PUBLIC NOTICE
                                                                              
   Federal Communications Commission
   1919 M St., N.W.
   Washington, D.C. 20554

                                                                              

                                                                              
DA 96-1102
                                                                         
                                                                         
                      PLEADING CYCLE ESTABLISHED ON 
                    MFS COMMUNICATIONS COMPANY, INC.'S
                       PETITION FOR RECONSIDERATION

                               CCBPol 96-09

Released:   July 10, 1996 

On July 3, 1996, MFS Communications Company, Inc. (MFS) petitioned the
Common Carrier Bureau (Bureau) for reconsideration of the Bureau's order approving Bell
Atlantic's CEI Plan for Internet access services (CEI Plan).  See Bell Atlantic Telephone
Companies Offer of Comparably Efficient Interconnection to Providers of Internet Access
Services, Order, CCBPol 96-09, DA 96-891 (released June 6, 1996).

 MFS requests that the Bureau reconsider its order and suspend the effectiveness of
Bell Atlantic's CEI Plan pending resolution of the novel law, fact, and policy issues raised
by the Telecommunications Act of 1996 (1996 Act).  MFS states that the critical issue raised
by Bell Atlantic's CEI Plan is not whether it conforms with the Commission's Computer III
requirements, but whether it conforms with the unbundling, interconnection, CPNI, and
checklist requirements of the 1996 Act.  

MFS states that the Bureau should reconsider its order and suspend Bell Atlantic's
CEI Plan and Internet access offering for the following reasons:  (1) Bell Atlantic's
integrated offering of Internet access services violates the separate subsidiary requirements of
the 1996 Act; (2) Bell Atlantic's Internet access service envisions the provision or resale of
interLATA long distance services without Bell Atlantic having satisfied the checklist
requirements of the 1996 Act; (3) Bell Atlantic's CEI Plan fails to comply with the
unbundling and interconnection requirements of the 1996 Act; and (4) Bell Atlantic's CEI
Plan does not offer basic services to competing enhanced service providers, because it fails
to offer unbundled access to the local telephone services it intends to market with its Internet
services.

Interested parties should file comments on the MFS petition by August 9, 1996, and
reply comments by August 26, 1996, with the Secretary, FCC, 1919 M Street, N.W.,
Washington, D.C. 20554.  In addition, two copies should be sent to Janice Myles, Common
Carrier Bureau, FCC, Room 544, 1919 M Street, N.W., Washington, D.C. 20554, and one
copy should be sent to the Commission's contractor for public service records duplication,
ITS, Inc., 2100 M Street, N.W., Suite 140, Washington, D.C. 20037.  Parties filing
comments in this non-docketed proceeding should include the Policy Division internal
reference number, CCBPol 96-09, on their pleadings.  The MFS petition is available for
inspection and copying in the Common Carrier Bureau's Public Reference Room, Room 575,
2000 M Street, N.W., Washington, D.C. 20554.  Copies can also be obtained from ITS by
calling (202) 857-3800.

We will treat this proceeding as non-restricted for purposes of the Commission's ex
parte rules.  See generally 47 C.F.R.  1.1200-1.1216.  For further information contact
Janice Myles, Policy and Program Planning Division, Common Carrier Bureau, at (202) 418-
1577.  
                                  - FCC -
$// PN, MFS' Pet. for Reconsideration DA 96-1102 //$
$/ 47 CFR Section 1.106 /$
"FOR RECORD ONLY"