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                                                       Before the
             Federal Communications Commission
                  Washington, D.C.  20554
  
  In the Matter of                        )
                                )
  Price Cap Performance Review            )         CC Docket No. 94-1
  for Local Exchange Carriers             )
                                )
  Access Charge Reform                    )         CC Docket No. 96-262
                                )
  
  
                           ORDER
  
  Adopted:  December 14, 1999               Released:  December 14, 1999
  
  Comment Date:  January 7, 2000
  Reply Comment Date:  January 24, 2000
  
  By the Chief, Competitive Pricing Division, Common Carrier Bureau:
  
  1.      By this Order we extend the deadline for filing comment and reply comments in the
  above-captioned proceeding concerning the prescription of the X-factor to January 7, 2000, and
  January 24, 2000, respectively.
  2.      On November 15, 1999 the Commission released a Further Notice of Proposed
  Rulemaking (FNPRM) in this proceeding that invited interested parties to file comments on the
  local exchange carrier (LEC) price cap X-factor prescription no later than December 30, 1999 and
  reply comments no later than January 14, 2000.  On December 6, 1999, the United States
  Telecom Association (USTA) requested an extension of the comment and reply comment deadlines
  until January 7, 2000, and January 31, 2000, respectively.  USTA cites the need for additional
  time to review and respond to the staff studies underlying the X-factor analyses included in the
  FNPRM.  In addition, USTA foresees that submission of additional data and studies in the
  comment period will require an extension of the reply comment deadline.  U S West
  Communications, Inc. (U S West) filed comments in support of USTA's petition on December 10,
  1999.
  3.      We agree with USTA that a modest extension of the comment and reply comment
  deadlines would enable interested parties to provide more substantive and complete comments on
  the numerous complex issues surrounding the prescription of the X-factor in the LEC price cap
  equation.  Consequently, we are persuaded that granting an extension of the comment deadlines
  will enhance the overall quality of the comments and reply comments, and will provide a more
  complete record for consideration.  As noted by USTA, however, the FNPRM was issued in
  response to a decision by the U.S. Court of Appeals for the D.C. Circuit to reverse and remand the
  Commission's 1997 X-factor order.  The court's mandate has been stayed until April 1, 2000. 
  We are concerned that extension of the comment deadlines to the dates requested by USTA will not
  allow us sufficient time to fully review the comments and prescribe an X-factor prior to the
  expiration of the court's stay on April 1, 2000.  Therefore, we conclude that modifying USTA's
  request for the extension, as specified below, is in the public interest.
  4.      Accordingly, IT IS ORDERED, pursuant to Section 1.46 of the Commission's rules,
  47 C.F.R.  1.46, that the request of USTA is GRANTED to the extent indicated.  The comment
  deadline in the X-factor FNPRM is extended to January 7, 2000, and the reply comment deadline
  is extended to January 24, 2000.
                           FEDERAL COMMUNICATION COMMISSION 
                           
                           
                           
                           Jane E. Jackson
                           Chief, Competitive Pricing Division
                           Common Carrier Bureau