Independent LECs Providing In-Region, Interstate, Interexchange Services on an Integrated Basis; Delay of Deadline

The Common Carrier Bureau of the Federal Communications Commission has released an Order staying the provision for the April 18, 1998 deadline by which independent LECs providing in-region, interstate, interexchange services on an integrated basis must comply with the Commission's requirement that they provide these services through a separate affiliate. Petitions for reconsideration of the separate affiliate requirement are currently under consideration by the Commission and may not be decided by the April 18, 1998 deadline for compliance. To ensure that independent LECs do not incur compliance costs while the possibility of changes to the requirement still exists, the Order released by the Common Carrier Bureau stays the portion of the rule that provides the deadline for compliance until 60 days after the release of a Commission reconsideration order addressing this issue.