*Pages 1--3 from Microsoft Word - 53190.doc* PUBLIC NOTICE Federal Communications Commission 445 12 th Street, S. W. Washington, D. C. 20554 News Media Information 202 / 418- 0500 Fax- On- Demand 202 / 418- 2830 TTY 202 / 418- 2555 Internet: http:// www. fcc. gov ftp. fcc. gov DA 05- 3006 November 18, 2005 COMMENTS INVITED ON APPLICATION OF BELLSOUTH TELECOMMUNICATIONS, INC. TO DISCONTINUE DOMESTIC TELECOMMUNICATIONS SERVICES WC Docket No. 05- 325 Comp. Pol. File No. 730 Comments Due: December 19, 2005 Section 214 Application Applicant: BellSouth Telecommunications, Inc. On November 1, 2005, 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 to the extent necessary, under section 214 of the Communications Act of 1934, as amended, 47 U. S. C. § 214, and section 63.71 of the Commission’s rules, 47 C. F. R. § 63.71, to discontinue the provision of its tariffed domestic Exchange Access Connectionless Data Service (a. k. a. BellSouth Exchange Access Connectionless Data Service) (XACDS) in Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Kentucky, Louisiana, Mississippi, North Carolina, South Carolina, and Tennessee. BellSouth indicates that XACDS was originally tariffed to provide a connectionless, packet-switched data service allowing for the interconnection of local area networks or other compatible customer equipment. 1 BellSouth states that the XACDS switch used to provide this service utilizes address information contained in the header of each of the customer’s data packets to route the customer’s data without the establishment of a fixed path within the XACDS network. BellSouth indicates that currently it does not have any customers for this service, and that there is no longer any vendor or technical support for the service within the industry. BellSouth asserts that former customers have either converted to substitute BellSouth services such as Frame Relay Service or ATM Service, or to comparable services provided by BellSouth’s competitors. BellSouth seeks to discontinue XACDS as soon as it receives the necessary regulatory approval, and states that it plans to revise its FCC tariff to remove the service. BellSouth further states that it is a dominant carrier in the states where it offers XACDS. 1 XACDS is listed in Section 21.2 of BellSouth’s FCC Tariff No. 1. 1 2 In accordance with section 63.71( c) of the Commission’s rules, BellSouth’s application will be deemed to be automatically granted on the sixtieth (60th) day after the release date of this public notice, unless the Commission notifies BellSouth that the grant will not be automatically effective. Accordingly, to the extent these services are subject to section 63.71( c), absent further Commission action, BellSouth may not terminate service until January 17, 2006. The Commission 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 would be otherwise adversely affected. This proceeding is considered a “permit but disclose” proceeding for purposes of the Commission’s ex parte rules, 47 C. F. R. §§ 1.1200- 1.1216. Comments objecting to this application must be filed with the Commission on or before December 19, 2005. Such comments should refer to WC Docket No. 05- 325 and Comp. Pol. File No. 730. Comments should include specific information about the impact of this proposed discontinuance on the commenter, including any inability to acquire reasonable substitute service. Comments may be filed using the Commission’s Electronic Comment Filing System (ECFS) or by filing paper copies. See Electronic Filing of Documents in Rulemaking Proceedings, 63 FR 24121 (1998). Comments filed through the ECFS can be sent as an electronic file via the Internet to http:// www. fcc. gov/ cgb/ ecfs/. Filers should follow the instructions provided on the website for submitting comments. Generally, only one copy of an electronic submission must be filed. In completing the transmittal screen, filers should include their full name, U. S. Postal Service mailing address, and the applicable docket or rulemaking number. Parties may also submit an electronic comment by Internet e- mail. To get filing instructions for e- mail comments, filers should send an e- mail to ecfs@ fcc. gov, and include the following words in the body of the message, “get form.” A sample form and directions will be sent in response. Parties who choose to file by paper must send an original and four (4) copies of the comments to the Office of the Secretary, Federal Communications Commission, 445 12th Street, S. W., Room TW-A325, Washington, D. C. 20554. Filings can be sent by hand or messenger delivery, by commercial overnight courier, or by first- class or overnight U. S. Postal Service mail (although we continue to experience delays in receiving U. S. Postal Service mail). All filings must be addressed to the Commission’s Secretary, Office of the Secretary, Federal Communications Commission. The Commission’s contractor will receive hand- delivered or messenger- delivered paper filings for the Commission’s Secretary at 236 Massachusetts Avenue, N. E., Suite 110, Washington, D. C. 20002. The filing hours at this location are 8: 00 a. m. to 7: 00 p. m. All hand deliveries must be held together with rubber bands or fasteners. Any envelopes must be disposed of before entering the building. Commercial overnight mail (other than U. S. Postal Service Express Mail and Priority Mail) must be sent to 9300 East Hampton Drive, Capitol Heights, MD 20743. U. S. Postal Service first- class mail, Express, and Priority mail should be addressed to 445 12th Street, S. W., Washington, D. C. 20554. Two (2) copies of the comments should also be sent to the Competition Policy Division, Wireline Competition Bureau, Federal Communications Commission, 445 12th Street, S. W., Room 5- C327, Washington, D. C. 20554, Attention: Carmell Weathers. In addition, comments should be served upon the Applicant. Commenters are also requested to fax their comments to the FCC at (202) 418- 2345, Attention: Carmell Weathers. The application will be available for public inspection and copying during regular business hours at the FCC Reference Center, Portals II, 445 12th Street, S. W., Room CY- A257, Washington, D. C. 2 3 20554, (202) 418- 0270. A copy of the application may also be purchased from the Commission’s duplicating contractor, Best Copy and Printing, Inc., 445 12th Street, S. W., Room CY- B402, Washington, D. C. 20554, telephone (202) 488- 5300, facsimile (202) 488- 5563, or via e- mail at FCC@ BCPIWEB. COM. People with Disabilities: To request materials in accessible formats for people with disabilities (Braille, large print, electronic files, audio format), send an e- mail to fcc504@ fcc. gov or call the Consumer & Governmental Affairs Bureau at (202) 418- 0530 (voice), (202) 418- 0432 (TTY). For further information, contact Carmell Weathers, (202) 418- 2325 (voice), carmell. weathers@ fcc. gov, or Rodney McDonald, (202) 418- 7513 (voice), rodney. mcdonald@ fcc. gov of the Competition Policy Division, Wireline Competition Bureau. The TTY number is (202) 418- 0484. For further information on procedures regarding section 214 please visit http:// www. fcc. gov/ wcb/ cpd/ other_ adjud. -FEDERAL COMMUNICATIONS COMMISSION- 3