The Supreme Court says large telephone companies have to provide their competitors discounted access to their network.

The high court on Thursday unanimously ruled for Talk America, Inc. in its battle to make AT&T give it cost-based rates for using its entrance facilities into its network.

The 6th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals ruled incumbent telephone companies cannot be required to provide access to entrance facilities at a regulated rate for its competitors.

AT&T was trying to charge competitive rates for using its facility to get access to AT&T lines. Talk America argues that AT&T is required under the 1996 Telecommunication Act to provide discounted access to its entrance facilities.

The high court overturned the appeals court ruling.