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                                                       DA 97-1547

                            Before the
                FEDERAL COMMUNICATIONS COMMISSION
                     Washington, D.C.  20554


In the Matter of                             )
                                        )
Application of Sonitrol Southeast, Inc.                )
for a Determination of Exempt Telecommunications  )    File No. ETC-97-9
Company Status under Section 34 of the Public Utility  )
Holding Company Act of 1935, as added by          )
Section 103 of the Telecommunications Act of 1996 )    

                              ORDER

     Adopted:  July 21, 1997                 Released: July 21, 1997


By the General Counsel:


     1.   On May 23, 1997, Sonitrol Southeast, Inc. ("Sonitrol") filed an application with
the Commission for a determination of "exempt telecommunications company" ("ETC") status
pursuant to section 34(a)(1) of the Public Utility Holding Company Act of 1935 ("PUHCA"), as
added by section 103 of the Telecommunications Act of 1996.  Sonitrol's application was placed
on public notice for comment on the adequacy and accuracy of the representations contained
therein on May 27, 1997.  Sonitrol Southeast, Inc., Public Notice, DA No. 97-1113 (OGC rel.
May 27, 1997).  No comments were filed in response to the public notice.  As explained below,
Sonitrol satisfies the statutory criteria required for an affirmative determination of ETC status
and its application is, therefore, granted. 

     2.   Sonitrol states that it is a Delaware corporation and a wholly-owned subsidiary of
Sentry Alarms Systems of America, Inc.  Sentry Alarms Systems of America, Inc. is a wholly-
owned ETC subsidiary of Sentry Management Corporation.  Sentry management is, in turn, a
wholly-owned ETC subsidiary of Entergy Technology Holding Company (ETHC).  ETHC is a
wholly-owned ETC subsidiary of Entergy Corporation, which is a registered public utility
holding company under PUHCA.  Sonitrol states that while ETHC intends to consolidate certain
of its alarm monitoring corporations into one ETC -- 280 Security Holdings, Inc., the name of
which will be changed to Entergy Security Corporation -- Sonitrol will not be a part of this
consolidation.  Instead, Sonitrol states that it will continue to be a wholly-owned subsidiary of
280 Security under its new name.

     3.   Sonitrol further represents that it will be engaged, directly or indirectly through
one or more "affiliates," as defined in Section 2(a)(11)(b) of PUHCA, and exclusively in the
business of providing telecommunications services, information services, other services or
products subject to the jurisdiction of the Commission, and/or products or services that are
related or incidental to the provision of such products or services, within the meaning of Section
34(a)(1) of PUHCA.  Specifically, Sonitrol states that it sells, installs, services, and monitors
custom-designed security alarm systems, serving residential, commercial, and industrial
customers, located primarily in the state of Florida.  In the provision of these services, Sonitrol
operates remote alarm monitoring and response centers which utilize telephone landlines and/or
wireless facilities to receive, process and transmit emergency and other information to and from
customer premises and public safety entities.  Sonitrol also sells alarm services franchises to, and
collects resultant franchise royalties from, franchisees in the states of Alabama, Arkansas,
Florida, Mississippi, North Carolina and South Carolina.

     4.   Based upon the representations contained in Sonitrol's application, Sonitrol meets
the statutory requirements for a determination that it is an exempt telecommunications company
as that term is defined in PUHCA section 34(a)(1), as amended.

     5.   Accordingly, IT IS ORDERED that the application of Sonitrol IS GRANTED.  IT
IS FURTHER ORDERED that the Securities and Exchange Commission SHALL BE
NOTIFIED of this determination.

                         FEDERAL COMMUNICATIONS COMMISSION



                         William E. Kennard
                         General Counsel