<p>IN the most important telecommunications ruling in years, a three member majority of the Federal Communications Commission made a sort of Sophie's Choice this week.</p>
<p>To the delight of long-distance phone companies and to the dismay of the Baby Bells, it voted to largely preserve rules that promote local telephone competition; but it sold out budding rivals to the Bells in the fast growing market for high-speed Internet service, virtually ensuring fewer choices and higher prices.</p>