January 25, 1999


STATEMENT OF FCC CHAIRMAN WILLIAM E. KENNARD ON TODAY'S SUPREME
COURT RULING ON AT&T CORP. ET AL. V. IOWA UTILITIES BOARD ET AL,
                       NOS. 97-826 ET AL.

     This is a monumental victory for consumers who want choice among telephone providers. 
The Supreme Court has affirmed the most important components of the national blueprint for
competition as designed by Congress and implemented by the FCC.  It's time to stop investing in
litigation and focus instead on opening local phone markets to competition.  I look forward to
continuing to work closely with our colleagues at the state utility commissions whose hard work
and dedication has been, and will remain, crucial to the success of the pro-consumer framework
established by Congress.

                                                                         - FCC -