NEWS



      COMMON CARRIER BUREAU RELEASES REPORT ON TELEPHONE LINES AND
                    OFFICES CONVERTED TO EQUAL ACCESS


     The Common Carrier Bureau has released a report entitled
Telephone Lines and Offices Converted To Equal Access.  The report
summarizes equal access conversion from 1984 until December 31,
1995.

     Equal access allows customers to place long distance calls
with the interexchange carrier of their choice without the need to 
first dial a special code having as many as 14 extra digits. 
Telephone customers subscribe to their carrier of choice and are
automatically connected to that carrier when they make a long
distance call.

     At the end of 1995, Bell Operating Companies had converted
99.9% of their lines to equal access.  Other companies had
converted 95.7% of their lines.  Overall, 98.9% of the nation's
lines have been converted to equal access.

     The report also contains historical information on the number
of lines converted to equal access since 1984.  In addition, there
is a table showing, by state, the local exchange carriers and their
lines with and without equal access for year ended December 31,
1995.

     The report is available for reference in the Common Carrier
Bureau Public Reference Room.  Copies may be purchased by calling
International Transcription Services, Inc. (ITS) at (202) 857-3800. 
The report can also be downloaded [file name EQACC-96.ZIP] from the
FCC-State Link internet site, which can be reached through a link
from the Common Carrier Bureau home page (http://www.fcc.gov/ccb.html)
on the World Wide Web.  The report can also be downloaded from the
FCC-State Link computer bulletin board (202) 418-0241.


 - FCC -


     For additional information, contact Katie Rangos of the Common
Carrier Bureau's Industry Analysis Division, (202) 418-0940.