[Federal Register Volume 62, Number 155 (Tuesday, August 12, 1997)]
[Rules and Regulations]
[Pages 43122-43123]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 97-21187]


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FEDERAL COMMUNICATIONS COMMISSION

47 CFR Parts 32 and 53

[CC Docket No. 96-150; FCC 96-490]


Accounting Safeguards Under the Telecommunications Act of 1996

AGENCY: Federal Communications Commission.

ACTION: Final rule; establishment of effective date.

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SUMMARY: The requirements and regulations established by the

[[Page 43123]]

Accounting Safeguards Order, including the modifications to our 
affiliate transactions rules, shall become effective August 12, 1997. 
These amendments, which contained information collection requirements, 
were published in the Federal Register of January 21, 1997, and 
corrected by a document published on March 6, 1997.

EFFECTIVE DATE: The amendments to 47 CFR parts 32 and 53 published at 
62 FR 2918 and corrected at 62 FR 10220 are effective August 12, 1997.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Warren Firschein, Common Carrier 
Bureau, (202) 418-0844.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: On December 24, 1996, the Commission 
released the Accounting Safeguards Order (FCC 96-490) establishing the 
accounting safeguards necessary to satisfy the requirements of sections 
260 and 271 through 276 of the Communications Act of 1934, as amended 
by the Telecommunications Act of 1996, 62 FR 2918, January 21, 1997. 
This Order prescribed the way incumbent local exchange carriers, 
including the Bell Operating Companies (``BOCs''), must account for 
transactions with affiliates involving, and allocate costs incurred in 
the provision of, both regulated telecommunications services and 
nonregulated services, including telemessaging, interLATA 
telecommunications, information, manufacturing, electronic publishing, 
alarm monitoring and payphone services, to ensure compliance with the 
Act. The Accounting Safeguard Order amended 47 CFR 32.27 and added 
several provisions to part 53 of our rules. Because they imposed new or 
modified information collection requirements, these particular rule 
changes could not become effective until approved by the Office of 
Management and Budget (``OMB'') pursuant to the Paperwork Reduction Act 
of 1995, Public Law 104-13. In an Errata released February 19, 1997 and 
published in the Federal Register March 6, 1997, 62 FR 10220, we stated 
that the requirements and regulations established in the Accounting 
Safeguards Order with regard to part 32 of our rules shall become 
effective upon approval by OMB, but no sooner than six months after 
publication in the Federal Register. We also stated that the remaining 
new and/or modified information collections established in this Order 
shall become effective upon approval by OMB, but no sooner than thirty 
days after publication in the Federal Register. OMB approved these rule 
changes on May 7, 1997.
    In the Federal Register Summary of the Errata, we stated that 
``[t]he Commission will publish a document at a later date establishing 
the effective dates of these rules.'' This statement requires further 
action by the Commission to establish the effective date, 
notwithstanding the preceding statement in the summary that the rule 
changes imposing new or modified information collection requirements 
would become effective upon OMB approval. In order to resolve this 
matter in a manner that most appropriately provides interested parties 
with proper notice, the rule changes adopted in the Accounting 
Safeguards Order shall become effective August 12, 1997.

List of Subjects

47 CFR Part 32

    Communications common carriers, Reporting and recordkeeping 
requirements, Telephone, Uniform System of Accounts.

47 CFR Part 53

    Accounting, Bell Operating Companies, Communications common 
carriers, Reporting and recordkeeping requirements, Telephone.

Federal Communications Commission.
William F. Caton,
Acting Secretary.
[FR Doc. 97-21187 Filed 8-11-97; 8:45 am]
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