AT & T Communications of Texas, L.P. v. Southwestern Bell Telephone Co.

For years, “Ma” Bell wielded her baby Bells’ monopoly control of local telephone exchanges to stifle competition in long-distance service. Now she complains that one of the offspring, since grown and moved out,1 is using that same power, still not dissipated by competition in local telephone service, against her. History cautions that her complaint may have substance. But the issue in this case is *519whether Texas regulatory law, legislatively molded to ease the transition to competitive telecommunications markets, provides a remedy.

We must first decide whether the Public Utility Regulatory Act…