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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:  April  15,  2003  Michael  Balmoris  202-  418-  0253 
 Email:  mbalmori@  fcc.  gov 
 FCC  AUTHORIZES  QWEST  TO  PROVIDE  LONG  DISTANCE  SERVICE  IN  NEW  MEXICO,  OREGON  AND  SOUTH  DAKOTA 


 Washington,  D.  C.  –  The  Federal  Communications  Commission  (FCC)  today  announced  that  it  voted  to  approve  Qwest’s  application  to  provide  in-  region,  interLATA 
 service  originating  in  New  Mexico,  Oregon  and  South  Dakota.  Approval  of  Qwest’s  multi-  state  application  promises  benefits  to  consumers  by  making  increased  competition 
 in  all  markets  for  telecommunications  services  possible. 
 With  the  Telecommunications  Act  of  1996  (1996  Act),  Congress  envisioned  fundamental,  pro-  competitive  changes  in  the  telecommunications  markets  by  making  a 
 Bell  Operating  Company’s  (BOC)  entry  into  the  long  distance  market  subject  to  the  BOC  first  opening  its  local  service  monopoly  to  competition.  A  BOC  satisfies  this  contingency 
 by  demonstrating  compliance  with  section  271  of  the  1996  Act.  After  a  BOC  files  a  section  271  long  distance  application  with  the  FCC,  the  FCC  has  90  days  to  determine 
 whether  a  BOC  has  taken  the  statutorily  required  steps  to  open  its  local  telecommunications  markets  to  competition,  including  compliance  with  the  1996  Act’s 
 section  271  14-  point  “competitive  checklist.” 
 Since  the  passage  of  the  1996  Act,  the  FCC  has  denied  five  long  distance  applications  and  now  has  approved  applications  to  provide  in-  region,  long  distance 
 service  in  41  states  and  the  District  of  Columbia.  Additionally,  applications  for  16  states  have  been  withdrawn.  Currently,  there  are  section  271  applications  for  two  states  – 
 SBC’s  application  for  Michigan  and  Qwest’s  application  for  Minnesota  –  pending  before  the  FCC.  A  summary  of  all  section  271  applications  can  be  accessed  at  the  following 
 FCC  web  page: 
 www.  fcc.  gov/  Bureaus/  Common_  Carrier/  in-  region_  applications/ 
 The  FCC  emphasizes  that  Qwest  must  continue  to  comply  with  the  section  271  checklist  requirements,  and  the  Commission  has  a  number  of  enforcement  tools  at  its 
 disposal  to  ensure  compliance,  including  imposing  penalties  or  suspension  of  approval. 


 -FCC- 
 Docket  No.:  03-  11 
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 Action  by  the  Commission  April  15,  2003,  by  Memorandum  Opinion  and  Order  (FCC  03-  81).  Commissioner  Copps  concurring  and  issuing  a  statement;  Commissioner 
 Martin  approving  in  part,  concurring  in  part,  and  issuing  a  statement. 
 Wireline  Competition  Bureau  Staff  Contact:  Kim  Cook  at  202-  418-  1580 


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