*Pages 1--2 from Microsoft Word - 16423* Federal Communications Commission DA 02- 738 FEDERAL COMMUNICATIONS COMMISSION Washington, D. C. 20554 April 3, 2002 Mr. Jeff Ward Senior Vice President – Regulatory Compliance Verizon Communications 1310 North Courthouse Rd. - 4th floor Arlington, VA 22201 RE: Bell Atlantic/ GTE Merger Order, CC Docket No. 98- 184 Dear Mr. Ward: With this letter, the Wireline Competition Bureau (Bureau) approves Verizon Communications, Inc. ’s (Verizon) proposed business rules for the Trouble Report Rate performance measurement for special access. 1 Pursuant to Condition XIX of the Bell Atlantic/ GTE Merger Order, Verizon reports data to the Commission and the independent auditor on five performance measurements that capture its provisioning and maintenance of special access services to Genuity and other long distance carriers. 2 The Bureau has previously approved business rules for the other special access measurements. 3 Verizon should submit the adopted business rules for the five Condition XIX performance measurements within five business days of the date of this letter. I note that, although these business rules address Verizon’s regular reporting obligations, they do not limit the type of information the independent auditor may examine during the audits of Verizon’s compliance with the Bell Atlantic/ GTE Merger Conditions. 4 Indeed, I understand that Verizon has indicated it is capable of providing a greater level of disaggregation; the independent auditor may seek such information in the course of audit activities. For purposes of filing monthly reports with the Commission, please send courtesy copies to Anthony Dale and Mark Stone of the Enforcement Bureau. Please do not hesitate to contact me if I can be of further assistance. Sincerely, Carol E. Mattey 1 See Letter from Gerald Asch, Director, Federal Regulatory, Verizon, to Dorothy Attwood, Chief, Common Carrier Bureau, Federal Communications Commission (Feb. 15, 2001). 2 Applications of GTE Corporation, Transferor, and Bell Atlantic Corporation, Transferee, For Consent to Transfer Control of Domestic and International Sections 214 and 310 Authorizations and Application to Transfer Control of a Submarine Cable Landing License, CC Docket No. 98- 184, Memorandum Opinion and Order, 15 FCC Rcd 14032, Appendix D, ¶ 53 (2000) (Bell Atlantic/ GTE Merger Order). 3 See Letter from Carol Mattey, Deputy Chief, Common Carrier Bureau, Federal Communications Commission, to Jeff Ward, Senior Vice President – Regulatory Compliance, Verizon (Sept. 22, 2000). 4 For example, the independent auditor could examine performance data disaggregated at a more detailed level for the purposes of the audit. 1 Federal Communications Commission DA 02- XXX 2 Deputy Chief, Wireline Competition Bureau 2