Public Notice, DA 08-2827

DA 08-2827

Release Date: December 31, 2008

WIRELINE COMPETITION BUREAU APPROVES COMPLIANCE PLANS

WC Docket Nos. 07-21, 07-204, 07-273

By the Chief, Wireline Competition Bureau:

On April 24, 2008, the Commission conditionally granted AT&T’s and BellSouth’s (collectively,

AT&T) petitions for forbearance from section 220(a)(2) of the Communications Act of 1934, as amended,

and various rules.1 The grant was expressly conditioned on, among other things, Wireline Competition

Bureau (Bureau) approval of a compliance plan to be filed by AT&T “describing in detail how it will

continue to fulfill its statutory and regulatory obligations, including sections 272(e)(3) and 254(k), and the

conditions of [the AT&T Cost Assignment Forbearance Order].”2 On September 6, 2008, the Commission

extended the same relief, subject to the same conditions, to Verizon and Qwest.3 On December 12, 2008,

the Commission granted AT&T, Verizon and Qwest forbearance from the obligation to file Automated

Reporting Management Information System (ARMIS) Reports 43-01, 43-02, and 43-03, subject to the

condition, among others, that the carriers obtain approval of the compliance plans required by the AT&T

Cost Assignment Forbearance Order and Verizon/Qwest Cost Assignment Forbearance Order.4 After

review of the compliance plans filed by AT&T, Verizon and Qwest, and the record of this proceeding, the

Bureau approves the three plans effective immediately. We now find that AT&T, Verizon and Qwest have satisfied the condition that they obtain Bureau approval of compliance plans describing in detail how they will continue to fulfill their statutory and regulatory obligations.

- FCC -

1 Petition of AT&T Inc. for Forbearance under 47 U.S.C. § 160 from Enforcement of Certain of the Commission’s

Cost Assignment Rules, WC Docket Nos. 07-21, 05-342, Memorandum Opinion and Order, 23 FCC Rcd 7302

(2008) (AT&T Cost Assignment Forbearance Order), pet. for recon. pending, pet. for review pending, NASUCA v.

FCC, Case No. 08-1226 (D.C. Cir. filed June 23, 2008).

2 AT&T Cost Assignment Forbearance Order, 23 FCC Rcd at 7319-20, para. 31.

3 Service Quality, Customer Satisfaction, Infrastructure and Operating Data Gathering, WC Docket Nos. 08-

190, 07-139, 07-204, 07-273, 07-21, Memorandum Opinion and Order and Notice of Proposed Rulemaking, 23

FCC Rcd 13647 (2008) (Verizon/Qwest Cost Assignment Forbearance Order), pet. for recon. pending, pet. for

review pending, NASUCA v. FCC, Case No. 08-1353 (D.C. Cir. filed Nov. 4, 2008).

4 See Petition of Qwest Corporation for Forbearance from Enforcement of the Commission’s ARMIS and 492A

Reporting Requirements Pursuant to 47 U.S.C. § 160(c); Petition of Verizon for Forbearance Under 47 U.S.C.

§ 160(c) From Enforcement of Certain of the Commission’s Recordkeeping and Reporting Requirements, WC

Docket Nos. 07-204, 07-273, Memorandum Opinion and Order, FCC 08-271 (rel. Dec. 12, 2008) (ARMIS

Financial Reporting Forbearance Order).

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