47 U.S.C. § 260 — Provision of telemessaging service

(a) Nondiscrimination safeguards. A local exchange carrier that must open its network under section 251(c) and that also offers telemessaging service - things like voicemail and live-operator message services - cannot (1) use money from its phone exchange or exchange access business to subsidize its telemessaging service, and cannot (2) favor or discriminate in favor of its own telemessaging operations when it provides telecommunications services. (b) Expedited consideration of complaints. The Commission must set up a process for handling complaints that a carrier broke these rules and caused real financial harm to a telemessaging competitor. The Commission must issue a final decision within 120 days of getting the complaint. If the complaint makes an adequate initial showing of a violation, the Commission must, within 60 days, order the carrier and its affiliates to stop the violation while the final decision is pending. (c) "Telemessaging service" defined. This term covers voicemail and voice storage-and-retrieval services, any live-operator service that records, transcribes, or relays messages (other than telecommunications relay services for people with disabilities), and any related services offered alongside those.