PUBLIC NOTICE FEDERAL COMMUNICATIONS COMMISSION 1919 M STREET N.W. WASHINGTON, D.C. 20554 News media information 202/418-0500 Fax-On-Demand 202/418-2830 Internet: http://www.fcc.gov ftp.fcc.gov TTYs-Network Services 202/418-0484 and Informal Complaints 202/418-0485 DA 98-849 PLEADING CYCLE ESTABLISHED FOR COMMENTS ON SPRINT'S PETITION FOR DECLARATORY RULING REGARDING AMERITECH RFP PRACTICES CC DOCKET NO. 98-62 Released: May 5, 1998 On April 28, 1998, Sprint Communications Company, L.P. (Sprint) filed a petition for a declaratory ruling that certain conduct by Ameritech violates the interLATA restriction of section 271 and the equal access and nondiscrimination obligations of section 251(g) of the Communications Act. Sprint states that Ameritech recently issued a Request for Proposal (RFP) seeking bids from providers of interLATA services for the stated purpose "to team with Ameritech." According to Sprint, the teaming arrangement contemplates a relationship whereby Ameritech and an interexchange carrier (IXC) selected by Ameritech will make "joint offers" to residential and business customers. Sprint states that the relationship described by the RFP assigns to Ameritech all significant aspects of the marketing, provisioning, and servicing of both intraLATA and interLATA services, and relegates to the IXC little more than interLATA transmission. Sprint asks the Commission to declare that the practices reflected in the RFP violate sections 271 and 251(g) of the Act and to order Ameritech to cease and desist from further such conduct. Interested parties are to file an original and 12 copies of their comments on the Sprint petition no later than June 4, 1998, with the Secretary, FCC, 1919 M Street, N.W., Washington, D.C. 20554. An original and 12 copies of all reply comments are to be filed with the Secretary, FCC no later than June 19, 1998. All pleadings are to reference CC Docket No. 98-62. An additional copy of all pleadings must also be sent to Janice M. 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, International Transcription Services, Inc. (ITS, Inc.), 1231 20th Street, N.W., Washington, DC 20036. The Sprint petition is available for inspection and copying during normal business hours in the FCC's Reference Center, Room 239, 1919 M Street, N.W., Washington, D.C. 20554. Copies also can be obtained from ITS at 1231 20th Street, N.W., Washington, DC 20036, or by calling ITS at (202)-857-3800 or faxing ITS at 202-857-3805. Parties are strongly encouraged to submit diskettes containing their comments and their reply comments. The diskettes will be used to post parties' comments and replies on the Internet. These diskette submissions are in addition to, and not a substitute for, the formal filing requirements. Parties submitting diskettes should submit them to Janice Myles of the Common Carrier Bureau, 1919 M Street, N.W., Room 544, Washington, D.C., 20554. Diskette submissions should be on a 3.5 inch diskette formatted in an IBM compatible form using WordPerfect 5.1 for Windows software. The diskette should be submitted in "read only" mode. The diskette should be clearly labeled with the party's name, the name and docket number of the proceeding, the type of pleading (comments or reply comments), the date of submission, and the file name with the "*.wp" extension. The diskette should be accompanied by a cover letter. We will treat this proceeding as permit, but disclose for purposes of the Commission's ex parte rules. See generally 47 C.F.R.  1.1200-1.1216. Parties making oral ex parte presentations are reminded that memoranda summarizing the presentation must contain a summary of the substance of the presentation and not merely a listing of the subjects discussed. More than a one or two sentence description of the views and arguments presented is generally required. See 47 C.F.R.  1.1206(b)(2), as revised. Other rules pertaining to oral and written presentations are set forth in section 1.1206(b) as well. Interested parties are to file with the Commission Secretary copies of any written ex parte presentations or summaries of oral ex parte presentations in these proceedings in the manner specified above. Janice Myles and ITS should be served with copies as well. We also require all written ex parte presentations or summaries of oral ex parte presentations in this proceeding to be served on all parties to the proceeding. - FCC - $// PN, Sprint's Pet. for Declaratory Ruling DA 98-849, CC 98-62 //$ $/ 47 U.S.C.  251(g) /$