PUBLIC NOTICE
     FEDERAL COMMUNICATIONS COMMISSION            DA 98-2229
     1919 M STREET N.W. WASHINGTON, D.C. 20554                   
     News media information 202/418-0500  Recorded listing of releases and texts 202/418-2222.
______________________________________________________________________
                                                  
                                              October 30, 1998   

                COMMISSION ANNOUNCES Y2K FORUM 
           ON PRIVATE NETWORKS AND CUSTOMER EQUIPMENT
                                

The Federal Communications Commission will hold a forum consisting of a series of panel
discussions among industry representatives, FCC and other Federal officials to examine the  Year
2000 (Y2K)  impact on private networks, call centers, and other customer-premises  equipment.

Date:     Tuesday, November 10, 1998

Location: Commission Meeting Room (Room 856)
          Federal Communications Commission
          1919 M Street, N.W., Washington, DC  20554

Time:          2:00  -  4:00 p.m.

The Commission has invited representatives of equipment manufacturers, wireline carriers,
telecommunications end-users, and trade associations to attend the forum, which is entitled:  "Year
2000:  Maintaining Customer-Premises Equipment and Private Networks."  

During that forum, participants will examine potential problems as a result of the Y2K date change
"roll over" with respect to customer-premises telephone equipment and those private networks that
are connected to the public switched telephone network.   In testimony before the Senate Special
Committee on the Year 2000 Technology Problem, FCC Commissioner Michael K. Powell
identified customer-premises equipment as an area of particular concern for the Commission in its
analysis of Year 2000 issues.  This concern is directed to the need to maintain  interconnectivity
among the public telephone network; separately-owned, privately-maintained telephone and data
networks; and the equipment that customers use to facilitate their use of  those networks.  Such
customer-premises equipment includes telephone sets, voicemail systems, facsimile machines, and
private branch exchanges.

One forum objective is to increase knowledge among customers about potential Y2K problems
with  telecommunications equipment within their control and to identify available resources to help
address those problems.  Other objectives are to heighten awareness and encourage information
sharing among manufacturers, suppliers, carriers, and users. 

This forum is open to the public.  Seating will be available on a first come, first served basis.  A
transcript of the forum will be available approximately 10 days later on the FCC's Internet site. 
The FCC's Y2K Internet Home Page is found at http//www.fcc.gov/year2000/.

The forum  will also be carried live on the Internet.  Internet users may listen to the         real-time
audio feed by accessing the FCC Internet Audio Broadcast Home Page. Step-by-step instructions
on how to listen to the broadcast as well as information regarding the necessary equipment and
software are available on the FCC Internet Audio Broadcast Home Page. The URL address for
this home page is http://www.fcc.gov/realaudio/. Audio and video tapes of the forum may be
purchased from Infocus, 341 Victory Drive, Herndon, VA 20170, by calling their office at (703)
834-0100 or by sending a fax to Infocus at (703) 834-0111.



News Media Contact:   Audrey J. Spivack (202) 418-0500; aspivack@fcc.gov.
Common Carrier Bureau Contact: Doug Cooper (202) 418-1686; dcooper@fcc.gov.