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 PUBLIC  NOTICE  Federal  Communications  Commission  445  12th  St.,  S.  W.  Washington,  D.  C.  20554 
 DA  01-  501 
 February  23,  2001 


 COMMON  CARRIER  BUREAU  GRANTS  MOTION  FOR  LIMITED  EXTENSION  OF 
 TIME  FOR  FILING  COMMENTS  AND  REPLY  COMMENTS  ON  THE  USE  OF 
 UNBUNDLED  NETWORK  ELEMENTS  TO  PROVIDE  EXCHANGE  ACCESS 
 SERVICE 


 CC  Docket  No.  96-  98 
 Revised  Filing  Dates: 
 Comments  Due:  April  5,  2001 
 Reply  Comments  Due:  April  30,  2001 


 On  January  24,  2001,  the  Common  Carrier  Bureau  released  a  Public  Notice  in  CC  Docket 
 No.  96-  98  inviting  comment  on  issues  raised  in  conjunction  with  the  use  of  unbundled  network 
 elements  to  provide  exchange  access  service.  1  Based  on  publication  of  the  Public  Notice  in  the 
 Federal  Register,  parties  were  required  to  file  comments  on  March  5,  2001  and  reply  comments 
 on  March  19,  2001.  2  On  February  22,  2001,  BellSouth,  SBC,  Qwest  and  Verizon  (“  Movants”) 
 filed  a  motion  to  extend  the  dates  for  filing  comments  and  reply  comments  in  the  Public  Notice.  3 
 In  its  pleading,  the  Movants  request  an  extension  of  time  until  April  5,  2001  to  file  comments  and 
 April  30,  2001  to  file  reply  comments  in  order  to  submit  joint  factual  data  and  economic  analysis 
 addressing  alternatives  to  incumbent  facilities  and  the  degree  to  which  carriers  are  using  those 
 alternatives.  4  They  state  that  an  extension  is  necessary  to  account  for  substantial  market 
 developments  over  the  last  year,  and  that  an  extension  will  speed  resolution  of  this  proceeding  by 
 avoiding  piecemeal  submissions  of  data  and  arguments.  5 


 It  is  the  policy  of  the  Commission  that  extensions  of  time  are  not  routinely  granted.  6  In 
 this  instance,  however,  the  Bureau  finds  that  the  Movants  have  shown  good  cause  for  an 
 extension  of  the  deadline  for  filing  comments  and  reply  comments  in  this  proceeding.  Because  of 
 the  complexity  of  the  issues  and  the  Commission’s  desire  to  obtain  accurate  data,  we  grant  a 
 limited  extension  so  that  parties  may  file  comments  on  April  5,  2001  and  reply  comments  on  April 


 1  Comments  Sought  on  the  Use  of  Unbundled  Network  Elements  to  Provide  Exchange  Access  Service,  CC  Docket  No.  96-  98, 
 Public  Notice,  DA  01-  169  (rel.  Jan.  24,  2001).  2 
 66  FR  8555  (Feb.  1,  2001).  3 
 Implementation  of  the  Local  Competition  Provisions  of  the  Telecommunications  Act  of  1996,  CC  Docket  No.  96-  98,  Motion 
 for  Modification  of  Comment  Schedule  (filed  Feb.  22,  2001).  4 
 Id.  at  1-  2.  5 
 Id.  at  2-  3.  6 
 47  C.  F.  R.  §  1.46(  a). 


 News  media  information  202  /  418-  0500 
 Fax-  On-  Demand  202  /  418-  2830 
 TTY  202  /  418-  2555 
 Internet:  http://  www.  fcc.  gov 
 ftp.  fcc.  gov 
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 30,  2001.  This  extension  should  allow  parties  to  gather  and  analyze  the  necessary  data  and  also 
 allow  parties  adequate  time  to  reply  to  the  analyses.  This  matter  shall  continue  to  be  treated  as  a 
 “permit-  but-  disclose”  proceeding  in  accordance  with  the  Commission’s  ex  parte  rules.  7  All  other 
 requirements  discussed  in  the  January  24,  2001  Public  Notice  remain  in  effect. 


 For  further  information,  please  contact  Jodie  Donovan-  May  or  Tom  Navin,  Common 
 Bureau  Policy  and  Program  Planning  Division,  202-  418-  1580. 


 -  FCC  - 


 7  47  C.  F.  R.  §§  1.1206. 
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