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                                Before the
                     Federal Communications Commission
                          Washington, D.C. 20554

In the Matter of                     )
                                     )           CC Docket No. 97-250
Tariffs Implementing Access Charge Reform)               

MEMORANDUM OPINION AND ORDER
                 
              Adopted:  January 23, 1998                                Released:  January 23, 1998

By the Deputy Chief, Competitive Pricing Division, Common Carrier Bureau:

I.  INTRODUCTION
                                          
              1.  On December 30, 1997, the Common Carrier Bureau (Bureau) initiated an investigation
into the provisions contained in incumbent local exchange carrier (LEC) access charge reform tariffs. 
At that time, the Bureau stated that an order designating specific issues for investigation would be
issued separately.  On January 20 and January 22, 1998, eleven LECs filed fourteen transmittals to
revise their tariffs.  We have no record of the receipt of any petitions filed against these transmittals
to date.

      II.  DISCUSSION

              2.  These fourteen transmittals raise the same issues as those identified in the Access Charge
Reform Tariffs Suspension Order regarding implementation of: (1) the Access Charge Reform Order;
(2) the Commission's order concluding the 1997 access tariff investigation;
(3) the Commission's order reapportioning General Support Facilities investment and expenses; and
(4) the new universal service support mechanisms.   Therefore, we suspend each of these fourteen
transmittals for one day, following the effective date, and make these transmittals subject to the
investigation initiated in the Access Charge Reform Tariffs Suspension Order.  The specific issues that
will be the subject of the consolidated investigation will be identified in the designation order in this
proceeding, and may include, but are not limited to, the issues identified in the Access Charge Reform
Tariffs Suspension Order. 

              3.  The rates that are the subject of this suspension order may be subject at the conclusion of
the investigation to the special, two-way adjustment mechanism described in the Access Charge
Reform Tariffs Suspension Order, for the reasons stated therein.  We therefore put customers on
notice that any revised rates provided in the fourteen transmittals suspended for one day by this order
are provisional rates.  If these provisional rates are found at the conclusion of the investigation
initiated by the Access Charge Reform Tariffs Suspension Order to be below a just and reasonable
level, we may allow carriers prospectively to charge higher rates for some elements to reflect the fact
that they were charging less than would have been permitted for those elements during the pendency
of the investigation.  If these provisional rates are found at the conclusion of the investigation initiated
by the Access Charge Reform Tariffs Suspension Order to be above those permitted by our rules, and
thus unreasonably high, we may require the LECs to make refunds to their customers.  It is also
possible that, in some cases in which the same customer has paid both charges that were found to be
too high and charges that were found to be too low, refunds could be offset by amounts allowed for
recoupment.  

III.  EX PARTE REQUIREMENTS
                                    
              4.  This consolidated investigation is a permit-but-disclose proceeding and subject to the
permit-but-disclose requirements under Section 1.1206(b) of the rules, 47 C.F.R.  1.1206(b), as
revised.  Persons making oral ex parte presentations are reminded that memoranda summarizing the
presentation must contain a summary of the substance of the presentation and not merely a listing of
the subjects discussed.  More than a one or two sentence description of the views and arguments 
presented is generally required.  See 47 C.F.R.  1.1206(b)(2), as revised.  Other rules pertaining to
oral and written presentations are set forth in Section 1.1206(b), as well.  

   IV.  ORDERING CLAUSES

              5.  Accordingly, IT IS ORDERED, pursuant to Section 204(a) of the Communications Act of
1934, as amended, 47 U.S.C.  204(a), and through the authority delegated pursuant to Sections 0.91
and 0.291 of the Commission's rules, 47 C.F.R.  0.91 and 0.291, that the tariff revisions filed by
Aliant Communications Company, Ameritech Operating Companies, Bell Atlantic Operating
Companies, Cincinnati Bell Telephone Company, Citizens Telecommunications Companies, The
NYNEX Telephone Companies, Nevada Bell Telephone Company, Pacific Bell Telephone Company,
Puerto Rico Telephone Company, Southwestern Bell Telephone Company, and U S West
Communications, Inc. ARE SUSPENDED for one day from the effective date and an investigation of
the referenced tariff transmittals IS INSTITUTED AND CONSOLIDATED in CC Docket No. 97-
250.

              6.  IT IS FURTHER ORDERED that each local exchange carrier required to suspend its tariff
revisions for one day pursuant to this Order SHALL FILE, within five business days of the release
date of this Order, tariff revisions to reflect the one day suspension from the currently scheduled
effective date of January 24, 1998. The carriers should cite the DA number of the instant Order as
the authority for this filing. 

              7.  IT IS FURTHER ORDERED, pursuant to Sections 4(i) and 204(a) of the Communications
Act of 1934, as amended, 47 U.S.C.  154(i) and 204(a), and through the authority delegated
pursuant to Sections 0.91 and 0.291 of the Commission's rules, 47 C.F.R.  0.91 and 0.291, that
Aliant Communications Company, Ameritech Operating Companies, Bell Atlantic Operating
Companies, Cincinnati Bell Telephone Company, Citizens Telecommunications Companies, The
NYNEX Telephone Companies, Nevada Bell Telephone Company, Pacific Bell Telephone Company,
Puerto Rico Telephone Company, Southwestern Bell Telephone Company, and U S West
Communications, Inc. SHALL KEEP ACCURATE ACCOUNT of all amounts received by reason of
the provisions that are the subject of this investigation.  

          FEDERAL COMMUNICATIONS COMMISSION



          Jane E. Jackson
          Deputy Chief, Competitive Pricing Division
          Common Carrier Bureau