Authorization of appropriations.The Act makes a major distinction between providers of telecommunications companies and information companies. The distinction becomes significantly necessary when a carrier offers information services, because the Act enforces particular laws in opposition to ‘telecommunications carriers’ however not against suppliers of data providers. By one interpretation of the Act, a provider offering information providers is not a ‘telecommunications provider’. For example, beneath this interpretation a provider would not be a ‘telecommunications service’ when it’s promoting broadband Internet entry. With the convergence of telephone, cable, and internet providers, this distinction has created much controversy.
