NPR's Barbara Bradley reports that today the Federal Communications Commission is issuing new rules intended to make local phone service more competitive. The unanimous F-C-C vote completes an overhaul that opens the local marketplace to long distance and cable T-V companies as well as other competitors. About a dozen states are working to get competitors into their local phone businesses to go head to head with the regional Bell companies. The so-called Baby Bells have had a lock on the market until now.
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