*Pages 1--2 from Microsoft Word - 13678.doc* PUBLIC NOTICE Federal Communications Commission 445 12th St., S. W. Washington, D. C. 20554 DA 01- 2983 December 20, 2001 COMMENTS INVITED ON TALK AMERICA INC. AND THE OTHER PHONE COMPANY, INC. d/ b/ a ACCESS ONE COMMUNICATIONS JOINT APPLICATION TO DISCONTINUE DOMESTIC TELECOMMUNICATIONS SERVICES NSD File No. W- P- D- 539 Comments Due: January 4, 2002 Section 214 Application Applicants: Talk America Inc. and The Other Phone Company, Inc. d/ b/ a Access One Communications On November 26, 2001, Talk America Inc. (Talk America) and The Other Phone Company, Inc. d/ b/ a Access One Communications (Access One) (collectively Applicants), both located at 12020 Sunrise Valley Drive, Suite 250, Reston, VA 20191, joint ly filed an applicat ion wit h the Federal Communicat ions Commission (FCC or Commission), requesting authority under section 214( a) of the Communications Act of 1934, 47 U. S. C. § 214( a), and section 63.71 of the Commission's rules, 47 C. F. R. § 63.71, to discontinue its domestic telecommunications services. Applicant s seek aut horit y to discont inue providing cert ain domest ic t elecommunicat ions services to its approximately one thousand thirty- eight (1, 038) small and medium- sized businesses customers in the state of Florida. The application states that Applicants are each wholly- owned operating subsidiaries of Talk America Holdings, Inc., and both entities are certificated in Florida to provide local and interexchange telecommunications services. Applicants explain that they provide service under a resale service agreement with Sprint-Florida, Inc. (Sprint). Applicants state that they have notified in writing all affected customers of the impending discontinuance of service and have informed the affected customers that they should select an alternative provider for the provision of these services. According to the application, notice with the Commission’s required language 1 was sent to customers on or 1 See 47 C. F. R. § 63.71( a)( 5)( i). News media information 202 / 418- 0500 Fax- On- Demand 202 / 418- 2830 Internet: http:// www. fcc. gov TTY 202 / 418- 2555 1 about November 20, 2001. In accordance with 47 C. F. R. § 63.71( c), the application will be deemed to be automatically granted on the thirty- first (31 st ) day after the release date of this notice, unless the Commission has notified Applicant that the grant will not be automatically effective. The FCC will normally authorize proposed discontinuances of service unless it is shown that customers or other end users would be unable to receive service or a reasonable substitute from another carrier, or that the public convenience and necessity is otherwise adversely affected. This proceeding is considered a "permit but disclose" proceeding for purposes of the Commission's ex parte rules. 2 Comment s object ing t o this applicat ion must be filed wit h the Commission by January 4, 2002. Such comments should refer to application file number W-P- D- 539. Comments should include specific information about the impact of this proposed discont inuance on t he comment er, including any inabilit y to acquire reasonable subst it ut e service. Comments should be sent to the Office of the Secretary, Federal Communications Commission, 445 12 th Street, SW, Room TW- A325, Washington, DC 20554. Two (2) copies of the comments should also be sent to the Network Services Division, Common Carrier Bureau, Federal Communications Commission, 445 12 th Street, SW, Room 6- A207, Washington, DC 20554, Attention: Carmell Weathers. Comments should also be served upon Applicant. The application will be available for review and copying during regular business hours at the FCC Reference Center, Portals II, 445 12 th Street, SW, Room CY- A257, Washington, DC 20554, (202) 418- 0270. A copy of the application may also be purchased from the Commission’s copy contractor, Qualex International, Portals II, 445 12 th Street, SW, Room CY- B402, Washington, DC, 20554, telephone 202- 863- 2893, facsimile 202- 863- 2898, or via e- mail at qualexint@ aol. com. For further information, contact Carmell Weathers, (202) 418- 2325 (voice), cweather@ fcc. gov, or Jon Minkoff (202) 418- 2353 (voice), jminkoff@ fcc. gov, of the Network Services Division, Common Carrier Bureau. The TTY number is (202) 418- 0484. For further information on procedures regarding Section 214 please visit the Network Services Division web site at: http:// www. fcc. gov/ ccb/ nsd/ documents/ 214.html. -FEDERAL COMMUNICATIONS COMMISSION- 2 See generally 47 C. F. R. §§ 1.1200 - 1.1216. 2