1 PUBLIC NOTICE FEDERAL COMMUNICATIONS COMMISSION 445 12th Street, SW WASHINGTON, DC 20554 News Media Information (202) 418-0500 Fax-On-Demand 202/418-2830 Internet http://www.fcc.gov TTY: 202/418-2555 DA 00-507 March 6, 2000 GTE DISCONTINUANCE OF INTERSTATE SERVICES IN ALASKA - INITIAL APPLICATION NOT GRANTED AUTOMATICALLY - COMMENTS INVITED ON AMENDED APPLICATION GTE DISCONTINUANCE OF INTERSTATE SERVICES IN IOWA AND MISSOURI - APPLICATIONS GRANTED, COMMENTS NOTED NSD File Nos. Iowa - W-P-D-446 Missouri - W-P-D 447 Alaska - W-P-D 449 On December 28, 1999, GTE Midwest Incorporated and GTE Alaska Incorporated ("GTE") filed applications requesting authority under section 214(a) of the Communications Act of 1934, 47 U.S.C.  214(a), and section 63.71 of the Federal Communications Commission's rules, 47 C.F.R.  63.71, to discontinue providing interstate services in Iowa, Missouri, and Alaska. The planned discontinuances would occur no earlier than March 31, 2000 in Iowa and May 31, 2000 in Missouri and Alaska. The discontinuances relate to GTE's sale of its exchanges to other carriers in Iowa serving approximately 280,400 access lines; in Missouri serving approximately 116,100 access lines; and in Alaska serving 20,500 access lines. GTE states that purchasers will begin to provide service to affected customers simultaneously with the discontinuance of service by GTE, so that service will continue in the exchanges without interruption. Customers will see no changes in area codes, telephone numbers or local calling areas. GTE states that the sale will have no known immediate or substantial adverse effect on the service provided to customers in these exchanges. Public Notices of the applications were released on January 7, 1999. In accordance with 47 C.F.R. Section 63.71(c), such applications are automatically granted on the 60th day after the release date of the public notice, without any Commission action, unless the Commission has notified the applicant that the grant will not be effective automatically. The Commission normally authorizes proposed discontinuances of service unless it is shown that customers would be unable to receive service or a reasonable substitute from another carrier or that the public convenience and necessity otherwise is adversely affected. Iowa and Missouri. One comment was received in NSD File No. W-P-D-446 objecting to the local long distance service and charges provided by the purchaser, Iowa Telecommunications Services, Inc. (Comment of Gary Grozier, dated January 21, 2000). Two comments were received in NSD File No. W-P-D-447, opposing the sale of GTE's local service to Spectra in Missouri, stating there are no other service providers to choose from (Comment of P. G. Taylor, dated January 11, 2000) and questioning whether the same quality of service will be received (Comment of Norman Bentley, dated January 31, 2000). GTE has submitted responses to these comments indicating that the matters are subject to state jurisdiction rather than this Commission's authority and are being consider by the Iowa Department of Commerce Utilities Board in Docket No. SPU-99-29 and by the Missouri Public Service Commission in Case No. TM-2000-182. Accordingly, this Public Notice does not affect the grant of these applications. Alaska. One comment was received in NSD File No. W-P-D-449 from the Regulatory Commission of Alaska (RCA), requesting that approval of the application be conditioned upon "a) RCA approval of the associated intrastate applications of U-99-107, U-99-119 through U-99- 123 and b) full transfer of the service responsibility of ownership to the companies (none of which are ATEAC) ultimately proposing to take over control of each exchange involved in the sales." RCA states. "It could easily disrupt the public interest and utility operations in Alaska for GTE-AK to prematurely discontinue interstate services when GTE-AK has yet to obtain all necessary approvals to allow full sale and transfer of the GTE-AK assets to occur." (Comment of G. Nanette Thompson, Chair, dated January 29, 2000.) On February 29, 2000, GTE filed an amendment of its application to discontinue the services in Alaska, to make the discontinuance contingent upon approval by the RCA, expressing no objection to the RCA request. GTE submitted a copy of its amendment to the Secretary of Defense, the Governor of Alaska, and the Regulatory Commission of Alaska. Accordingly, by this Public Notice, GTE is notified that its initial application to discontinue providing interstate services effective with the sale of the Alaska local exchange properties will not be granted automatically but that its amended application is accepted and will be automatically granted on the 60th day after the release date of this public notice, without any Commission action, unless the Commission has notified the applicant that the grant will not be effective automatically. Comments objecting to this application must be filed with the Commission by April 6, 2000. It is requested that such comments refer to file number W-P-D-449. Comments should be sent to the Office of the Secretary, Federal Communications Commission, 445 12th Street, SW, Room TW-A325, Washington, DC 20554. Two copies of the comments should also be sent to the Network Services Division, 445 12th Street, SW, Room 6-A207, Washington, DC 20554. The application will be available for review and copying during regular business hours at the FCC Reference Center, Portals II, 445 12th Street, SW, Room CY-A257, Washington, DC 20554, (202) 418-0270. For further information, contact Marty Schwimmer, (202) 418-2320 (voice), mschwimm@fcc.gov, or Al McCloud, (202) 418-2499 (voice), amccloud@fcc.gov at the Network Services Division, Common Carrier Bureau. The TTY number is (202) 418-0484. -FEDERAL COMMUNICATIONS COMMISSION-