NEWS
                                                           January 30, 1998

                 FCC RELEASES STUDY ON TELEPHONE TRENDS


     The FCC has released a report entitled Trends in Telephone Service.  This report is 
designed to provide answers to some of the most frequently asked questions about the telephone
industry -- questions asked by consumers, members of Congress, other government agencies,
telecommunications carriers, and members of the business and academic communities.  To this
end, the report contains summary information about the size, growth, and development of the
telephone industry, including data on market shares, minutes of calling, number of lines, and
telephone subscribership.  The report also provides information about access charges, telephone
rates and price changes, consumer expenditures for service, complaints, employment,
infrastructure, international telephone traffic, local competition, long distance carriers, and
universal service programs.  

     This report is available for reference in the Common Carrier Bureau Public Reference
Room, 2000 M Street, N.W., Room 575.  Copies may be purchased by calling International
Transcription Services, Inc. (ITS) at (202) 857-3800.  The report can be downloaded [file name: 
TREND198.ZIP] from the FCC-State Link internet site at http://www.fcc.gov/ccb/stats on the
World Wide Web.  The report can also be downloaded from the FCC-State Link computer
bulletin board at (202) 418-0241. 
   FCC

     For further information, contact the Industry Analysis Division, Common Carrier Bureau,
at (202) 418-0940.