PUBLIC NOTICE
FEDERAL COMMUNICATIONS COMMISSION
445 12th St. SW
WASHINGTON, D.C. 20554                                           

News media information 202/418-0500     Fax-On-Demand  202/418-2830     Internet:  http://www.fcc.gov    ftp.fcc.gov

                    
                                        DA 99-1580

                                        Released: August 11, 1999
                                
                                
                                
                                
                                
             EXPLANATION OF OUTAGE REPORTING RULES
                                
Under Section 63.100 of its rules (47 CFR 63.100), the Commission requires carriers to report
major telecommunications outages that occur on their networks. Among other information,
carriers are required to report "the apparent or known cause of the incident, including the name
and type of equipment involved...." Questions have been raised about the meaning of this
requirement. 

The Office of Engineering and Technology, which is responsible for monitoring compliance with
Section 63.100, wishes to make it clear that carriers need only report the name and type of
equipment when a defect in that equipment is implicated in the apparent or known cause of a
major outage or when specification of the apparent or known cause of the outage is not possible
without specifying the name and type of equipment involved.

For further information, contact Robert Kimball at 202-418-2339 voice, 202-418-1944 fax,
bkimball@fcc.gov.