*Pages 1--1 from  Microsoft Word - 6997.doc*
 NEWS  News  Media  Information  202  /  418-  0500  TTY  202  /  418-  2555  Fax-  On-  Demand  202  /  418-  2830  Internet:  http://  www.  fcc.  gov  ftp.  fcc.  gov  Federal  Communications  Commission  445  12  th  Street,  S.  W.  Washington,  D.  C.  20554  This  is  an  unofficial  announcement  of  Commission  action.  Release  of  the  full  text  of  a  Commission  order  constitutes  official  action.  See  MCI  v.  FCC.  515  F  2d  385  (D.  C.  Circ  1974). 
 FOR  IMMEDIATE  RELEASE  NEWS  MEDIA  CONTACT:  December  20,  2000  John  Winston  (202)  418-  7450 
 ENFORCEMENT  BUREAU  PROPOSES  $88,000  FINE  AGAINST  SBC  FOR  VIOLATIONS  OF  MERGER-  RELATED  REPORTING  CONDITIONS 
 Washington,  DC  –  Today,  the  Enforcement  Bureau  of  the  Federal  Communications 
 Commission  announced  that  it  has  proposed  an  $88,000  fine  against  SBC  Communications,  Inc. 
 (SBC)  for  apparently  violating  reporting  requirements  that  the  Commission  imposed  pursuant  to 
 its  approval  of  the  merger  application  of  SBC  and  Ameritech  Corp. 


 In  the  SBC/  Ameritech  Merger  Order,  the  Commission  adopted  the  Carrier-  to-  Carrier 
 Performance  Plan.  The  Performance  Plan  requires  SBC  to  file  monthly  reports  for  20  different 
 performance  categories  that  reflect  SBC’s  record  in  responding  to  requests  from  its  competitors 
 for  facilities  and  services.  Because  it  allows  the  Commission  and  state  commissions  to  monitor 
 effectively  the  quality  of  SBC’s  service  to  competing  providers  of  telecommunications  service, 
 the  Performance  Plan  is  central  to  achieving  the  public  interest  goals  enumerated  in  the 
 SBC/  Ameritech  Merger  Order,  including  that  of  ensuring  open  local  markets. 


 An  audit  report  issued  by  SBC’s  independent  auditor,  along  with  the  underlying  data  in 
 SBC’s  monthly  filings,  revealed  that  SBC  used  incorrect  benchmarks  and  excluded  key  data  in 
 the  monthly  reports  for  a  period  of  up  to  13  months,  beginning  on  November  1,  1999.  In 
 proposing  the  forfeiture,  the  Enforcement  Bureau  noted  that  the  Commission’s  ability  to  detect 
 possible  discriminatory  conduct  by  SBC  against  its  competitors  depends  upon  SBC’s  strict 
 compliance  with  the  approved  terms  and  conditions  of  the  Performance  Plan. 


 Action  by  the  Chief,  Enforcement  Bureau,  December  19,  2000,  Notice  of  Apparent 
 Liability  for  Forfeiture  (DA  00-  2858). 


 -  FCC  -Enforcement 


 Bureau  contacts:  John  Winston  at  (202)  418-  7450  and  Tejal  Mehta  at 
 (202)  418-  7397. 
1