47 U.S.C. § 256 — Coordination for interconnectivity

(a) Purpose This section has two goals: (1) to promote fair, nondiscriminatory access for the widest range of users and vendors to public telecommunications networks — by (A) having telecommunications carriers and providers coordinate their network planning and design, and (B) ensuring public networks and devices can interconnect with each other; and (2) to make sure users and information providers can send and receive information across telecommunications networks seamlessly and transparently. (b) Commission functions To achieve this, the FCC (1) must set up procedures to oversee coordinated network planning by carriers and providers, so public networks connect effectively and efficiently; and (2) may take part — consistent with its authority and practice before February 8, 1996 — in industry standards-setting groups that develop interconnectivity standards promoting access to (A) public telecommunications networks, (B) network capabilities and services for people with disabilities, and (C) information services for rural telephone company subscribers. (c) Commission's authority Nothing in this section expands or limits any authority the FCC already had under the law before February 8, 1996. (d) "Public telecommunications network interconnectivity" defined This term means the ability of two or more public telecommunications networks to exchange information without loss of quality, and to work together in sync.