Communications Law Bulletin -- October 2005

October brought several important developments in the telecommunications world, including final approval by the Department of Justice and Federal Trade Commission ("FTC" or "Commission") of mergers involving the four largest local and long-distance telephone companies in the United States. The FCC also responded to the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina, and fallout continued from the Commission’s Triennial Review Remand Order. These and other events are covered here, along with our usual list of deadlines for your calendar.

After many months of proceedings before the Department of Justice, FTC and various state commissions, the mega-mergers of SBC Communications Inc. ("SBC") with AT&T Corp. ("AT&T") and Verizon Communications Inc. ("Verizon") with MCI, Inc. ("MCI") appear to have cleared the most important regulatory hurdles imposed by federal law.