*Pages 1--4 from Microsoft Word - 53696.doc* PUBLIC NOTICE Federal Communications Commission 445 12 th St., 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- 3180 December 14, 2005 ENFORCEMENT BUREAU SEEKS COMMENT ON BELLSOUTH TELECOMMUNICATIONS, INC. SECTION 272 BIENNIAL AUDIT REPORT IN EB DOCKET NO. 03- 197 Comments due: February 13, 2006 Pursuant to section 271 of the Communications Act of 1934, as amended (“ Communications Act”), 1 the Commission has authorized BellSouth Telecommunications, Inc. (“ BellSouth”) to enter the in- region interLATA market in Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Kentucky, Louisiana, Mississippi, North Carolina, South Carolina, and Tennessee. 2 Section 272 of the Communications Act requires Bell Operating Companies to offer in- region, interLATA service through separate affiliates that comply with certain structural, nondiscrimination, and accounting safeguards. Section 272( d) requires a biennial audit. 3 We have received the results of the biennial audit of BellSouth’s operations in all of its in- region states for the period May 24, 2003 through May 23, 2005. The audit report, “BellSouth Telecommunications, Inc. Section 272 Biennial Agreed- Upon Procedures Engagement Pursuant to Section 272( d)( 2) of The Telecommunications Act of 1996” was submitted by PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP on October 31, 2005. Section 272( d)( 2) of the Communications Act requires that the results of the audit be made publicly available. 4 We now release the BellSouth audit report. In accordance with section 53.213( d) of the Commission’s rules, interested parties may file comments on the report with the Commission within 60 days. 5 Accordingly, comments are due no later than February 13, 2006. 1 47 U. S. C. § 271. 2 See Application by BellSouth Corporation, BellSouth Telecommunications, Inc., and BellSouth Long Distance, Inc. for Authorization to Provide In- Region, InterLATA Services in Florida and Tennessee, WC Docket No. 02- 307, Memorandum Opinion and Order, 17 FCC Rcd 25828 (2002); Joint Application by BellSouth Corporation, BellSouth Telecommunications, Inc., and BellSouth Long Distance, Inc. for Authorization to Provide In- Region, InterLATA Services in Alabama, Kentucky, Mississippi, North Carolina, and South Carolina, WC Docket No. 02- 150, Memorandum Opinion and Order, 17 FCC Rcd 17595 (2002); Joint Application by BellSouth Corporation, BellSouth Telecommunications, Inc., and BellSouth Long Distance, Inc. for Authorization to Provide In- Region, InterLATA Services in Georgia and Louisiana, CC Docket No. 02- 35, Memorandum Opinion and Order, 17 FCC Rcd 9018 (2002). 3 47 U. S. C. § 272( d). 4 47 U. S. C. § 272( d)( 2). 5 47 C. F. R. § 53. 213( d). 1 2 EX PARTE PRESENTATIONS Pursuant to section 1.1206 of the Commission's rules, this proceeding will be conducted as a permit- but- disclose proceeding in which ex parte communications are permissible but subject to disclosure. 6 FILING PROCEDURES Interested parties may file comments on the biennial audit report using the Commission's Electronic Comment Filing System (ECFS) or by filing paper copies. 7 Comments filed through the ECFS can be sent as an electronic file via the Internet to . Generally, only one copy of an electronic submission must be filed. In completing the transmittal screen, commenters should include their full name, 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, commenters should send an e- mail to ecfs@ fcc. gov, and should include the following words in the body of the message, "get form