FCC has agreed to consider “one-stop shopping.”

The Federal Communications Commission will consider allowing local telephone companies to return to selling telephones and telephone services as a package. The telephone companies argue that customers prefer “one-stop shopping”--being able to order phone equipment when they sign up for service. As proposed, the rules would require service and equipment to be priced separately so a customer could decide whether it is cheaper to buy phones from someone other than the local phone company.