NEWSReport No. DC 95-107 ACTION IN DOCKET CASE              
August 7, 1995


       COMMISSION FINALIZES TELEPHONE CONSUMER PROTECTION ACT
RULES
                           (CC DOCKET NO. 92-90)

     The Commission has finalized its rules implementing the
Telephone Consumer
Protection Act of 1991, balancing the need to protect consumers'
privacy with the fair
business practices of telemarketers.

     The Telephone Consumer Protection Act of 1991 (TCPA) placed
restrictions on
unwanted telephone solicitations, automatic telephone dialing
systems, artificial or
prerecorded voice messages, and the use of telephone facsimile
machines to send unsolicited
advertisements.  In 1992, the Commission adopted regulations to
implement TCPA.

     In the Reconsideration Order announced today, the Commission
resolved a number of
issues raised regarding the 1992 Order.  The Commission's actions
clarify certain critical
aspects of the regulations implementing TCPA and ensure that the
costs of privacy protection
are not borne by the residential subscriber.

Specifically, the Commission:

     o Clarified that telephone solicitations made by or on
behalf of tax-exempt nonprofit
       organizations are not subject to the rules governing
telephone solicitations.

     o Clarified that calls made by debt collection agencies are
exempt from these rules.

     o Required that do-not-call requests must be maintained for
10 years.

     o Clarified that telephone facsimile machines need not
contain a disabling device to
       prevent facsimile transmission without the required
identification.  Machines
       manufactured after the effective date of the rules need
only provide the capability
       to clearly mark identifying information of the user.  The
Commission also
       confirmed that facsimile computer modem boards (fax
boards) are subject to the
       same rules as  telephone facsimile machines.

     o Clarified that the entity on whose behalf a facsimile
message is transmitted is
       ultimately responsible for compliance with the rules
banning unsolicited facsimile
       advertisements.
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     Action by the Commission July 26, 1995, by Memorandum
Opinion and Order (FCC
95-310).  Chairman Hundt, Commissioners Quello, Barrett, Ness,
and Chong.

                                   -FCC-

     News Media contact: Susan Lewis Sallet at (202) 418-1500.
     Common Carrier Bureau contact: Scott Shefferman at (202)
418-2332.