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                            Before the
                FEDERAL COMMUNICATIONS COMMISSION
                      Washington D.C. 20554
     DA No. 97-1744

   Policy and Rules Concerning the )
  Interstate, Interexchange Marketplace)
      )CC Docket No. 96-61
  Implementation of Section 254(g) of the )
  Communications Act of 1934, as amended)


                              ORDER


     Adopted:August 14, 1997Released:August 14, 1997


By the Chief, Competitive Pricing Division:


                        I.   INTRODUCTION

        1. In this Order, we grant, in part, the motion of the American Samoa Government
("ASG") to modify the procedural schedule established in the Order Reviewing Final Rate Plans
for consideration in this proceeding of issues concerning implementation of rate integration for
American Samoa.  We modify the schedule to permit ASG to submit a plan for implementation
of rate integration by October 1, 1997, and interexchange carriers and other interested parties to
submit comments on ASG's plan by October 16, 1997. 

                         II.  BACKGROUND

        2. In the Rate Averaging and Rate Integration Report & Order, the Commission
adopted regulatory requirements implementing section 254(g) of the Communications Act of
1934, as amended, requiring, inter alia, providers of interstate interexchange services to U.S.
territories and possessions, including American Samoa, to do so on an integrated basis with
services they provide to other states by August 1, 1997.  The Commission delegated to the
Chief, Common Carrier Bureau ("Bureau"), authority to resolve any issues concerning rate
integration for offshore points.  

        3. In the Order Reviewing Final Rate Plans, the Bureau temporarily suspended the
obligation of carriers to provide services on an integrated basis to American Samoa pending
comments on measures that could facilitate provision of interexchange services in American
Samoa on an integrated basis with services provided in other parts of the U.S.  These measures
include participation by American Samoa in the North American Numbering Plan, provision in
American Samoa of access services to IXCs on a basis comparable to that of LECs in other parts
of the U.S. (such as by offering National Exchange Carrier Association access rates), and
provision of Feature Group D access service, if requested by IXCs.  The Bureau established a
comment period that allowed interexchange carriers to submit comments by August 18, 1997,
and allowed ASG and other interested parties to submit responsive comments by September 5,
1997.  

                  III.  MOTION FOR MODIFICATION

        4. ASG requests that the Bureau modify its procedural schedule to provide ASG
with a greater opportunity to analyze and address issues related to implementation of rate
integration and to allow interexchange carriers to address the issues based on knowledge of
ASG's plan.  According to ASG, a modified schedule would enable and encourage the parties to
work together, and would facilitate the development of a more complete record.  ASG also
states that it intends to submit a complete plan addressing the measures it proposes to implement
rate integration of interexchange service provided to, and from, American Samoa, and that it
intends to work closely with the interexchange carriers serving American Samoa before
submitting its plan.  ASG requests that the comment period be modified to permit it to submit its
rate integration implementation plan by October 15, 1997, and to permit interexchange carriers
and other interested parties to submit comments on the plan by November 15, 1997.  ASG
asserts that representatives of AT&T, GTE, MCI, and Sprint support its request for
modification. 

                         IV.  DISCUSSION

        5. ASG's proposed procedural schedule will provide an opportunity for consideration
of issues related to achieving rate integration for American Samoa.  However, we are not
persuaded that the proposed extension until October 15, 1997 is fully justified.  An extension
until October 1, 1997 should provide an adequate opportunity for ASG to submit a complete
plan.  Accordingly, we will grant ASG's motion to permit it to submit a plan for implementation
of rate integration on or before October 1, 1997.  Interexchange carriers and other interested
parties may submit comments on ASG's plan by October 16, 1997. 

                       V.  ORDERING CLAUSE

        6. Accordingly, IT IS ORDERED that the procedural schedule established in this
proceeding IS MODIFIED so that the American Samoa Government may submit a plan for
implementation of rate integration by October 1, 1997, and that interexchange carriers and other
interested parties may submit responsive comments by October 16, 1997. 



       FEDERAL COMMUNICATIONS COMMISSION

 


       James D. Schlichting 
                      Chief, Competitive Pricing Division