[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]
=======================================================================
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
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.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
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 cfox@fcc.gov. 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
