**DA-99-2149**

**October 8, 1999**

**COMMON CARRIER BUREAU ANNOUNCES**

***EX PARTE* MEETING SCHEDULE ON**

**APPLICATION BY BELL ATLANTIC FOR AUTHORIZATION UNDER SECTION 271 OF
THE COMMUNICATIONS ACT TO PROVIDE IN-REGION, INTERLATA SERVICE IN THE
STATE OF NEW YORK**

**(CC DOCKET NO. 99-295)**

This Public Notice announces a schedule for *ex parte* meetings related
to the section 271 proceeding in CC Docket No. 99-295. On September 29,
1999, Bell Atlantic filed an application for authorization to provide
in-region, interLATA service in the State of New York (Application),
pursuant to section 271 of the Communications Act of 1934, as amended
(the Act), 47 U.S.C. § 271. Under the comment cycle established for this
proceeding in a prior Public Notice, comments by interested third
parties and any written consultation by the New York Public Service
Commission must be filed on or before October 19, 1999; any written
consultation by the Department of Justice must be filed on or before
November 1, 1999; and reply comments by any participant in the
proceeding must be filed on or before November 8, 1999. [^1]

The Common Carrier Bureau (Bureau) will be available for meetings on
October 14-15, 1999, and November 2-3, 1999, to the extent that
interested parties wish to discuss issues that they intend to raise in
any comments or reply comments, as applicable, in support of or
opposition to the Bell Atlantic application. The purpose of these
meetings is to give interested parties an opportunity to inform Bureau
staff of such issues prior to the filing of their written comments or
reply comments.

The Bureau also intends to hold several joint *ex parte* meetings with
both commenters and Bell Atlantic in early November, on discrete issues
raised in the record. The purpose of these meetings is to give
participants in this proceeding an opportunity to narrow and resolve any
outstanding issues related to arguments that parties presented in their
previous written filings. To resolve any disputed issues in a timely
manner, the Bureau encourages interested parties to make joint
presentations of common concerns, to the extent feasible. Parties who
wish to schedule meetings with the Bureau should call CeCi Stephens,
Policy and Program Planning Division, at 202/418-1588.

Other than these, *ex parte* meetings related to this proceeding will
occur only at the request of Bureau staff.

The public is reminded that this proceeding is being treated as a
"permit-but-disclose" proceeding for purposes of the Commission's *ex
parte* rules.[^2] Accordingly, *ex parte* presentations will be
permitted, provided they are disclosed in conformance with Commission
*ex parte* rules.[^3] Interested parties are to file with the Secretary
of the Commission and serve CeCi Stephens, Policy and Program Planning
Division, Common Carrier Bureau, Federal Communications Commission, Room
C5-140, 445 Twelfth Street, S.W., Washington, DC 20554, and ITS, Inc.,
2131 20^th^ Street, N.W., Washington, DC 20036, with copies of written
*ex parte* presentations or summaries of oral *ex parte* presentations
in these proceedings in accordance with the Commission's *ex parte*
rules.

By the Chief, Common Carrier Bureau.

FCC Common Carrier Bureau contact: CeCi Stephens 202/418-1588.

\- FCC -

[^1]: *Comments Requested on Application by Bell Atlantic for
    Authorization Under Section 271 of the Communications Act to Provide
    In-Region, Interlata Service in the State of New York,* Public
    Notice, CC Docket No. 99-295, DA 99-2014, (rel. September 29, 1999)
    (September 29, 1999 Public Notice).

[^2]: *See* 47 C.F.R. §§ 1.1200(a), 1.1206.

[^3]: *See id* at §§ 1.1202, 1.1206(b); *Updated Filing Requirements for
    Bell Operating Company Applications Under Section 271 of the
    Communications Act,* CC Docket No. 99-295, DA 99-1994, (rel.
    September 28, 1999);.*September 29, 1999, Public Notice.*