PUBLIC NOTICE
                                                                              
   Federal Communications Commission
   1919 M St., N.W.
   Washington, D.C. 20554

                                                                              
                                                                         
                                                                         
                                                                         
DA 96-72
                                                                         
             PLEADING CYCLE ESTABLISHED FOR COMMENTS ON SNET'S
           PETITION FOR DECLARATORY RULING THAT ANY INTERSTATE 
            NON-ACCESS SERVICE PROVIDED BY SNET BE SUBJECT TO 
                      NON-DOMINANT CARRIER REGULATION

                               CCBPol 96-03

Released:  January 25, 1996

On January 17, 1996, Southern New England Telecommunications Corporation
(SNET) filed a Petition for Declaratory Ruling seeking a ruling that SNET now may offer
interstate communications service (other than interstate access service) as a non-dominant
carrier through its local exchange company (LEC), rather than through a separate affiliate. 

SNET states that the current policy, under which the company must offer interstate
non-access service through an affiliate in order to obtain the benefits of non-dominant carrier
regulation, imposes substantial costs on SNET.  SNET states that federal and state regulatory
policies implemented in the last decade substantially reduce the ability of SNET's LEC to
leverage into the interstate non-access market any market power it has in the access market. 
SNET also claims that SNET's LEC now has no incentive to leverage such market power
because of the characteristics of the interestate non-access market.  SNET states that the
Commission should find that the rule requiring an affiliate in order to be subject to non-
dominant regulation no longer serves its intended purpose with respect to SNET. 

Interested parties are asked to file comments on SNET's petition for declaratory ruling
by February 26, 1996, and reply comments by March 12, 1996, with the Secretary, FCC,
1919 M Street, N.W., Washington, D.C.  20554.  A copy should also be sent to Janice
Myles, Common Carrier Bureau, FCC, Room 544, 1919 M Street, N.W., Washington, D.C.
20554, and to the Commission's contractor for public service records duplication: ITS, Inc.,
2100 M Street, N.W., Suite 140, Washington, D.C.  20037.   Parties filing comments in this
non-docketed proceeding should include the Policy Division internal reference number,
CCBPol 96-03 on their pleadings.  SNET's petition is available for inspection and copying
in the Industry Analysis Division reference room, Common Carrier Bureau, Room 533, 1919
M Street, N.W., Washington, D.C. 20554.  Copies can also be obtained from ITS at (202)
857-3800. 


We will continue to treat this proceeding as non-restricted for purposes of the
Commission's ex parte rules.  See generally 47 C.F.R.  1.1200-1.1216.  For further
information contact Janice M. Myles, Policy and Program Planning Division of the Common
Carrier Bureau, at (202) 418-1577.

                                  - FCC -
$// PN, SNET's Petition for Declaratory Ruling of DA 95-2476 //$
$/ 47 CFR 1.2 /$
"FOR RECORD ONLY"