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



In the Matter of                     )
                                     )
Application of Ameritech Illinois Metro, Inc.)
To Purchase and Provide Service Over Certain)           File No. W-P-C-7158
Local Exchange Facilities Located in )
Northwest Chicago and Nearby Communities)
Pursuant to 47 U.S.C.  214          )

And

In the Matter of                     )
                                     )
Application of Ameritech Illinois Metro, Inc.)
and Illinois Bell Telephone Company  )       File No. W-P-C-7160
(Ameritech Illinois) For the Pro Forma )
Assignment to Ameritech Illinois     )
of Section 214 Authorization         )



                           ORDER AND CERTIFICATE


     Adopted:  May 5, 1998       Released:  May 5, 1998

By the Chief, Network Services Division, Common Carrier Bureau:

     1.  On April 7, 1998, Ameritech Illinois Metro, Inc. (AIM) and Illinois Bell Telephone
Company (Ameritech Illinois) filed an application pursuant to section 214 of the
Communications Act of 1934, as amended, 47 U.S.C.  214, and Part 63 of the Commission's
rules, 47 C.F.R. Part 63, requesting pro forma assignment of an AIM section 214
authorization to Ameritech Illinois.  AIM and Ameritech Illinois state that the requested
assignment will facilitate the planned merger of AIM into Ameritech Illinois.  AIM and
Ameritech Illinois also request a waiver of the information requirements of 47 C.F.R  63.01,
which they assert are not necessary to the application.  

      2.  AIM and Ameritech Illinois state that the requested assignment represents the final
step of a two-step transaction, in the first step of which AIM purchased local exchange assets
(the Facilities) from Central Telephone Company of Illinois (Central) in the Chicago area,
and that, after this transaction, Ameritech Illinois (AIM's 100 per cent parent) will own and
operate the Facilities.  AIM and Ameritech Illinois explain that Ameritech Illinois chose the
two-step procedure, with interim ownership of the Facilities by AIM rather than direct
purchase by Ameritech Illinois, to avoid first having the Facilities undergo conversion to
Ameritech Illinois' state-level price caps.  AIM and Ameritech Illinois assert that grant of this
application would serve the public interest because it would result in greater efficiency
through the elimination of AIM as interim owner, that Ameritech Illinois will commence
operation seamlessly to customers, and that grant of the application would not result in
reduction or impairment of competition because it would merely authorize a pro forma
assignment whereby Ameritech Illinois will remain the ultimate parent. 

   3.  No comments or oppositions were filed in response to the public notice of this
application.  Having reviewed the application, we find that it complies with the requirements
of section 214 of the Communications Act and Part 63 of our rules.  Furthermore, for the
reasons stated in the application, we find that the transaction described will serve the present
or future public convenience and necessity.  We also find that the requested waiver of the
information requirements of 47 C.F.R  63.01 is warranted, because grant of the application
would do no more than authorize an assignment of AIM's previously granted section 214
authority to its parent Ameritech Illinois, based essentially on the same information as was
previously submitted.

   4.  Accordingly, IT IS ORDERED, pursuant to section 214 of the Act, 47 U.S.C. 
214, and the authority delegated in sections 0.91 and 0.291 of the Commission's rules, 47
C.F.R.  0.91 and 0.291, that the above-referenced request for waiver of the information
requirements of 47 C.F.R  63.01 IS GRANTED, and that the above-referenced application
for assignment of the section 214 authority in W-P-C-7158 IS GRANTED.  Ameritech
Illinois Metro, Inc. IS AUTHORIZED to assign to Ameritech Illinois the section 214
authority to provide service over the local exchange facilities described above.

   5.  This Order and Certificate IS EFFECTIVE upon release.  Failure of the applicants
to decline the authorization in writing within thirty-one days from the release date will be
construed as formal acceptance.

   FEDERAL COMMUNICATIONS COMMISSION



   Geraldine A. Matise, Chief
   Network Services Division
   Common Carrier Bureau