NEWS                                                      
October 18, 1996

               FCC RELEASES REPORT ON LONG DISTANCE CARRIER
                             CODE ASSIGNMENTS


     The FCC has released the latest available information on
Carrier Identification Codes,
500 service, 555 line number assignments, toll-free 800 and 888
service, and 900 service as of
June 30, 1996.  

     This  information is used within the telephone industry for
a variety of purposes.  Carrier
identification codes are used within the telephone industry for
routing calls as well as for
accounting and billing records.  They are also used by customers
to reach alternative carriers
and by corporations to employ least-cost routing techniques.  The
codes assigned for 500 and
900 services identify carriers and are used by local telephone
companies to direct calls to the
service provider.  Both residential and business customers
frequently seek information about
these codes to identify particular carriers.
 
     The report is available for reference in the Common Carrier
Bureau's Public Reference
Room, 2000 M Street N.W., Room 575.  Copies may be purchased by
calling International
Transcription Services, Inc. (ITS) at (202) 857-3800.  The report
can also be downloaded [file
name LDC2Q96.ZIP] from the FCC-State Link internet site, which
can be reached via 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
system at (202) 418-0241.



                                  - FCC -


     For further information, contact Katie Rangos at (202)
418-0940.