Section 257 Proceeding To Identify and Eliminate Market Entry Barriers for Small Businesses

The attached Report summarizes the Commission's implementation of Section 257 of the Telecommunications Act of 1996 (1996 Act), which requires the Commission to identify and eliminate market entry barriers for entrepreneurs and small businesses in the provision and ownership of telecommunications services and information services or in the provision of parts or services to providers of telecommunications services or information services. The Report addresses issues raised by the more than 80 entities that filed comments, describes the Commission's policies to foster small business opportunities in the telecommunications industry, and explains agency-wide small business initiatives that the Commission has undertaken since enactment of the 1996 Act, as well as steps that the Commission intends to take in the future. The Report also describes the Commission's comprehensive study of the participation of small businesses and businesses owned by women or minorities in the telecommunications market. Through this Report the Commission reaffirms its commitment to achieving the policy goals of Section 257; to eliminate market entry barriers for small communications businesses.