<s>
Network	B-Architecture
convergence	I-Architecture
refers	O
to	O
the	O
provision	O
of	O
telephone	O
,	O
video	O
and	O
data	O
communication	O
services	O
within	O
a	O
single	O
network	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Network	B-Architecture
convergence	I-Architecture
is	O
primarily	O
driven	O
by	O
development	O
of	O
technology	O
and	O
demand	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
AT&T	O
and	O
Verizon	B-Application
are	O
among	O
the	O
many	O
service	O
providers	O
that	O
are	O
required	O
to	O
separate	O
their	O
IP	O
and	O
Transport	O
networks	O
into	O
two	O
different	O
ones	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
basic	O
type	O
of	O
network	B-Architecture
convergence	I-Architecture
is	O
the	O
combination	O
and	O
connection	O
across	O
platforms	O
and	O
networks	O
,	O
which	O
allows	O
several	O
types	O
of	O
networks	O
to	O
connect	O
within	O
certain	O
common	O
standards	O
and	O
protocols	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
second	O
type	O
is	O
the	O
convergence	O
of	O
telecommunication	O
service	O
,	O
which	O
allows	O
firms	O
to	O
use	O
a	O
single	O
network	O
to	O
provide	O
several	O
communication	O
services	O
that	O
traditionally	O
required	O
separate	O
networks	O
,	O
which	O
often	O
is	O
called	O
the	O
triple	B-Architecture
play	I-Architecture
or	O
quadruple	B-Device
play	I-Device
in	O
the	O
USA	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Network	B-Architecture
convergence	I-Architecture
in	O
the	O
US	O
is	O
facilitated	O
by	O
the	O
legal	O
and	O
regulatory	O
framework	O
put	O
into	O
place	O
by	O
Congress	O
and	O
the	O
Federal	O
Communications	O
Commission	O
(	O
FCC	O
)	O
and	O
driven	O
by	O
new	O
generations	O
of	O
telecommunication	O
technology	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
Telecommunications	O
Act	O
of	O
1996	O
is	O
a	O
fundamental	O
document	O
for	O
network	B-Architecture
convergence	I-Architecture
in	O
the	O
US	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Timeline	O
of	O
government	O
policy	O
to	O
accelerate	O
network	B-Architecture
convergence	I-Architecture
:	O
</s>
<s>
Verizon	B-Application
are	O
investing	O
more	O
than	O
$15	O
billion	O
to	O
upgrade	O
network	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Those	O
investments	O
are	O
giving	O
positive	O
results	O
:	O
Verizon	B-Application
's	O
recent	O
financial	O
reports	O
show	O
it	O
has	O
added	O
263,000	O
new	O
television	O
customers	O
and	O
262,000	O
net	O
new	O
Internet	O
customers	O
on	O
its	O
new	O
fiber	O
network	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Another	O
major	O
result	O
of	O
network	B-Architecture
convergence	I-Architecture
included	O
the	O
approval	O
of	O
mergers	O
and	O
acquisitions	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Mergers	O
reviewed	O
in	O
2000	O
included	O
Bell	O
Atlantic	O
–	O
GTE	O
,	O
which	O
became	O
;	O
jter	O
approval	O
;	O
Qwest	O
–	O
US	O
West	O
;	O
and	O
MCI	O
WorldCom	O
–	O
Sprint	O
,	O
which	O
was	O
withdrawn	O
;	O
Verizon	B-Application
–	O
NorthPoint	O
;	O
and	O
Verizon	B-Application
–	O
One	O
Point	O
.	O
</s>
