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

In the Matter of                     )
                                     )
                                     ) CC Docket No. 98-11
Bell Atlantic's Petition for Relief  )
from Barriers to Deployment of       )
Advanced Telecommunications Services )



                                   ORDER

   Adopted:  February 25, 1998                Released:  February 25, 1998  



By the Chief, Policy and Program Planning Division, Common Carrier Bureau:

 1.   On January 30, 1998, the Bureau released a Public Notice seeking comment
on the petition filed by Bell Atlantic Corp. (Bell Atlantic), seeking regulatory relief from
"restrictions impeding its expansion and offering of high-speed, packet-switched data
services, including Internet, Intranet, and Extranet services."  Specifically, Bell Atlantic
asks the Commission to forbear, pursuant to section 706 of the Telecommunications Act of
1996 (1996 Act), from certain statutory provisions and Commission rules that Bell Atlantic
contends stand as obstacles to its ability to develop and offer new data services.  The Bureau
established a deadline of March 2, 1998, for interested parties to file comments concerning
Bell Atlantic's petition, with reply comments due to the Commission by April 1, 1998.

 2.   In a motion dated February 23, 1998, the Commercial Internet eXchange
Association (CIX) requested extension of the comment deadlines set in the January 30, 1998,
Public Notice.  Specifically, CIX asks that the deadline by which parties must file comments
with the Commission be extended to April 1, 1998.  CIX contends that an extension of time
will allow the Commission to consolidate comments submitted on all petitions filed pursuant
to section 706 of the Act, and give commenters more time to respond to Bell Atlantic's
petition, which CIX characterizes as raising "several significant issues of first impression." 
CIX further maintains that the Commission should allow more time for consideration of Bell
Atlantic's petition in light of recent industry developments in the field of advanced
telecommunications, and further asserts that additional time for comments would ensure that
a wide spectrum of the public will have an opportunity to address critical regulatory issues.

 3.   The Commission does not routinely grant extensions of time.  It is important,
however, that the record be as complete as possible in this case raising issues of first
impression.  We find that good cause exists for the extension of the comment period in this
matter.  Moreover, we note the Commission recently received a petition requesting issuance
of a Notice of Inquiry and Notice of Proposed Rulemaking, filed pursuant to section 706,
which raises certain issues similar to those raised by Bell Atlantic in its petition.  For these
reasons, we grant CIX's request and, accordingly, we:  (1) extend the period of time by
which parties must file comments with the Commission on Bell Atlantic's petition until April
1, 1998; and (2) extend the period of time by which parties must file reply comments on Bell
Atlantic's petition until May 1, 1998.  

 4.   Accordingly, IT IS ORDERED, pursuant to Section 1.46 of the Commission's
Rules, 47 C.F.R.  1.46, that the Commercial Internet eXchange Association's request to
extend the comment deadline for the Bell Atlantic Petition for Relief, CC Docket No. 98-11, 
IS GRANTED, by extending the deadline for comments until April 1, 1998, and the deadline
for reply comments until May 1, 1998.

 

                       FEDERAL COMMUNICATIONS COMMISSION



                       Carol E. Mattey
                       Chief, Policy and Program Planning Division
                       Common Carrier Bureau