. Mobile services direct access to long distance carriers.
Sec. 706. Advanced telecommunications incentives.
Sec. 707. Telecommunications Development Fund.
Sec. 714. Telecommunications Development Fund.
Sec. 708. National Education Technology Funding Corporation. Sec. 709. Report on the use of advanced telecommunications services for medical purposes.
Sec. 710. Authorization of appropriations.