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                                                             DA 95-620

                                                             CC Docket No. 91-35

                                                             March 24, 1995
Public Notice
       Request for Additional Comments on the Costs and Benefits of 
            International Blocking for Residential Customers 

                                     

                        Pleading Cycle Established

COMMENTS:  April  24, 1995

REPLY COMMENTS:  May  8, 1995

       The Commission currently has under consideration in the above-referenced docket issues
concerning the provision by local exchange carriers (LECs) of a service that automatically blocks
international calls.

       In the Further Reconsideration and FNPRM in CC Docket 91-35, the Commission
requested comment on whether it should require LECs to provide international blocking to
residential customers in order to prevent toll fraud.  Interested parties commented on this issue,
and the LECs also provided general information about the costs and difficulties that they would
incur to provide this service to residential customers.  Parties then commented on the LECs' cost
claims.  Parties have not, however, commented about any benefits that residential customers may
receive by using international blocking for purposes other than toll fraud prevention.  

       Since this record was established, there has been a significant increase in the number of
complaints the Commission has received about information services provided through
international toll calls.  Such calls are directly dialed by domestic telephone subscribers to
information providers located in foreign countries who offer adult-oriented information services. 
These services arose after the Commission adopted its "pay-per-call" rules in 1991 governing 900
and other information services.  The use of international calls to provide domestic information
services evades important consumer safeguards in our "pay-per-call" and other rules. Such
safeguards include, for example, the requirement that LECs offer a service that blocks these calls
and that they identify the calls separately on subscribers' bills.  Moreover, the Federal Trade
Commission's "pay-per-call" rules require information providers to include a preamble explaining
the cost of the call and to allow the caller to hang up before charges commence.  See 16 C.F.R.
 308.5(a) and (b).

       The Commission hereby asks for comments on whether, and in what manner, residential
customers would benefit from having the capability to block international calls.  In particular, we
request comments on whether residential customers would benefit from being able to block
international calls in order to limit access to information services.  We also solicit comments from
the LECs on the costs that the LECs would incur to provide international blocking capability to
residential customers.  The LECs' comments on costs should include the categories of costs (e.g.,
switching, administration, etc.) that would be incurred to provide international blocking capability
to all residential customers.  They should also show the extent to which those costs would be
reduced by not providing blocking in areas in which it would not be technically feasible and
economically reasonable to do so.  For each instance in which a LEC claims that it would not
be technically feasible and economically reasonable to provide residential blocking, its comments
should specify the type of equipment, the number of end offices affected, the nature of the
problem (i.e., inadequate switch memory) and the percentage of residential access lines that would
not receive international blocking.  Also, the LEC should provide a timetable indicating when,
under its current investment plans, it would become technically feasible and economically
reasonable to offer international blocking to residential customers from those end offices.   
 
       Interested parties may file comments on these issues no later than April 24, 1995.  Replies
should be filed by May  8, 1995. 

       An original and four copies of all comments and replies must be filed in accordance with
Section 1.51(c) of the Commission's Rules, 47 C.F.R.  1.51(c).  In addition, one copy of each
pleading must be filed with International Transcription Services (ITS), the Commission's
duplicating contractor, at its office at 2100 M Street, N.W., Suite 140, Washington, D.C. 20037
and one copy with the Chief, Tariff Division, Room 518, 1919 M Street, N.W., Washington, D.C.
20554.

       For further information, contact Thomas G. David, Tariff Division, Common Carrier
Bureau, (202) 418-1530.

                              - FCC -