Federal Communications Commission	"FCC  XX-XXX"


STATEMENT OF
COMMISSIONER MICHAEL O’RIELLY

Re: 	Rural Call Completion, WC Docket No. 13-39.

Today, we complete our implementation of last year’s Rural Call Completion Act by adopting service quality standards for intermediate providers.  In addition to fulfilling our statutory duty, our adoption of flexible standards rather than bright-line rules in this instance is a sound direction.  This approach strikes an appropriate balance between our policy goal and ensuring that providers are not unduly burdened and possess discretion to manage their networks.  Further, our flexible standards are consistent with the Commission’s past approach with respect to covered originating providers.
I am additionally supportive of our decision to sunset data recording and retention requirements for covered providers.  To the extent that those rules have created unnecessary burdens without producing concomitant rural call completion benefits, our decision to eliminate them is not only justified but imperative.




2