Welcome to the homepage for the Competition Policy Division of the FCC's Wireline Competition Bureau. Our primary mission is to foster competition in the provision of communications services through market-opening rulemaking and other proceedings that affect wireline telecommunications service providers and consumers. The division is responsible for implementation of non-pricing aspects of the local competition requirements of the Telecommunications Act of 1996, including interconnection, network element unbundling and privacy. The division also administers U.S. numbering policy (including local number portability), and reviews applications from wireline carriers for mergers and other transfers of control, and discontinuance of service.