The IURC Telecommunications Division, which was created in 1996, in response to the passage of the Telecommunications Act of 1996 (TA-96) - federal legislation aimed at opening the local exchange industry to competition.
The Telecommunications Division is a team of analysts devoted solely to telecommunications issues. Since its formation, the division has provided technical assistance on cases regarding the interconnection of incumbent local exchange companies to new competitors, certificates of territorial authority for competitive providers of local exchange and long-distance services, wholesale service tariffs, universal service issues, as well as other state specific matters.