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                            Before the
                     FEDERAL COMMUNICATIONS COMMISSION
                         Washington, D.C.


In the Matter of                   )
                              )
Prescribing the Authorized Unitary      )
Rate of Return for Interstate Services of    )    CC Docket No. 98-166
Local Exchange Carriers            )
                              )
Motion for Extension of Time of         )
United States Telephone Association,         )
National Telephone Cooperative Association,  )
National Rural Telecom Association,          )
OPASTCO, Independent Telephone and      )
Telecommunications Alliance, and        )
National Exchange Carrier Association, Inc.  )

                              ORDER

Adopted:  November 16, 1998                        Released:  November 16, 1998

By the Deputy Chief, Common Carrier Bureau:

     1.  On November 2, 1998, the United States Telephone Association, National Telephone
Cooperative Association, National Rural Telecom Association, Organization for the Promotion and
Advancement of Small Telephone Companies, Independent Telephone and Telecommunications Alliance,
and National Exchange Carrier Association, Inc., ("Associations") requested an extension of time within
which to file responses to the Commission's Notice Initiating a Prescription Proceeding and Notice of
Proposed Rulemaking ("Notice") in the above-referenced proceeding.  The Associations request a six-
month extension of time.  In this Order we grant in part the Associations' request for extension of time.

     2.  The Commission released the Notice on October 5, 1998 establishing two comment cycles.  For
the Prescription Proceeding, direct cases were due December 3, 1998, responses were due February 1,
1999, and rebuttals were due February 22, 1999.  For the Notice of Proposed Rulemaking, comments were
due December 3, 1998 and replies were due February 1, 1999.  In support of its request for a six-month
extension, the Associations assert that the issues raised are complex and that the established pleading cycle
provides insufficient time for parties to provide a comprehensive response.  The Associations also assert
that additional time is needed to permit rate-of-return carriers an opportunity to assess the impact of
possible changes in the rate of return on other proceedings. 

     3.  The Commission does not routinely grant extensions of time.  Nonetheless, we recognize that
some additional time is warranted to permit the smaller local exchange carriers to prepare comprehensive
responses to assist the Commission in achieving a fair and just decision.  Therefore, we will add 45 days to
the pleading cycle.  Accordingly, for the Prescription Proceeding, direct cases will be due on January 19,
1999; responses will be due March 16, 1999; and rebuttals will be due April 8, 1999.  For the Notice of
Proposed Rulemaking, comments will be due January 19, 1999; and reply comments will be due March
16, 1999.

     4.  Accordingly, IT IS ORDERED, pursuant to Section 4(i) and 5(c) of the Communications Act
of 1934, as amended, 47 U.S.C.  154(i), 155(c), and Section 0.91, 0.291, and 1.46 of the Commission's
rules, 47 C.F.R.  0.91, 0.291, 1.46, the motion for extension of time filed by the United States Telephone
Association, National Telephone Cooperative Association, National Rural Telecom Association,
Organization for the Promotion and Advancement of Small Telephone Companies, Independent Telephone
and Telecommunications Alliance, and National Exchange Carrier Association, Inc., IS GRANTED to the
extent indicated above and otherwise IS DENIED. 


                         FEDERAL COMMUNICATIONS COMMISSION




                         Yog R. Varma
                         Deputy Chief, Common Carrier Bureau