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 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: 
 January  22,  2001  Michael  Balmoris  202-  418-  0253 
 Email:  mbalmori@  fcc.  gov 


 FCC  TAKES  ACTION  TO  STRENGTHENS  ITS  “LINE  SHARING”  RULES 
 TO  FURTHER  PROMOTE  COMPETITION  FOR  ADVANCED  SERVICES 


 Commission  Requires  Local  Phone  Companies  to  Facilitate  “Line  Splitting” 
 Washington,  D.  C.  –  The  Federal  Communications  Commission  (FCC)  adopted  a 
 Reconsideration  Order  and  a  Further  Notice  of  Proposed  Rulemaking  to  further  promote 
 the  competitive  availability  of  unbundled  access  to  the  high  frequency  portion  of  the  local 
 loop,  known  as  “line  sharing.”  The  Commission’s  line  sharing  rules  became  effective  last 
 year  and  directed  incumbent  local  exchange  carriers  (LECs)  to  share  their  telephone  lines 
 with  competitive  providers  of  high-  speed  Internet  access,  namely  digital  subscriber  line 
 (DSL)  services.  Line  sharing  eliminates  the  need  for  consumers  to  obtain  a  second  phone 
 line  when  they  choose  a  company  other  than  the  incumbent  LEC  for  high-  speed  access  to 
 the  Internet. 


 The  Order  announced  today  addresses  a  variety  of  petitions  for  clarification  and/  or 
 reconsideration,  including  the  following  issues: 


 x  Definition  of  High  Frequency  Portion  of  the  Loop  –  The  Commission 
 clarified  that  line  sharing  applies  to  the  entire  loop,  even  where  a  portion  of  the 
 loop  is  on  fiber  facilities.  This  requirement  will  ensure  that  consumers  served 
 by  remote  terminals,  or  “neighborhood  gateways,”  will  still  be  able  to  access 
 competitive  providers  of  high-  speed  Internet  access.  Remote  terminals  digitize 
 and  aggregate  customer  traffic  for  fiber  transport  to  an  incumbent  LEC’s  central 
 office. 


 x  Line  Splitting  &  Line  Sharing  –  The  Commission  also  clarified  an  incumbent 
 LEC’s  obligations  regarding  “line  splitting.”  Line  splitting  is  similar  to  line 
 sharing,  in  that  it  involves  the  availability  of  both  voice  and  DSL  services  on 
 the  same  line.  However,  line  splitting  makes  it  possible  for  a  single  competitor, 
 or  two  competitive  carriers  operating  as  a  joint  venture,  to  provide  voice  and 
 DSL  services  over  the  same  line.  The  Commission  found  that  incumbent  LECs 
 must  permit  competing  carriers  to  self-  provision  or  partner  with  a  data  carrier  in 
 order  to  provide  voice  and  data  services  on  the  same  line. 
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 x  Denied  Various  Petitions  –  The  Commission  denied  a  variety  of  requests  for 
 reconsideration  of  line  sharing  and  spectrum  management  rules  adopted  in  the 
 original  Line  Sharing  Order. 


 Finally,  the  Commission  adopted  a  Further  Notice  that  seeks  comment  on  issues 
 related  to  line  sharing  where  an  incumbent  LEC  has  deployed  fiber  in  the  loop.  The 
 Further  Notice  will  enable  the  Commission  to  understand  how  the  deployment  of  next 
 generation  networks  will  impact  competitive  access  to  the  high  frequency  portion  of  the 
 loop. 


 -FCC-Docket 
 Nos:  CC  98-  147,  CC  96-  98 


 Action  by  the  Commission  January  19,  2001,  by  Third  Report  and  Order  on 
 Reconsideration,  Fourth  Report  and  Order  on  Reconsideration,  Third  Further  Notice  of 
 Proposed  Rulemaking,  and  Sixth  Further  Notice  of  Proposed  Rulemaking  (FCC  01-  26). 
 Chairman  Kennard  and  Commissioners  Ness,  Furchtgott-  Roth,  Powell,  and  Tristani. 


 Common  Carrier  Bureau  Staff  Contact:  Jessica  Rosenworcel  at  202/  418-  2764. 


 News  about  the  Federal  Communications  Commission  can  also  be  found 
 on  the  Commission’s  web  site  www.  fcc.  gov. 
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