Phone Firms Must Open Listing Databases

The government is requiring local phone companies to make available their vast directory assistance databases to other businesses that provide telephone listings. An order by the Federal Communications Commission attempts to address a competitive advantage maintained by dominant phone companies--such as the regional Bells--which control most local directory listings. The FCC instructed the Bells and other dominant local phone carriers to make directory listings available at reasonable rates to rival phone companies or independent contractors that then provide directory assistance to traditional land-line or even wireless carriers.