[4] In the 19th century cross-border communication was facilitated by the development of the telegraph and Morse code.
Communications laws regulate the activities of a communications service provider and the use of public resources for the deployment of communications facilities and services[5] in the following broad areas: Rules for spectrum management governing who may make transmissions over the public airwaves and under what conditions;[6] Assignment of blocks of radio frequency for government, private, public, or commercial use by allocation or spectrum auction.
[7] Rules governing relationships between various communications industries and market participants designed to ensure the steady flow of communications and prevent market failures; Includes rules governing broadcast signal must-carry[8] and retransmission consent,[9] the interconnection of telecommunications facilities,[10] wireless network roaming, intercarrier compensation,[11] cable program access and carriage,[12] net neutrality,[13][14] and utility pole attachments.
[15] Rules prohibiting broadcast obscenity[16] and limiting the commercial content of children's programming; Rules to ensure media coverage of local events and to preserve diversity of viewpoints by preventing too much concentration of media ownership in local markets.
[17] Rules designed to ensure communications markets are open to new entrants;[18] Includes regulations limiting state and local authority to charge excessive fees or deny access to the public right-of-way (transportation) for deploying communications facilities.