I am here to report that we have embraced this complex and difficult responsibility, and that, in spite of delays caused by litigation, significant progress is being made. Clearly, a lot of progress has been made, though I do not come here to announce my satisfaction with the pace of competition. The pace of competition in local markets should accelerate. I would like to discuss with you today some possible strategies for speeding competition's pace. The goal of the 1996 Act is to open telecommunications markets to competition.
Consumers deserve to have a real choice among carriers.
This means we have to eliminate barriers that discourage entry by new competitors, and eliminate barriers that discourage subscribers from switching between carriers. Common sense tells us that competition is only truly working where real consumer choice is present and where the consumer is able to exercise certain fundamental rights. Consumers must be able to move seamlessly, without obstruction or delay, from one provider to another. Consumers must be able to move without changing their phone numbers. Consumers must not be forced to dial extra digits simply because they choose a competitive carrier rather than an incumbent one. 5.