PUBLIC NOTICE FEDERAL COMMUNICATIONS COMMISSION 445 12th Street, SW WASHINGTON, DC 20554 News Media Information (202) 418-0500 Fax-On-Demand 202/418-2830 Internet http://www.fcc.gov TTY: 202/418-2555 DA 99-2169 October 13, 1999 Network Services Division Common Carrier Bureau Notification: Section 214 Applications to Discontinue Service Not Automatically Granted Applicant: AT&T Communications NSD File No. W-P-D-439, AT&T EasyReach 700 Service NSD File No. W-P-D-440, AT&T 500 Personal Number Service On September 17, 1999, AT&T Communications ("AT&T") filed two applications requesting authority under section 214(a) of the Communications Act of 1934, 47 U.S.C.  214(a), and section 63.71 of the Federal Communications Commission's rules, 47 C.F.R.  63.71, to discontinue AT&T EasyReach 700 Service and AT&T 500 Personal Number Service, effective November 15, 1999. Public Notice of the applications was released on September 22, 1999. In accordance with 47 C.F.R.  63.71(c), such applications are automatically granted on the 31st day after the release date of public notice, without any Commission notification to the applicant, unless the Commission has notified the applicant that the grants will not be automatically effective. The FCC normally authorizes proposed discontinuances of service unless it is shown that customers would be unable to receive service or a reasonable substitute from another carrier or that the public convenience and necessity is otherwise adversely affected. Numerous comments objecting to these applications have been received. The comments indicate that there may be no reasonably substitutable service and that the public convenience and necessity may be adversely affected. As to substitute service, the comments indicate that 500 and 700 numbers are not portable (to other carriers), that no other carrier offers 500 or 700 service, that the only available alternative appears to be toll free service (800, 888, and 877 access codes), and that, unlike 500 and 700 service, toll free service does not permit instantaneous re-routing of calls or enable the subscriber to pay only for calls from selected persons, but requires the subscriber to pay for all calls. As to public convenience and necessity, the comments indicate that, when AT&T offered these services, it warranted that the 500 and 700 numbers would be "permanent" "lifetime" numbers, that customers relied on those representations and have been able to change locations and local carriers while retaining their 500 and 700 numbers, and that discontinuance of AT&T's 500 and 700 services will now require them to change their existing directory listings, business publications, and other personal and residential uses. Accordingly, based on these comments, by this Public Notice, AT&T is notified that its applications to discontinue the 500 and 700 services will not be granted automatically but will be acted upon based on their merits, following further examination of both the comments received and any responsive comments that AT&T files. For further information, contact Al McCloud, (202) 418-2499 (voice), amccloud@fcc.gov, or Marty Schwimmer, (202) 418-2320 (voice), mschwimm@fcc.gov, at the Network Services Division, Common Carrier Bureau. The TTY number is (202) 418-0484. -FEDERAL COMMUNICATIONS COMMISSION-