(a) AUTHORIZATION- A Bell operating company may manufacture and provide
telecommunications equipment, and manufacture customer premises equipment, if the
Commission authorizes that Bell operating company or any Bell operating company affiliate
to provide interLATA services under section 271(d), subject to the requirements of this
section and the regulations prescribed thereunder, except that neither a Bell operating
company nor any of its affiliates may engage in such manufacturing in conjunction with a
Bell operating company not so affiliated or any of its affiliates.
(b) COLLABORATION; RESEARCH AND ROYALTY AGREEMENTS-
(1) COLLABORATION- Subsection (a) shall not prohibit a Bell operating company from
engaging in close collaboration with any manufacturer of customer premises equipment or
telecommunications equipment during the design and development of hardware, software, or
combinations thereof related to such equipment.
(2) CERTAIN RESEARCH ARRANGEMENTS; ROYALTY AGREEMENTS- Subsection (a) shall not
prohibit a Bell operating company from--
(A) engaging in research activities related to manufacturing, and
(B) entering into royalty agreements with manufacturers of telecommunications
equipment.
(c) INFORMATION REQUIREMENTS-
(1) INFORMATION ON PROTOCOLS AND TECHNICAL REQUIREMENTS- Each Bell operating company
shall, in accordance with regulations prescribed by the Commission, maintain and file with
the Commission full and complete information with respect to the protocols and technical
requirements for connection with and use of its telephone exchange service facilities.
Each such company shall report promptly to the Commission any material changes or planned
changes to such protocols and requirements, and the schedule for implementation of such
changes or planned changes.
(2) DISCLOSURE OF INFORMATION- A Bell operating company shall not disclose any
information required to be filed under paragraph (1) unless that information has been
filed promptly, as required by regulation by the Commission.
(3) ACCESS BY COMPETITORS TO INFORMATION- The Commission may prescribe such additional
regulations under this subsection as may be necessary to ensure that manufacturers have
access to the information with respect to the protocols and technical requirements for
connection with and use of telephone exchange service facilities that a Bell operating
company makes available to any manufacturing affiliate or any unaffiliated manufacturer.
(4) PLANNING INFORMATION- Each Bell operating company shall provide, to interconnecting
carriers providing telephone exchange service, timely information on the planned
deployment of telecommunications equipment.
(d) MANUFACTURING LIMITATIONS FOR STANDARD-SETTING ORGANIZATIONS-
(1) APPLICATION TO BELL COMMUNICATIONS RESEARCH OR MANUFACTURERS- Bell Communications
Research, Inc., or any successor entity or affiliate--
(A) shall not be considered a Bell operating company or a successor or assign of a Bell
operating company at such time as it is no longer an affiliate of any Bell operating
company; and
(B) notwithstanding paragraph (3), shall not engage in manufacturing telecommunications
equipment or customer premises equipment as long as it is an affiliate of more than 1
otherwise unaffiliated Bell operating company or successor or assign of any such company.
Nothing in this subsection prohibits Bell Communications Research, Inc., or any
successor entity, from engaging in any activity in which it is lawfully engaged on the
date of enactment of the Telecommunications Act of 1996. Nothing provided in this
subsection shall render Bell Communications Research, Inc., or any successor entity, a
common carrier under title II of this Act. Nothing in this subsection restricts any
manufacturer from engaging in any activity in which it is lawfully engaged on the date of
enactment of the Telecommunications Act of 1996.
