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                                                                                                                                      PUBLIC NOTICE
                                                                         
                                   Federal Communications Commission
                                                  445 12th St., S.W.
                                              Washington, D.C. 20554
                                                                    
                                                           DA 99-888
                                               Released May 11, 1999
                                                                    
                                                                    
                 COMMON CARRIER BUREAU CLASSIFIES 
             MCI WORLDCOM'S JOINT PETITION FOR WAIVER 
                 PROCEEDING AS PERMIT-BUT-DISCLOSE
                          CC DOCKET 94-129
                                  
     On December 23, 1998, the Commission released In the Matter of Implementation of the
Subscriber Carrier Selection Changes Provisions of the Telecommunications Act of 1996:
Policies and Rules Concerning Unauthorized Changes of Consumers' Long Distance Carriers,
Second Report and Order and Further Notice of Proposed Rulemaking, FCC 98-334 (Order).   In
the Order, the Commission adopted new rules concerning customers' obligations to pay charges
incurred following an unauthorized preferred interexchange carrier change.  The Order also
placed certain obligations upon carriers in administering these liability provisions.  On March
30, 1999, MCI WorldCom (MCI) and several other parties filed a Joint Petition for Waiver of
certain of these rules.  The parties requested this waiver on the condition that they implement a
voluntary, industry-funded neutral third party administrator (TPA) that will give consumers and
carriers a single point of contact for resolving slamming complaints

     On April 8, 1999, the Commission issued a Public Notice announcing the comment cycle
for the Joint Petition for Waiver.  While all waiver proceedings are restricted, the Commission
has discretion, under 47 C.F.R. section 1.1200(a), to conclude that certain waiver proceedings
involve broad policy issues and should be classified as permit-but-disclose.  We issued the April
8, 1999 Public Notice because we believe that this waiver proceeding has broad implications
that reach beyond the parties to the proceeding.  In this Public Notice, we clarify that this waiver
proceeding is classified as permit-but-disclose.

By the Chief, Common Carrier Bureau.
     
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:  Kimberly Parker at (202) 418-7393.  The fax
number is (202) 418-0236.