Abstract
An outdated statutory framework and legacy regulations in the United States have created a labyrinth that constrains the Federal Communications Commission from adequately responding to the impending disappearance of traditional voice telephony. This outdated telephone service is not even a shadow of its former self: the number of telephone lines in 2018 was the same as in 1950, despite the U.S. population more than doubling and the total number of voice-capable telecom connections exploding 700 percent over the same period. Yet this waning service remains under an intricate regulatory system involving federal and state authorities. There is but one way out of the labyrinth – comprehensive deregulation that immunizes against regulatory temptations – allowing the remaining service providers and their customers to manage the transition to a fully broadband world. Efforts to deregulate piecemeal are well intentioned and can help in certain contexts, but could also trip over legacy structures, resulting in worse outcomes for users and providers of traditional voice services.
Published Version
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