[Federal Register Volume 63, Number 243 (Friday, December 18, 1998)]
[Proposed Rules]
[Pages 70089-70090]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 98-33484]


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FEDERAL COMMUNICATIONS COMMISSION

47 CFR Ch. I

[CC Docket No. 91-346; FCC 98-322]


Intelligent Networks

AGENCY: Federal Communications Commission.

ACTION: Termination of proposed rule proceeding.

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SUMMARY: The Federal Communications Commission terminates the 
proceeding concerning third-party access to the local exchange 
carriers' intelligent networks. Since we conclude that most of the 
issues raised in this proceeding have been addressed by the Local 
Competition Order, or are being considered in the Computer III Further 
Notice, which is the Commission's current review of its Open Network 
Architecture (ONA) and Computer III requirements, we terminate this 
proceeding.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Claudia Fox, Attorney, Common Carrier 
Bureau, Policy and Program Planning Division, (202) 418-1580 or via the 
Internet at [email protected]. Further information may also be obtained by 
calling the Common Carrier Bureau's TTY number: 202-418-0484.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: This is a summary of the Commission's Order 
adopted December 2, 1998, and released December 4, 1998. The full text 
of this Order is available for inspection and copying during normal 
business hours in the FCC Reference Center, 1919 M St., NW, Room 239, 
Washington, DC. The complete text of this document also may be obtained 
through the World Wide Web, at http://www.fcc.gov/Bureaus/Common 
Carrier/Orders/fcc98322.wp, or may be purchased from the Commission's 
copy contractor, International Transcription Service, Inc., (202) 857-
3800, 1231 20th St., NW, Washington, DC 20036.

Synopsis of Order

    1. In this Order, we terminate the proceeding concerning third-
party access to the local exchange carriers' (LECs') intelligent 
networks. We conclude that most of the issues raised in this proceeding 
have been addressed by the Local Competition Order, 61 FR 45476, August 
29, 1996, or are being considered in the Computer III Further Notice, 
63 FR 9749, February 26, 1998, which is the Commission's current review 
of its Open Network Architecture (ONA) and Computer III requirements.
    2. The Commission initiated the Intelligent Networks proceeding (56 
FR 65721, Dec. 18, 1991) in 1991 to consider whether the Commission 
should apply ONA requirements for the unbundling of network 
functionalities to the LECs' deployment of intelligent network 
technology. In 1993, the Commission adopted a Notice of Proposed 
Rulemaking that proposed requiring all Tier 1 LECs that deploy advanced 
intelligent networks (AIN) to provide third parties with mediated 
access to those capabilities. The Commission specifically proposed to 
require that Tier 1 LECs provide third parties with access to their 
service management systems for the creation and deployment of AIN-based 
services.
    3. In February 1996, the Telecommunications Act of 1996 (1996 Act) 
became law, bringing sweeping changes to regulation of the 
telecommunications industry. Among other things, section 251 of the Act 
requires that incumbent LECs: (1) provide interconnection with 
requesting telecommunications carriers; (2) provide requesting 
telecommunications carriers with access to unbundled network elements; 
(3) offer retail services for resale at wholesale rates; and (4) 
provide physical collocation necessary for interconnection or access to 
unbundled network elements at the premises of the incumbent LEC.
    4. In August 1996, the Commission adopted regulations that 
implement the local competition provisions of the 1996 Act. With 
respect to AIN, the Commission determined that it was technically 
feasible for incumbent LECs to provide requesting telecommunication 
carriers with unbundled access to both the service creation environment 
and service management system, and access to the service control point 
for the purpose of interconnecting with a requesting carrier's switch. 
The Commission also concluded that there was not enough evidence to 
determine the technical feasibility of interconnecting third-party 
call-related databases to the incumbent LEC's signaling system.
    5. On January 30, 1998, the Commission released the Computer III 
Further Notice, which proposes to revise the safeguards under which the 
Bell Operating Companies provide information services in light of the 
requirements of the 1996 Act. Among

[[Page 70090]]

other things, the Commission sought comment on whether the public 
interest would be served by Commission action, pursuant to our general 
rulemaking authority, to extend the availability of unbundling similar 
to that provided for in section 251 of the Act to information service 
providers. These entities do not have access to unbundled network 
elements under section 251 of the Act because they are not 
telecommunications carriers.
    6. Most of the proposals in this proceeding concerning access to 
AIN by telecommunications carriers were adopted by the Commission in 
the Local Competition Order. Most of the issues in this proceeding 
concerning access to AIN by information service providers are now under 
consideration in the Computer III Further Notice. Based on the 
information currently available to us, it does not appear that there is 
a need to address the few remaining issues in this proceeding at 
present. If a need for consideration of these issues should arise in 
the future, we will institute appropriate proceedings.
    7. Accordingly, it is ordered that the proceeding, In the Matter of 
Intelligent Networks, CC Docket No. 91-346, is hereby terminated.

Federal Communications Commission.
Shirley S. Suggs,
Chief, Publications Branch.
[FR Doc. 98-33484 Filed 12-17-98; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6712-01-P