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 PUBLIC  NOTICE  FEDERAL  COMMUNICATIONS  COMMISSION  445  TWELFTH  STREET,  S.  W.  WASHINGTON,  D.  C.  20554  DA  06-  629  News  media  information  202/  418-  0500  Fax-  On-  Demand  202/  418-  2830  Internet:  http://  www.  fcc.  gov  ftp.  fcc.  gov 
 Released:  March  20,  2006 
 SECTION  272  SUNSETS  FOR  VERIZON  COMMUNICATIONS  INC.  IN  THE  DISTRICT  OF  COLUMBIA  AND  THE  STATES  OF  MARYLAND  AND  WEST  VIRGINIA  BY  OPERATION  OF 
 LAW  ON  MARCH  19,  2006  PURSUANT  TO  SECTION  272(  f)(  1) 
 WC  Docket  No.  02-  112 
 The  provisions  of  section  272  (other  than  section  272(  e))  of  the  Communications  Act  of  1934,  as  amended  (the  Act),  applicable  to  Bell  Operating  Company  (BOC)  provision  of  in-  region,  interLATA 
 telecommunications  services  sunset  for  the  operations  of  Verizon  Communications  Inc.  (Verizon)  in  the  District  of  Columbia,  and  the  states  of  Maryland  and  West  Virginia  by  operation  of  law  as  provided  in 
 section  272(  f)(  1),  effective  March  19,  2006. 
 Section  272  of  the  Act  requires  BOCs  to  provide  in-  region,  interLATA  telecommunications  services  through  separate  corporate  affiliates,  subject  to  certain  safeguards.  47  U.  S.  C.  §  272(  a)(  2). 


 Section  272(  f)(  1)  provides  that  the  provisions  in  section  272  (other  than  section  272(  e))  expire  three  years  after  a  BOC  or  BOC  affiliate  is  authorized  under  section  271  to  provide  in-  region,  interLATA  services, 
 unless  the  Commission  extends  such  3-  year  period  by  rule  or  order.  47  U.  S.  C.  §  272(  f)(  1). 
 The  Commission  granted  Verizon  section  271  authorization  for  the  provision  of  in-  region,  interLATA  services  in  the  District  of  Columbia,  and  the  states  of  Maryland  and  West  Virginia  in  an  order 


 released  on  March  19,  2003.  1  Pursuant  to  section  272(  f)(  1),  the  provisions  of  section  272  (other  than  section  272(  e))  sunset  by  operation  of  law  for  Verizon  in  the  District  of  Columbia,  and  the  states  of 
 Maryland  and  West  Virginia  effective  March  19,  2006.  2 
 For  further  information,  please  contact  Cecilia  Seppings,  Competition  Policy  Division,  Wireline  Competition  Bureau,  at  (202)  418-  1580. 


 –  FCC  – 
 1  See  Application  by  Verizon  Maryland  Inc.,  Verizon  Washington,  D.  C.  Inc.,  Verizon  West  Virginia  Inc.,  Bell 
 Atlantic  Communications,  Inc.  (d/  b/  a  Verizon  Long  Distance),  NYNEX  Long  Distance  Company  (d/  b/  a  Verizon  Enterprise  Solutions),  Verizon  Global  Networks  Inc.,  and  Verizon  Select  Services  Inc.,  for  Authorization  to  Provide 


 In-  Region,  InterLATA  Services  in  Maryland,  Washington,  D.  C.,  and  West  Virginia,  WC  Docket  No.  02-  384,  Memorandum  Opinion  and  Order,  18  FCC  Rcd.  5212  (2002). 


 2  See  Section  272(  f)(  1)  Sunset  of  the  BOC  Separate  Affiliate  and  Related  Requirements,  WC  Docket  No.  02-  112, 
 Memorandum  Opinion  and  Order,  17  FCC  Rcd  26869  (2002)  (finding  that  section  272(  f)(  1)  is  best  interpreted  as  providing  for  a  state-  by-  state  sunset). 
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