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Report No. SPB-120                                                                March 20, 1998


                   SATELLITE POLICY BRANCH INFORMATION:
              COMMENT REQUESTED ON PROPOSED PROTECTIVE ORDER

TCI Satellite, Inc.                                  File No. 91-SAT-TC-97 
MCI Telecommunications Corporation                   File No. 106-SAT-AL-97


Pleading Cycle Established

Comments:      March 27, 1998
Replies:       March 31, 1998


       On March 20, 1998, the applicants to this proceeding filed a motion for
       confidential treatment for certain materials requested by the Commission on
       March 2, 1998.  Where confidential treatment of materials is appropriate we
       intend to adopt a protective order.  This approach will ensure the confidentiality
       of such materials where appropriate, but enable the parties that sign the protective
       order to have access to the materials subject to the terms of the protective order. 
       To this end, we are requesting public comment on the protective order proposed
       by the applicants.

       Comments should be submitted no later than March 27, 1998, and replies on or
       before March 31, 1998.  Commenters suggesting changes to the proposed
       protective order should attach specific, alternate language in an appendix to their
       filings. Service copies of all comments should be hand-delivered to all parties. 
       Alternatively, for pleadings filed from outside the Washington, D.C. metropolitan
       area, service on all parties should be by overnight courier.

                                  - FCC -