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 NEWS  News  media  Information  202  /  418-  0500  Fax-  On-  Demand  202  /  418-  2830  TTY  202/  418-  2555  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  Contact:  David  Fiske 
 December  20,  2001  (202)  418-  0513 


 STATEMENT  OF  FCC  CHAIRMAN  MICHAEL  POWELL 
 ON  WITHDRAWAL  OF  BELL  SOUTH  271  APPLICATION 


 BellSouth  has  withdrawn  its  application  to  provide  long  distance  service  in  Georgia  and 
 Louisiana.  The  FCC  cannot  approve  such  applications  by  the  Bell  Companies  unless  they  satisfy 
 the  requirements  of  section  271  of  the  Communications  Act. 


 BellSouth’s  application  demonstrated  the  company’s  commitment  and  ability  to  make 
 significant  progress  toward  satisfying  the  statutory  requirements  and  our  precedents.  Moreover, 
 this  application  evidences  significant  and  critical  work  by  the  Georgia  and  Louisiana  state  utility 
 commissions. 


 Yet,  despite  extensive  conversation  and  collaboration  with  the  FCC,  questions  remain 
 regarding  whether  BellSouth  has  satisfied  the  rigorous  requirements  of  the  statute  and  our 
 precedents,  including  the  adequacy  of  the  company’s  operational  support  systems,  the  integrity 
 of  its  performance  data  and  its  change  management  process  and  related  issues. 


 We  look  forward  to  working  with  the  company  and  with  the  Georgia  and  Louisiana 
 utility  commissions  to  provide  them  with  any  additional  guidance  they  need  to  understand  and 
 satisfy  the  demanding  requirements  in  this  area. 


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