30th Anniversary of the Telecommunications Act of 1996: What Did We Learn?
Date and Time: Tuesday, March 17, 2026 | 12:00 PM to 3:00 PM Eastern Time | 11:00 AM to 2:00 PM Central Time
Webinar Host: Federal Communications Commission (FCC).
Registration is not necessary.
Use this link to Join the Webinar on March 17th.
Description: You are invited to celebrate the 30th anniversary of the Telecommunications Act of 1996 by joining this free online event. The Telecommunications Act of 1996 contributed significantly to improved lives for people with disabilities with specific accessibility mandates for video programming and telephone equipment and services.
Congressional passage of the Telecommunications Act of 1996 and the subsequent FCC implementation was the last major effort by the federal government to construct a new regulatory framework for the technology, media, and telecommunications sector. Those actions drove competition, innovation, and investment into faster, better, and cheaper technology to increase economic growth and expand connectivity for consumers. At a moment when innovation is accelerating at an ever-increasing pace, the critical issues regulators currently face include artificial intelligence, media, competition, convergence, access, and cybersecurity.
FCC Commissioner Anna M. Gomez will host panel conversations featuring communications and technology policy experts that lived through the creation and implementation of the Telecommunications Act of 1996. The purpose of these panels is to consider how the lessons from 30 years ago can be used to drive innovation and competition for the benefit of consumers today.
- Panel 1: The Legislative Process That Led to the Act
- Panel 2: FCC Implementation of the Act
- Panel 3: Today’s Challenges
Accessibility: This webinar will be sign language interpreted and captioned. Other reasonable accommodations for people with disabilities are available upon request. E-mail your request to FCC504@fcc.gov, or call 202-418-0530.
Web: fcc.gov/news-events/events/2026/03/30th-anniversary-96-act-webinar-what-did-we-learn
English