PUBLIC NOTICE
FEDERAL COMMUNICATIONS COMMISSION  
1919 M STREET, N.W.
WASHINGTON, D.C. 20554                                 DA 97-232

News media information 202/418-0500     Fax-On-Demand  202/418-2830     Internet:  http://www.fcc.gov    ftp.fcc.gov

    EAST PLAINS TELECOM, INC., FORT RANDALL TELEPHONE COMPANY,
   U S WEST COMMUNICATIONS, INC., AND VIVIAN TELEPHONE COMPANY,
FILED A JOINT PETITION FOR WAIVERS OF SECTIONS 69.3(E)(11), 69.3(I)(4) AND
THE DEFINITION OF "STUDY AREA" CONTAINED IN THE APPENDIX-GLOSSARY 
               OF PART 36 OF THE COMMISSION'S RULES
                            AAD 97-24
                                   
                                                Released:  February 3, 1997

Comment Date:  February 24, 1997
Reply Date:         March 6, 1997

     On January 23, 1997, East Plains Telecom, Inc. ("East Plains"), Fort Randall Telephone
Company ("Fort Randall"), U S WEST Communications, Inc. ("U S WEST"), and Vivian Telephone
Company ("Vivian") filed a joint petition for waiver of the definition of "Study Area" as set forth
in the Appendix-Glossary of Part 36 of the Commission's rules.  That definition constitutes a rule
freezing all study area boundaries, effective November 15, 1984.  U S WEST seeks to alter the
boundaries of its existing South Dakota study area as a result of selling eight telephone exchanges
(serving 4,053 access lines) to East Plains, Fort Randall, and Vivian.  East Plains proposes to add
one exchange to its planned study area.  Fort Randall and Vivian propose to add three and four
exchanges, respectively, to their existing study areas.  

     East Plains, Fort Randall, and Vivian also request waiver of Sections 69.3(e)(11) and
69.3(i)(4) of the rules, if necessary, so that they may continue to be issuing carriers in the National
Exchange Carrier Association ("NECA") tariffs, and continue to participate in all NECA pools as
of the date of the acquisition of the exchanges from U S WEST, rather than the effective date of the
next annual access tariff filing.  In an Order attached to the joint petition, the South Dakota Public
Utilities Commission states that it does not object to the changes in the study area boundaries caused
by transferring the eight exchanges from U S WEST to East Plains, Fort Randall, and Vivian.    

     Interested parties may file comments on the joint petition on or before February 24, 1997,
and reply comments on or before March 6, 1997, with the Secretary, Federal Communications
Commission, 1919 M Street, N.W., Room 222, Washington, D.C. 20554. Comments and reply
comments should reference AAD 97-24.  Four (4) copies should also be sent to Adrian Wright,
Competitive Safeguards Branch, Common Carrier Bureau, Room 257, 2000 L Street, N.W.,
Washington, D.C. 20554, and one (1) copy should be sent to the Commission's contractor for public
service record duplication: International Transcription Service (ITS), 2100 M Street, N.W., Suite
140, Washington, D.C. 20037.  Copies of the petition may be obtained from the Accounting and
Audits Division's public reference room, Room 812, 2000 L Street, N.W., Washington, D.C.  Copies
are also available from ITS at (202) 857-3800.

     We will treat this proceeding as non-restricted for purposes of the Commission's ex parterules.  See generally, 47 C.F.R.  1.1200-1.1206.  However, if this waiver petition is opposed, it
will be treated as a restricted proceeding under the Commission's ex parte rules.  See generally, 47
C.F.R.  1.1208-1.1216.  For further information contact Adrian Wright at (202) 418-0840.
                                 
                FEDERAL COMMUNICATIONS COMMISSION