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                                                       DA 98-1569
                            Before the
                FEDERAL COMMUNICATIONS COMMISSION
                     Washington, D.C.  20554


In the Matter of                        )
                                   )
Petition for Declaratory Ruling on the       )    CCBPol No. 98-4
Realistic Choice Standard for Implementing   )    
the Public Interest Test in Section 271           )
of the Communications Act of 1934       )


                              ORDER

     Adopted:  August 5, 1998                     Released:  August 6, 1998

By the Chief, Policy and  Program Planning Division, Common Carrier Bureau:

     
     1.   On August 3, 1998, the Enterprise Networking Technologies Users Association
(ENTUA) filed a motion seeking an extension of time to file comments and reply comments on a
petition for declaratory ruling regarding the "realistic choice" standard for implementing the public
interest test of section 271 of the Communications Act (Petition).  On August 4, 1998, the National
Association of State Utility Consumer Advocates (NASUCA) filed a similar motion requesting the
same extension of time.
     
     2.     In its motion, ENTUA explains that it is an independent association of 250 large
businesses with diversified network interests in domestic and international communications.  ENTUA
notes that the comment schedule initially set by the Commission for the filing of comments in this
proceeding does not give ENTUA sufficient time to consult with its members and develop a policy
position on this matter.  NASUCA, which is a membership organization comprised of state utility
consumer advocates, states that it needs additional time to discuss and consider the position of its
members on the Petition as well.  NASUCA states that given the breadth of the subject matter and
the shortness of time, additional time is needed to study the issues and determine if the proposal set
forth in the Petition is in the best interest of consumers.  ENTUA and NASUCA thus request that the
Commission revise the comment schedule to allow comments in this proceeding to be due on
September 1, 1998, and reply comments to be due on September 16, 1998.  
     
     3.   It is the policy of the Commission that extensions of time are not routinely granted. 
In this instance, however, both ENTUA and NASUCA have demonstrated good cause for an
extension of the deadline for filing comments and reply comments in this proceeding.  Moreover, we
have received no opposition to granting the extension that these parties request.  Under these
circumstances, we will grant the motions filed by ENTUA and NASUCA and give all parties until
September 1, 1998 to file comments in this proceeding, and until September 16, 1998 to file replies
to those comments.  

     4.   Accordingly, IT IS ORDERED that the motions for extension of time filed by the
Enterprise Networking Technologies Users Association and the National Association of State Utility
Consumer Advocates ARE GRANTED.
     
     5.   IT IS FURTHER ORDERED that the deadline for filing comments in this proceeding 
IS EXTENDED until September 1, 1998, and the deadline for filing reply comments IS EXTENDED 
until September 16, 1998.  


                              FEDERAL COMMUNICATIONS COMMISSION




                              Carol E. Mattey
                              Chief, Policy and Program Planning Division
                              Common Carrier Bureau