 incumbent phone companies at mandated discounted rates. However, most of these connectivity rules were gradually rescinded when large incumbents such as the former Regional Bell Operating Companies (RBOCs) challenged the rules in court and won. For a list of these rulings, see Table 3-11 in the "Appendix" section at the end of this chapter. Telecommunications Act of 1996 Mandated www.TechnicalPDF.com When the Telecommunications Act of 1996 was enacted, the United States Congress felt that it was not economically feasible for rivals of the RBOCs (Regional Bell Operating Companies) to build all their own local facilities directly to customers' premises. It therefore mandated that incumbents such as the then SBC (now AT&T, Inc.) make their local networks available at replacement cost plus a reasonable profit to competitors such as the former MCI (now part of Verizon). The local network assets included the following: The local copper loop from the incumbent's equipment to the customer High-speed lines between the Competitive Local Exchange Carrier (CLEC) switch and the incumbent's central office RBOC local central office switch ports for connections to local loops Operator services Signaling services to link central offices to systems, including billing Many competitors including MCI (now part of Verizon) and Sprint leased entire platforms of incumbents' facilities at a discounted rate to offer service without building their own infrastructure. Some competitors built their whole business around the resale of incumbent telephone companies' platforms. Other competitors built their own facilities in areas where they had concentrations of business customers and used an incumbent's entire platforms in other areas. Court Rulings on Access to an Incumbent's Equipment and Fiber In a March 2004 ruling, the United States Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia struck down individual states' authority to set discounts for competitors to connect to an incumbent's facilities, such as central office switch ports, local loop