of which are governed by competition. In order to meet the purposes of this section, the Commission shall forbear from exercising its authority under this Act as the development of competition among record carriers reduces the degree of regulation necessary to protect the public. (2) In furtherance of the purposes of this section, record carriers shall not impose upon users of any regulated record communications services the costs of any other services or facilities (including terminal equipment), whether regulated or unregulated. (c)(1)(A)(i) In implementing its responsibilities under section 201(a), the Commission shall require each record carrier to make available to any other record carrier, upon reasonable request, full interconnection with any facility operated by such record carrier, and used primarily to provide record communications service. Such facility shall be made available, through written agreement, upon terms and conditions which are just, fair, and reasonable, and which are otherwise consistent with the purposes of this section. (ii)(I) Subject to the provisions of subclause (II), if a request for interconnection under clause (i) is for the purpose of providing international record communications service, then the agreement entered into under clause (i) shall require that the allocation of record communications service between points outside the United States and points of entry in the United States shall be based upon a pro rata share of record communications service between points of exit out of the United States and points outside the United States provided by the carrier making such request for interconnection. (II) The requirement established in subclause (I) shall not apply in any case in which the customer requesting any record communications service between a point outside the United States and a point of entry in the United States has the option to specify the international record carrier which will provide such record communications service. (B) The Commission shall require that— (i) if any record carrier engages both in the offering for hire of domestic record communications services and in the offering for hire of international record communications services, then such record carrier shall be treated as a separate domestic record carrier and a separate international record carrier for purposes of administering interconnection requirements; (ii) in any case in which such separate domestic record carrier furnishes interconnection to such separate international record carrier, any interconnection which such separate domestic record carrier furnishes to other international record carriers shall be (I) equal in type and quality; and (II) made available at the same rates and upon the same terms and conditions; and (iii) in any case in which such separate international record carrier furnishes interconnection to such separate domestic record carrier, any interconnection which such separate international record carrier furnishes to other domestic record carriers shall be (I) equal in type and quality; and (II) made avail able at the same rates and upon the same terms and conditions: The requirements of clauses (i), (ii), and (iii) shall not apply to a record carrier if such record carrier does not have a significant share of the market for record communications services. (2) If any request made by a record carrier under paragraph (1)(A)(i) will require an agreement under which any record communications service or facility operated by one of the parties to such agreement will be used by any other party to such agreement, then such agreement shall establish a nondiscriminatory formula for the equitable allocation of revenues derived from such use between the parties to such agreement, except that each party to such agreement shall have the right to establish the total price charged by such party to the public for any such service which is originated by such party, consistent with the provisions of section 203. To the extent possible, and consistent with the provisions of paragraph (3)(B)(ii), the Commission shall require that such equitable allocation of revenues be based upon the costs of the record communications service or facility employed as a result of such agreement. (3)(A) The Commission, as soon as practicable (but not later than fifteen days) after the date of the enactment of the Record Carrier Competition Act of 1981, shall convene a meeting among all record carriers which the Commission determines would be parties to any agreement required by paragraph (1)(A)(i). Such meeting shall be held for the purpose of negotiating any such agreement. Representatives of the Commission shall attend such meeting for purposes of monitoring and presiding over such negotiations. (B)(i) In the case of any such required agreement, if— (I) the record carrier subject to the interconnection requirement; and (II) a majority of the primary existing international record carriers involved in the meeting convened by the Commission under subparagraph (A); fail to enter into an agreement before the end of the forty-five-day period following the beginning of such meeting, then the Commission shall issue an interim or final order which establishes a just, fair, reasonable, and nondiscriminatory agreement which is consistent with the purposes of this section. Any such agreement established by the Commission shall be binding upon such parties. (ii) Such interim or final order shall be issued not later than ninety days after the date on which the Commission convenes the meeting under subparagraph (A). In the case of any such required agreement, if— (I) the record carrier subject to the interconnection requirement; and (II) a majority of the primary existing international record carriers involved in the meeting convened by the Commission under subparagraph (A); reach an agreement which complies with the requirements of this section, and such agreement is entered into before the issuance of such order by the Commission under this subparagraph, then such agreement of the parties shall take effect and the Commission shall not be required to issue any such order. (C) Any record carrier which is not subject to the agreement entered into, or established by the Commission, under this paragraph may elect to be subject to the terms of such agreement upon furnishing written notice to the Commission and to all existing parties to such agreement. After a carrier makes such an election, the terms and arrangements established by the agreement shall apply to such carrier to the extent practicable, as determined by the Commission. (4) The Commission shall have authority to vacate or modify any agreement entered into by any record carriers under this section if the Commission determines that (A) such agreement is not consistent with the purposes of this section; or (B) such agreement unjustly or unreasonably discriminates against any record carrier. (5) If the Western Union Telegraph Company submits an application to the Commission for authority to provide international record communication service, the Commission shall not have any authority to take any final action with respect to such application until the end of the one hundred and twenty-day period following the date a written agreement is entered into between such Company and other record carriers under paragraph (3), or following the effective date of any interim or final order issued by the Commission under paragraph (3)(B) with respect to such carriers. The limitation upon Commission authority established in this paragraph shall expire at the end of the two hundred and ten-day period following the date of the enactment of the Record Carrier Competition Act of 1981. (d) Subject to the provisions of subsection (c)(5), each record carrier may provide record communications service in the United States domestic market and in the international market. Any record carrier seeking to provide domestic record communications service may provide such service without submitting an application to the Commission under section 214 unless the Commission requires such a submission. The Commission shall act expeditiously upon any application submitted pursuant to section 214. (e)(1) At the end of the 36-month period following the date of the enactment of the Record Carrier Competition Act of 1981, the provisions of subsection (c), other than paragraph (1)(B) of such subsection, shall cease to have any force or effect. (2) The provisions of paragraph (1) shall not be construed to affect the obligation of any carrier to interconnect with any other carrier pursuant to this Act. OBSCENE OR HARASSING TELEPHONE CALLS IN THE DISTRICT OF SEC. 223. [47 U.S.C. 223] 61 (a) Whoever (1) in the District of Columbia or in interstate or foreign communications by means of telephone (A) makes any comment, request, suggestion or proposal which is obscene, lewd, lascivious, filthy, or indecent; 61 Section 223 was added by Public Law 90-299, approved May 3, 1968, 82 Stat. 112; amended by Public Law 98-214, 97 Stat. 1469, Dec. 8, 1983. (B) makes a telephone call, whether or not conversation ensues, without disclosing his identity and with intent to annoy, abuse, threaten, or harass any person at the called number; (C) makes or causes the telephone of another repeatedly or continuously to ring, with intent to harass any person at the called number; or (D) makes repeated telephone calls, during which conversation ensues, solely to harass any person at the called number; or (2) knowingly permits any telephone facility under his control to be used for any purpose prohibited by this section, shall be fined not more than $50,000 or imprisoned not more than six months, or both. (b)(1) Whoever knowingly (A) in the District of Columbia or in interstate or foreign communication, by means of telephone, makes (directly or by recording device) any obscene or indecent communication for commercial purposes to any person under eighteen years of age or to any other person without that person's consent, regardless of whether the maker of such communication placed the call; or (B) permits any telephone facility under such person's control to be used for an activity prohibited by subparagraph (A), shall be fined not more than $50,000 or imprisoned not more than six months, or both. (2) It is a defense to a prosecution under this subsection that the defendant restricted access to the prohibited communication to persons eighteen years of age or older in accordance with procedures which the Commission shall prescribe by regulation. (3) In addition to the penalties under paragraph (1), whoever, in the District, of Columbia or in interstate or foreign communication, intentionally violates paragraph (1)(A) or (1)(B) shall be subject to a fine of not more than $50,000 for each violation. For purposes of this paragraph, each day of violation shall constitute a separate violation. (4)(A) In addition to the penalties under paragraphs (1) and (3), whoever, in the District of Columbia or in interstate or foreign communication, violates paragraph (1)(A) or (1)(B) shall be subject to a civil fine of not more than $50,000 for each violation. For purposes of this paragraph, each day of violation shall constitute a separate violation. (B) A fine under this paragraph may be assessed either— (i) by a court, pursuant to a civil action by the Commission or any attorney employed by the Commission who is designated by the Commission for such purposes, or (ii) by the Commission after appropriate administrative proceedings. (5) The Attorney General may bring a suit in the appropriate district court of the United States to enjoin any act or practice which violates paragraph (1)(A) or (1)(B). An injunction may be granted in accordance with the Federal Rules of Civil Procedure. REGULATION OF POLE ATTACHMENTS SEC. 224. [47 U.S.C. 224] 62 (a) As used in this section: (1) The term "utility" means any person whose rates or charges are regulated by the Federal Government or a State and who owns or controls poles, ducts, conduits, or rights-of-way used, in whole or in part, for wire communication. Such term does not include any railroad, any person who is cooperatively organized, or any person owned by the Federal Government or any State. (2) The term "Federal Government" means the Government of the United States or any agency or instrumentality thereof. (3) The term "State" means any State, territory, or possession of the United States, the District of Columbia, or any political subdivision, agency, or instrumentality thereof. (4) The term "pole attachment" means any attachment by a cable television system to a pole, duct, conduit, or right-of-way owned or controlled by a utility. (b)(1) Subject to the provisions of subsection (c) of this section, the Commission shall regulate the rates, terms, and conditions for pole attachments to provide that such rates, terms, and conditions are just and reasonable, and shall adopt procedures necessary and appropriate to hear and resolve complaints concerning such rates, terms, and conditions. For purposes of enforcing any determinations resulting from complaint procedures established pursuant to this subsection, the Commission shall take such action as it deems appropriate and necessary, including issuing cease and desist orders, as authorized by section 312(b) of title III of the Communications Act of 1934, as amended. (2) Within 180 days from the date of enactment of this section the Commission shall prescribe by rule regulations to carry out the provisions of this section. (c)(1) Nothing in this section shall be construed to apply to, or to give the Commission jurisdiction with respect to rates, terms, and conditions for pole attachments in any case where such matters are regulated by a State. (2) Each State which regulates the rates, terms, and conditions for pole attachments shall certify to the Commission that (A) it regulates such rates, terms, and conditions; and (B) in so regulating such rates, terms, and conditions, the State has the authority to consider and does consider the interests of the subscribers of cable television services, as well as the interests of the consumers of the utility services. (3) For purposes of this subsection, a State shall not be considered to regulate the rates, terms, and conditions for pole attachments (A) unless the State has issued and made effective rules and regulations implementing the State's regulatory authority over pole attachments; and (B) with respect to any individual matter, unless the State takes final action on a complaint regarding such matter 62 Section 224 was added by section 6, Public Law 95-234, approved February 21, 1978, 92 Stat. 335; amended by Public Law 98-549, 98 Stat. 2801, Oct. 30, 1984. |