NEWSReport No. WT 96-9    WIRELESS TELECOM ACTION            April 17, 1996

                 WIRELESS TELECOMMUNICATIONS BUREAU GRANTS
                REQUEST OF U S WEST COMMUNICATIONS, INC.
                 FOR A LIMITED WAIVER OF SECTION 22.903
                        OF THE COMMISSION'S RULES
                                     
     The Acting Chief, Wireless Telecommunications Bureau, today granted the request
filed by U S WEST Communications, Inc. for a limited waiver of Section 22.903 of the
Commission's rules.  U S WEST requested that the Commission waive any requirement in
Section 22.903 that would prohibit it from providing cellular service to customers in U S
WEST's local exchange service area awaiting the installation of landline telephone service,
 so-called "held order customers."

     Section 22.903 of the Commission's rules governs the conditions under which Bell
Operating Companies (BOCs) may provide cellular service and requires that such service be
rendered through independently operating separate affiliates.  U S WEST sought a waiver of
this restriction to provide temporary cellular service, acquired by U S WEST through a
request-for-purchase (RFP) process, directly to its held order customers.  Requests for waivers
of the cellular rules must comply with Section 22.119, which permits a waiver if, among
other things, there exist unique or unusual factual circumstances and application of the rule
would be inequitable, unduly burdensome or contrary to the public interest.  The Wireless
Telecommunications Bureau found that such circumstances did exist with regard to the
situation of U S WEST's held order customers and that the public interest would be served if
Section 22.903 were waived so that these customers could gain access to the public switched
network.

     U S WEST's waiver request was thus granted for the limited purpose of ensuring that
telephone subscribers have access to the public switched network.  U S WEST is required to
amend its Cost Allocation Manual to account for the costs of its held order program as
"below the line."  This waiver is limited in duration to one year from the date of its release,
and conditioned on U S WEST's compliance with reporting requirements regarding the
number of customers participating in the held order program.

     Action by the Chief, Wireless Telecommunications Bureau, April 17, 1996, by Order
(DA-96-605).
                                  - FCC -

     News Media contact: Kara Palamaras at (202) 418-00654.
     Wireless Telecommunications Bureau contact: David Nall at (202) 418-0620.