Broadband's Impact

They Came Not to Bury, But to Praise the Telecom Act of 1996

The biggest failure, according to panelists? The continued digital divide

Broadband Breakfast

Jan 28, 2026 — 3 min read

President Bill Clinton, left, signing the 1996 Telecom Act as Vice President Al Gore looks on

WASHINGTON, Jan. 28, 2026 — Four telecommunications policy veterans celebrated much of the 1996 Telecom Act and its legacy during a Wednesday BroadbandLive event, but differed on whether it had helped or hindered America’s dynamic climate of tech and telecom innovation over three decades.

The Broadband Breakfast panelists were key individuals who helped draft, implement or analyze the sweeping overhaul of U.S. communications law.

The Act, which was signed into law by President Bill Clinton on February 8, 1996, had earned bipartisan support. Most panelists agreed the law succeeded in spurring competition and technological advancement.

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Broadband's Impact 1996 Telecom Act Bill Clinton Blair Levin 1992 Cable Act Reed Hundt Randolph May Larry Irving John Windhausen Congress AI

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