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The Supreme Court will weigh the 1999 Child Online Protection Act's 'community standards' test, which a federal appeals court in Philadelphia ruled imposes 'an impermissible burden' on protected speech. The law makes it unlawful to post material considered 'harmful to minors' on the Web unless a genuine effort is made to keep it out of reach of children under 17.

The FCC permitted Telefonos de Mexico (Telmex) to begin US operations on Jan 1, 1999, through its joint venture with long-distance carrier Sprint. The venture will bolster competition on the US-Mexico route as well as lower rates for US customers, according to FCC Chmn William Kennard. AT&T and MCI objected to the FCC approval, arguing that Telmex can capitalize on rules in Mexico. An AT&T statement said Mexico denied US telephone companies the right to resell service from Mexico to the US. Another AT&T charge said Mexico was violating its commitments to the World Trade Organization, but the Mexican government is rejecting the allegation. Kennard raised concern about two aspects of the US-Mexico route. One concern focused on an extended lack of progress on lowering settlement rates on the US-Mexico route, and the other centered on anticompetitive charges against Telmex.