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HR 2420 106th Congress House

Internet Freedom and Broadband Deployment Act of 1999

Official title: To deregulate the Internet and high speed data services, and for other purposes.

Introduced: February 16, 2000 See on congress.gov
Science, Technology, Communications Administrative procedureCommerceConsumer protectionFederal Communications Commission
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Federal preemptionGovernment Operations and PoliticsGovernment regulationIndependent regulatory commissionsInternetInternet service providersLawMarketingRestrictive trade practicesTelecommunication industryTelecommunication ratesTelephoneTelephone rates
This bill died when the 106th Congress ended
It never became law before the 106th Congress (1999–2000) adjourned, and bills don't carry over to the next Congress. It would have to be reintroduced. You can still save it for reference, but it won't receive updates.
 Everywhere this bill has been 4 steps
Introduced
In committee
Reported out
Passed House
Passed Senate
To President
Became law
May 25, 2000
Sponsor introductory remarks on measure. (CR 3864)
Jul 21, 1999
Referred to the Subcommittee on Telecommunications, Trade, and Consumer Protection.
Jul 1, 1999
Referred to the House Committee on Commerce.
Jul 1, 1999
Introduced in House
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 Latest action May 25, 2000

Sponsor introductory remarks on measure. (CR 3864)

 Plain-English summary Congressional Research Service

Internet Freedom and Broadband Deployment Act of 1999 - Amends the Communications Act of 1934 to define "high speed data service" as a service capable of transmitting electronic information at a rate generally not less than 384 kilobits per second in at least one direction.

Prohibits the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) and each State, except as expressly provided in this Act, from regulating the rates, charges, terms or conditions for, or entry into the provision of, any high speed data service or Internet access service, or to regulate the facilities used in the provision of such service. Prohibits the FCC from requiring an incumbent (established) local exchange carrier to: (1) provide unbundled access to any network elements used in the provision of any high speed data service, other than those elements described in FCC regulations; or (2) offer for resale at wholesale rates any high speed data service.

States that nothing in this Act shall: (1) limit or affect the authority of any State to regulate voice telephone exchange services; (2) affect the ability of the FCC to retain or modify the exemption from interstate access charges for enhanced service providers; or (3) prohibit the FCC from modifying the regulation concerning the number of networks subject to its unbundling requirement.

Requires each incumbent local exchange carrier to provide: (1) Internet users with the ability to subscribe to and have access to any Internet service provider that interconnects with such carrier's high speed data service; (2) any Internet service provider with the right to acquire necessary facilities and services to facilitate such interconnection; and (3) any Internet service provider with the ability to collocate equipment in order to achieve such interconnection.

Includes high speed data service or Internet access service within the definition of "incidental interLATA services" permitted for a Bell operating company (BOC). States that, until the date a BOC is authorized to offer interLATA services originating in an in-region State, such BOC offering any high speed data service or Internet access service may not, in such State, bill or collect for interLATA voice telecommunications service obtained by means of such high speed data or Internet access service provided by such company.

 Bill text 1 version

Source documents hosted by congress.gov.

 Committees of jurisdiction 2
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APA
U.S. Congress. (2026). H.R. 2420: Internet Freedom and Broadband Deployment Act of 1999. 106th Congress. Open America. https://openamerica.io/bill/106-HR-2420/
MLA
"H.R. 2420: Internet Freedom and Broadband Deployment Act of 1999." 106th Congress, 2026, Open America, https://openamerica.io/bill/106-HR-2420/.
Bluebook (legal)
H.R. 2420, 106th Cong. (2026), https://openamerica.io/bill/106-HR-2420/.
Markdown link
[H.R. 2420: Internet Freedom and Broadband Deployment Act of 1999](https://openamerica.io/bill/106-HR-2420/)
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