[Federal Register Volume 62, Number 183 (Monday, September 22, 1997)]
[Notices]
[Page 49553]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 97-25082]


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SECUTITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION

[Release No. 34-39083; File No. SR-NASD-97-54]


Self-Regulatory Organizations; Order Approving Proposed Rule 
Change by the National Association of Securities Dealers, Inc., 
Relating to Computer-to-Computer Interface Circuit Fees for Non-NASD 
Members

September 16, 1997.
    On July 28, 1997, the Nasdaq Stock Market, Inc. (``Nasdaq'') filed 
with the Securities and Exchange Commission (``SEC'' or ``Commission'') 
a proposed rule change pursuant to Section 19(b)(1) of the Securities 
Exchange Act of 1934 (``Exchange Act'') \1\ and Rule 19b-4 thereunder 
\2\ to amend Rule 7010 of the National Association of Securities 
Dealers, Inc. (``NASD'' or ``Association''), to charge Computer-to-
Computer Interface (``CTCI'') subscribers that are not NASD members a 
circuit fee of $200 per month for each circuit. Notice of the proposed 
rule change, together with the substance of the proposal, was provided 
by issuance of a Commission release and by publication in the Federal 
Register.\3\ No comment letters were received. The Commission is 
approving the proposed rule change.
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    \1\ 15 U.S.C. 78s(b)(1).
    \2\ 17 CFR 240.19b-4.
    \3\ Securities Exchange Act Release No. 38925 (August 12, 1997), 
62 FR 44158 (August 19, 1997). Concurrently, pursuant to Section 
19(b)(3)(A)(ii) of the Exchange Act, Nasdaq filed with the 
Commission an identical rule change that applies to NASD members. 
See Securities Exchange Act Release No. 38926 (August 12, 1997), 62 
FR 44157 (August 19, 1997).
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I. Description of Rule Change

    Nasdaq proposed the rule change in order to charge CTCI subscribers 
that are not NASD members a circuit fee of $200 per month for each 
circuit. Firms employ CTCI between their in-house computer systems and 
Nasdaq for a variety of functions, the most prevalent being order entry 
into the Small Order Execution System (``SOES'') and the reporting of 
transactions into the Automated Confirmation Transaction Service 
(``ACT''). Nasdaq currently supports a total of 449 circuits.
    Although most users of CTCI are NASD members, a small number are 
not. Specifically, these are mutual funds or their pricing agents that 
may use CTCI for transmitting net asset values (``NAVs'') each day to 
Nasdaq's Mutual Fund Quotation Service. To ensure that the costs are 
uniformly allocated among all CTCI subscribers, Nasdaq is proposing to 
apply the circuit charge to these subscribers as well.
    The CTCI network is presently managed by MCI Communications Corp., 
which is responsible for customer services including installation, 
relocation and trouble shooting. Subscribers pay a monthly fee to MCI 
for each circuit in use. Nasdaq does not currently charge CTCI 
subscribers beyond the fees associated with the transaction services 
supported by the CTCI network.
    Nasdaq believes that the new fee structure is necessary due to 
adjustments and enhancements that Nasdaq has already made to support 
capacity for trading days of 1 billion shares currently, 1.5 billion 
shares by the end of 1997, and 2 billion shares in 1998. As the number 
of CTCI circuits grows, the potential to exceed capacity limits in the 
CTCI supported services, notably ACT and SOES, likewise increases. As a 
consequence, additional infrastructure enhancements will be required to 
maintain the level of support required to run these services at an 
acceptable level of performance. In addition to future systems 
enhancements, Nasdaq continues to incur costs for the support of CTCI 
circuits and subscribers. These costs include hardware and software 
enhancements and upgrades for the communications interfaces with Nasdaq 
systems, support of the subscriber database, customer telephone support 
and Nasdaq staff planning and provisioning for CTCI. A recent activity-
based costing analysis indicated that these costs total approximately 
$1.1 million annually, which Nasdaq seeks to recover through this fee.
    Nasdaq believes that the proposed rule change is consistent with 
the provisions of Section 15A(b)(5) of the Exchange Act,\4\ which 
requires that the rules of the NASD provide for the equitable 
allocation of reasonable dues, fees and other charges among members and 
issuers and other persons using any facility or system which the NASD 
operates or controls.
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    \4\ 15 U.S.C. 78o-3.
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II. Discussion

    The Commission finds the proposed rule change is consistent with 
the requirements of the Exchange Act and the rules and regulations 
thereunder applicable to a national securities association and, in 
particular, the requirements of Section 15A(b)(5) of the Exchange 
Act.\5\ Section 15A(b)(5) requires that the rules of a national 
securities association provide for the equitable allocation of 
reasonable dues, fees, and other charges among members and issuers and 
other persons using any facility or system which the association 
operates or controls. The Commission believes that the CTCI fee for 
non-members is reasonable and results in an equitable allocation of the 
costs between NASD members and non-members associated with operating 
CTCI. The proposed rule change will merely act to offset Nasdaq's costs 
of doing so. Further, it is important that Nasdaq continue to increase 
its capacity and that it continue its infrastructure enhancements. 
Improvements such as these, which strengthen the national market 
system, are in the public interest. Accordingly, the Commission finds 
that Nasdaq's proposal is appropriate and consistent with the Exchange 
Act.
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    \5\ In approving this rule, the Commission notes that it has 
considered the proposed rule's impact on efficiency, competition, 
and capital formation. 15 U.S.C. 78c(f).
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III. Conclusion

    It Is Therefore Ordered, pursuant to Section 19(b)(2) of the 
Exchange Act, that the proposed rule change (SR-NASD-97-54) be, and 
hereby is, approved.

    For the Commission, by the Division of Market Regulation, 
pursuant to delegated authority.\6\
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    \6\ 17 CFR 200.30-3(a)(12).
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Margaret H. McFarland,
Deputy Secretary.
[FR Doc. 97-25082 Filed 9-19-97; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 8010-01-M