[Federal Register Volume 61, Number 127 (Monday, July 1, 1996)]
[Notices]
[Pages 33917-33918]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 96-16609]


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FEDERAL COMMUNICATIONS COMMISSION

[DA 96-962]


Telecommunications Services Between the United States and Cuba

AGENCY: Federal Communications Commission.

ACTION: Notice.

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SUMMARY: On June 17, 1996, the Commission approved the application of 
AT&T Corp. to acquire and operate additional facilities to provide 
telecommunications services between the United States and Cuba. The 
services authorized include both switched voice and private line 
services.

[[Page 33918]]

Grant of the application will permit AT&T to continue to provide 
improved service to Cuba, pursuant to the new service agreement it 
entered into with its correspondent in Cuba, EMTELCUBA, which became 
effective upon grant of a previous application. The Commission has 
authorized AT&T to provide service between the United States and Cuba 
in accordance with the provisions of the Cuban Democracy Act. This will 
allow AT&T to help meet the large demand for direct telecommunications 
services between the United States and Cuba. Under the guidelines 
established by the Department of State, AT&T is to submit reports 
indicating the numbers of circuits activated by facility, on or before 
June 30, and December 31 of each year, and on the one-year anniversary 
of this notification in the Federal Register.

EFFECTIVE DATE: June 17, 1996.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Troy F. Tanner, Attorney, Common 
Carrier Bureau, (202) 418-1470.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

    Adopted: June 17, 1996.
    Released: June 20, 1996.
    1. Upon consideration of the above-captioned uncontested 
application, filed by American Telephone and Telegraph Company (AT&T) 
pursuant to Section 214 of the Communications Act of 1934, as amended, 
we find that the present and future public convenience and necessity 
require a grant thereof.
    2. Accordingly, it is ordered that application File No. I-T-C-96-
231 is granted, and AT&T is authorized to:
    a. lease from Comsat and operate 24 64-kbps satellite circuits 
between appropriately licensed U.S. earth stations and an appropriate 
INTELSAT satellite over the Atlantic Ocean, connecting with similar 
circuits between the satellite and an earth station in Cuba, furnished 
by AT&T's correspondent;
    b. multiplex the circuits authorized in a., above, through the use 
of Digital Circuit Multiplexing Equipment, to derive up to 120 circuits 
from the 30 circuits authorized; and
    c. use said facilities to provide AT&T's regularly authorized 
services between the United States and Cuba.
    3. It is further ordered that our authorization of AT&T to provide 
private lines as part of its authorized services is limited to the 
provision of such private lines only between the United States and 
Cuba-- that is, private lines which originate in the United States and 
terminate in Cuba or which originate in Cuba and terminate in the 
United States. In addition, AT&T may not--and AT&T's tariffs must state 
that its customers may not--connect private lines provided over these 
facilities to the public switched network at either the U.S. or Cuban 
end, or both, for the provision of international switched basic 
services, unless authorized to do so by the Commission upon a finding 
that Cuba affords resale opportunities equivalent to those available 
under U.S. law, in accordance with Foreign Carrier Entry Order, 60 FR 
67332, December 29, 1995. The limitations in this paragraph are subject 
to the exceptions contained in Sections 63.01(k)(6)(i) and 63.17 of the 
Commission's Rules, 47 CFR Secs. 63.01(k)(6)(i) and 63.17. See also 
Cable & Wireless et al., 11 FCC Rcd 1766 (1996), para. 36.
    4. It is further ordered that the applicant shall file the annual 
reports of overseas telecommunications traffic required by Section 
43.61 of the Commission's Rules, 47 CFR Section 43.61.
    5. It is further ordered that the applicant shall file annual 
circuit status reports in accordance with the requirements set forth in 
Rules for Filing of International Circuit Status Reports, CC Docket No. 
93-157, Report and Order, 10 FCC Rcd 8605 (1995), 60 FR 51366, October 
2, 1995.
    6. It is further ordered that AT&T shall split 50/50 with ETESCA 
the $1.20 per minute accounting rate for the IMTS services.
    7. It is further ordered That the surcharge agreed to between AT&T 
and ETESCA for received collect calls shall be no greater than $1.00 
per call.
    8. It is further ordered That AT&T shall submit reports on or 
before June 30, and December 31, of each year, and on the one-year 
anniversary of the notification of the grant of this application in the 
Federal Register, indicating the number of circuits activated by 
facility.
    9. It is further ordered That this authorization is subject to 
AT&T's obtaining all necessary licenses and authorizations from the 
Departments of Treasury and Commerce.
    10. It is further ordered That this order is subject to revocation 
without a hearing in the event the Department of State or the Federal 
Communications Commission determines that the continuation of 
communications between the United States and Cuba is no longer in the 
national interest.
    11. This order is issued under Section 0.261 of the Commission's 
Rules and is effective June 17, 1996. Petitions for reconsideration 
under Section 1.106 or applications for review under Section 1.115 of 
the Commission's Rules may be filed within 30 days of the date of 
public notice of this order (see Section 1.4(b)(2)).

Federal Communications Commission.
Diane J. Cornell,
Chief, Telecommunications Division, International Bureau.
[FR Doc. 96-16609 Filed 6-28-96; 8:45 am]
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