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PUBLIC NOTICE
FEDERAL COMMUNICATIONS COMMISSION
1919 M STREET, N.W.
WASHINGTON, D.C. 20554                               DA 99-445   

News media information 202/418-0500     Fax-On-Demand  202/418-2830    TTY 202/418-0484 202/4180485  Internet:  http://www.fcc.gov  ftp.fcc.gov


                                          Released: March 3, 1999

Bell Atlantic Petitions Commission for Permission to Establish New Rate Elements
                  to Offer SONET-Based Services


                    Pleading Cycle Established

                        CCB/CPD No. 99-4


COMMENTS:  March 10, 1999

     On February 25, 1999, Bell Atlantic filed a petition requesting permission for the New York Telephone
Company and New England Telephone Company to implement new switched access rate elements necessary
to provide new Synchronous Optical Network (SONET) based services.  Bell Atlantic states that its proposed
rate elements are patterned after certain rate elements that the pre-merger Bell Atlantic telephone companies
had proposed and which the Commission approved.  

     Bell Atlantic asserts that the pre-merger Bell Atlantic telephone companies previously filed a petition
for expedited waiver of Part 69.110, 69.111, and 69.112 of the Commission's rules, 47 C.F.R.  69.110,
69.111, and 69.112, to establish switched access versions of its IntelliLight Custom SONET Ring (ICRS),
IntelliLight Dual Wire Center (IDWC) and SONET Access Loop Termination (SALT) special access services. 
Bell Atlantic states that the petition was approved, along with similar requests from other carriers and that,
pursuant to the Third Report and Order in CC Docket No. 96-262, after an incumbent local exchange carrier
(LEC) has satisfied the public interest requirement for establishing new rate elements for a new switched access
service and the original petition did not rely on a competitive showing, other incumbent price cap LECs can
introduce identical new services and their petitions will be reviewed within 10 days.  Bell Atlantic therefore
requests permission to implement in the former NYNEX states new rate elements, which it claims are identical
to those approved for the pre-merger Bell Atlantic telephone companies.  

     This matter shall be treated as a "permit-but-disclose" proceeding in accordance with the Commission's
ex parte rules.  See 47 C.F.R.  1.1200, 1.1206.  Persons making oral ex parte presentations are reminded
that memoranda summarizing the presentations must contain summaries of the substance of the presentations
and not merely a listing of the subjects discussed.  More than one or two sentence descriptions of the views and
arguments presented is generally required.  See 47 C.F.R.  1.1206(b).  Other rules pertaining to oral and
written ex parte presentations in permit-but-disclose proceedings are set forth in Section 1.1206(b) of the
Commission's rules, 47 C.F.R.  1.1206(b).  

     Interested parties may file comments on Bell Atlantic's petition no later than March 10, 1999.  When
filing comments, please reference the internal file number:  CCB/CPD 99-4.

     An original and four copies of all comments must be filed with the Commission's Secretary, Magalie
Roman Salas, Office of the Secretary, Federal Communications Commission, 445 - 12th Street, S.W., TW-
A325, Washington, D.C. 20554.  In addition, one copy of each pleading must be filed with the Commission's
duplicating contractor, International Transcription Services (ITS), 1231 - 20th Street, N.W., Washington, D.C.
20336 and one copy with the Chief, Competitive Pricing Division, Room 518, 1919 M Street, N.W.,
Washington, D.C. 20554.

     For further information, contact Renee Terry, Competitive Pricing Division, Common Carrier Bureau,
(202) 418-1530.

                             - FCC -