In the United States, a Federal Communications Commission (FCC) inquiry (1971) that drew a firm line between data processing services and data communications services.The FCC determined that it would continue to regulate data communications services in order to avoid the possibility of AT&T's subsidizing profit-making competitive activities with revenues from regulated telephone company activities. In the 1956 Consent Decree, AT&T had agreed to refrain from offering data processing services even through a separate subsidiary. See also Consent Decree, FCC, and Second Computer Inquiry.