NEWSReport No. CC 95-20                 COMMON CARRIER ACTION March 16, 1995

                COMMON CARRIER BUREAU GRANTS USTA REQUEST
                     FOR LEC PRICE CAP FILING WAIVER
                                    

     The Common Carrier Bureau granted a waiver request filed by the United States
Telephone Association (USTA) asking for a postponement in the filing deadline for access
tariffs by telephone companies that operate under the Commission's price cap system.  The
Bureau ruled that price cap companies would have until 30 days following the release date of
the Commission's Report and Order in the LEC Price Cap Performance Review before they
would have to file their 1995 annual access tariffs.  The Bureau also found that in order to
allow adequate time for all interested parties and the Commission staff to review the access
tariffs, the scheduled effective date of such tariffs will be delayed from July 1 to August 1. 

     The Bureau found that if local exchange companies (LEC) subject to price cap
regulation were to file annual access tariffs by March 31, such filings might need to be
substantially revised to reflect rule changes that the Commission may adopt in the pending
LEC Price Cap Performance Review proceeding.  The Commission implemented price cap
regulation for the largest telephone companies in 1990.  At that time, the Commission
committed to this fourth year review of the price cap program.

     The Bureau emphasized that neither of the actions taken in this Order, extending the
filing deadline for the 1995 access filings and the tariffs' effective date, applies to LECs not
subject to price cap regulation.  As those carriers' access tariffs will not be affected by the
Commission's Report and Order in the LEC Price Cap Performance Review proceeding, they
must file their tariffs on at least 90 days notice with a scheduled effective date of July 1.

     Action by the Chief, Common Carrier Bureau, March 15, 1995, by Memorandum,
Opinion and Order (DA 95-494).

  -FCC-

News media contact:  Susan Lewis Sallet at (202) 418-1500.
Common Carrier Bureau contact:  Dan Abeyta at (202) 418-1530.