*Pages 1--3 from Microsoft Word - 14245.doc* PUBLIC NOTICE Federal Communications Commission 445 12th St., S. W. Washington, D. C. 20554 DA 02- 122 January 15, 2002 COMMENTS INVITED ON BELLSOUTH TELECOMMUNICATIONS, INC. APPLICATION TO DISCONTINUE DOMESTIC TELECOMMUNICATIONS SERVICES NSD File No. W- P- D- 553 Comments Due: January 23, 2002 Section 214 Application Applicant: BellSouth Telecommunications, Inc. On December 21, 2001, BellSouth Telecommunications, Inc. (BellSouth or Applicant), located at 675 West Peachtree Street, Atlanta, GA 30375- 0001, filed an application with the Federal Communications 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 one of its domestic telecommunications services. The application indicates that BellSouth seeks to discontinue providing Local Number Port abilit y (LNP) Query Service – Out of Region. 1 According to the application, this service is available to N- 1 carriers for calls terminating to telephone numbers that are both assigned to the Numbering Plan Area Code- Central Office Code combination (NPA- NXXs), and assigned to a location outside of the area where BellSouth terminates local exchange traffic. Applicant states that it offers this service in competition with comparable services provided by other entities such as Illuminent and Southern New England Telephone (SNET). BellSouth explains that it has determined that there is insufficient market demand to justify the additional Service Control Point (SCP) maintenance expenses associated with the service. BellSouth states that consistent with its obligations under the Telecommunications Act of 1996, it will cont inue to provide LNP Database Services, including LNP Query Services, to N- 1 carriers for calls terminating to telephone numbers assigned to NPA- NXXs within the area where BellSouth provides local exchange and exchange access services. 1 Applicant states that this service is presently on file with the FCC as Tarrif F. C. C. No. 1, 4 th Rev. p. 6- 75.13 (eff. Dec. 16, 2001) News media information 202 / 418- 0500 Fax- On- Demand 202 / 418- 2830 Internet: http:// www. fcc. gov TTY 202 / 418- 2555 1 The application states that BellSouth has no customers subscribing to the service, thereby making customer notification unnecessary. 2 The application indicates that as soon as the FCC aut horizes discont inuance of this service, BellSout h will make t he appropriat e revisions t o it s filed tariff. 3 In accordance with 47 C. F. R. § 63.71( c), the application will be deemed to be automatically granted on the sixtieth (60 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. 4 Comment s object ing t o this applicat ion must be filed wit h the Commission by February 15, 2002. Such comments should refer to application file number W- P- D- 553. 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. Commenters are also requested to fax their comments to the FCC at (202) 418- 2345, Attention: Jon Minkoff. Interested parties who wish to file comments via messenger- delivery or hand-delivery are also notified that effective December 18, 2001, the Commission will only receive such deliveries weekdays from 8: 00 a. m. to 7: 00 p. m., via its contractor, Vistronix, Inc., located at 236 Massachusetts Avenue, NE, Suite 110, Washington, DC 20002. The Commission no longer accepts these filings at 9300 East Hampton Drive, Capitol Heights, MD 20743. Please note that all hand deliveries must be held together with rubber bands or fasteners, and envelopes must be disposed of before entering the building. In addition, this is a reminder that as of October 18, 2001, the Commission no longer accepts hand- delivered or messenger- delivered filings at its headquarters at 445 12th Street, SW, Washington, DC 20554. Other messenger- delivered documents, including documents sent by overnight mail (other than United States Postal Service (USPS) Express and Priority Mail), must be addressed to 9300 East Hampton Drive, Capitol Heights, MD 20743. This location is open weekdays from 8: 00 a. m. to 2 See 47 C. F. R. § 63.71( a)( 5)( i). BellSouth also states that because the proposed discontinuance will not affect any particular geographic areas, it will not provide notice of the discontinuance and a copy of this application to any state public utility commission or governor’s office. See 47 C. F. R. § 63.71( a). BellSouth states that it will provide a copy of the application to the Secretary of Defense. Id. 3 See n. 1, supra. 4 See generally 47 C. F. R. §§ 1.1200 - 1.1216. 2 5: 30 p. m. USPS First- Class, Express, and Priority Mail should be addressed to the Commission’s headquarters at 445 12th Street, SW, Washington, DC 20554. The following chart summarizes this information: TYPE OF DELIVERY PROPER DELIVERY ADDRESS Hand- delivered or messenger- delivered paper filings 236 Massachusetts Avenue, NE, Suite 110, Washington, DC 20002 (Weekdays - 8: 00 a. m. to 7: 00 p. m.) Other messenger- delivered documents, including documents sent by overnight mail (this type excludes USPS Express and Priority Mail) 9300 East Hampton Drive, Capitol Heights, MD 20743 (Weekdays - 8: 00 a. m. to 5: 30 p. m.) USPS First- Class, Express, and Priority Mail 445 12 th Street, SW Washington, DC 20554 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- 3