• The law aims at promoting competition among phone providers.Jupiterimages/Photos.com/Getty Images
  
  Telephones have been around for a long time, in one form or another. From the initial big-sized landline handsets, today's technology has given rise to mobile phones at various levels of sophistication. In many countries, more than half the population uses mobile phones, and the market is growing rapidly. At the end of 2009, there were an estimated 4.6 billion subscriptions globally, and this is expected to grow to 5.8 billion in 2013. In the United States, regulations governing wireless communication are provided for in the Telecommunications Act of 1996.
  
  

Cell-Phone Tower Location

• This rule is meant to encourage companies to share or co-locate new antennas on existing cell towers. The government establishes a priority order, from most preferred to least, for new equipment. Residential areas are given least preference when deciding on location. Local governments are not allowed to block the installation of a wireless facility on health grounds.
  
  

Discrimination Between Service Providers

• The Act states that the regulation of the placement, construction and modification of a telecommunications facility shall not unreasonably discriminate among providers of functionally equivalent services. The term "functionally equivalent services" refers to services that only directly compete against one another. A governmental authority is prohibited from decisions that favor one telecommunications competitor over another. Exception is made in regard to facilities that create different visual, aesthetic or safety effect. This law aims at promoting competition and advanced communication networks in all markets.
  
  

Creation of Wireless Service

• The Act also covers placement, creation and alteration of individual wireless service facilities by any State or local government. It also covers the rule of the position, creation and alteration of private wireless service amenities by any State or local regime.
  
  

Acquisition

• For Local telecommunication, services should be acquired in a manner that is most cost effective for Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) and in accordance with the Information Technology Management Reform Act of 1996.
  
  

Long-Distance and Intercity Access Services

• This Law also allows for provision of Long-Distance and Intercity Access Services. Use of Federal Telecommunication Services is mandatory for voice telecommunication services for FHWA. International calls are billed locally, unlike other long-distance calls, and FTS calling cards are provided for those whose work requires international travel.
  
  

Permit and Equipment Clearance

• When attempting to locate a wireless telephone communications facility, such as a cellular transmission tower, a service provider must apply for a permit to construct the tower or a rezoning of the land where he intends to construct. Section 704 of the Act provides some protection to an applicant who applies for such a permit or rezoning to set up a personal wireless-service facility, such as a cellular tower. Equipment acquired for data communication services must be cleared with the Office of Information and Management Services, Information Systems and Programs Division.