DAILY DIGESTVol. 13, No. 214 November 14, 1994 The following items were adopted at the November 10 Commission meeting and released later that day: -------------------------------------------------------------------------- NEWS RELEASES --------------------------------------------------------------------------- FCC PROPOSES TO ALLOW UNATTENDED OPERATION OF BROADCAST STATIONS - MM DOCKET NO. 94-130 (Report No. DC-2678, Action in Docket Case) The Commission is soliciting comment on a proposal to allow unattended operation of broadcast stations. The Commission said that in light of the many improvements which have been made in the stability, reliability and automatic control of transmission systems, it may be appropriate to waive the requirement for a licensed duty operator. The Commission said waiving this requirement would conserve both Commission and station resources. Action by the Commission November 10 by NPRM (FCC 94-289). News Media contacts: Patricia A. Chew and Susan Sallet at (202) 418-0500; Mass Media Bureau contacts: James E. McNally and Gordon W. Godfrey at (20) 418- 9660. [Internet file name: nrmm4071.txt] FCC LARGELY AFFIRMS RULES GOVERNING COMPETITIVE BIDDING ON THE ENTREPRENEURS' BLOCK FOR BROADBAND PCS IN THE 2 GHZ BAND - PP DOCKET NO. 93-253 (Report No. DC-2676, Action in Docket Case) The Commission has resolved a number of petitions for reconsideration or clarification of its rules established in the Fifth Report and Order governing competitive bidding on the entrepreneurs' blocks for the Personal Communications Service in the 2 GHz band (broadband- PCS). Action by the Commission November 10 by Fifth MO&O (FCC 94-285). News Media contacts: Audrey Spivack and Susan Sallet at (202) 418-0500; Office of Plans and Policy contact: Donald H. Gips at (202) 418-2030; Private Radio Bureau contact: Rosalind K. Allen at (202) 632-7597. [Internet file name: nrwl4007.txt] COMMISSION REPLACES CURRENT EBS SYSTEM WITH A NEW AND IMPROVED EMERGENCY ALERT SYSTEM - FO DOCKETS 91-301/91-171 (Report No. DC- 2677, Action in Docket Case) Action by the Commission November 10 by R&O and Further NPRM (FCC 94-288). News Media contacts: Patricia A. Chew and Susan Sallet at (202) 418-0500; Field Operations Bureau contacts: Helena Mitchell and Frank Lucia at (202) 418-1220. [Intenet file name: nrmc4136.txt] COMMISSION PROPOSES TO SPEED PROCESSING OF WIRELESS CABLE APPLICATIONS - MM DOCKET 94- 131, PP DOCKET 93-253 (Report No. DC-2682, ACTION IN DOCKET CASE) Action by the Commission November 10 by NPRM (FCC 94-293). News Media contacts: Audrey Spivack and Rosemary Kimball at (202) 418-0500; Mass Media Bureau contacts: Sharon Bertlesen at (202) 416-0892 and Keith Larson at (202) 418-1640. [Internet file name: nrmm4069.txt] RETURN OF 4,391 MULTIPOINT DISTRIBUTION SERVICE APPLICATIONS UPHELD (Report No. MM- 859) The Commission has upheld staff actions returning 4,295 applications for new multipoint distribution service (MDS) stations at 62 transmitter sites as unacceptable for filing. By a separate action the Commission also upheld the return of 96 applications for new MDS stations at 10 transmitter sites. Action by the Commission November 10 by MO&Os on Reconsideration (FCC 94-290-291). News Media contacts: Audrey Spivack or Rosemary Kimball at (202) 418-0500; Mass Media Bureau contacts: joyce Bernstein at (202) 739-0787 and Lynne Milne at (202) 416-0883. [Internet file name: nrmm4068.txt] FCC TAKES FURTHER ACTION TO PREVENT UNAUTHORIZED SWITCHING OF LONG DISTANCE CARRIERS - CC DOCKET NO. 94-129 (Report No. DC- 2681, Action in Docket Case) Citing over 4,000 complaints received in the last two years, the FCC today asked for comments on ways to eliminate the practice of changing a customer's long-distance telephone company without the customer's knowledge or approval. This practice is commonly known as "slamming." Comments are due January 9, replies February 8, 1995. Action by the Commission November 10 by NPRM (FCC 94-292). News Media contact: Susan Lewis Sallet at (202) 418-0500; Common Carrier Bureau contacts: Donna Lampert at (202) 418-1580 and Wilbert E. Nixon, Jr. at (202) 418-0960. [Internet file name: nrcc4072.txt] COMMISSION ACTS ON CABLE TELEVISION "GOING FORWARD" ISSUES TO ENSURE THAT CONSUMERS HAVE ACCESS TO NEW PROGRAMMING AND SERVICES AT REASONABLE RATES - MM DOCKETS 92-266 AND 92-215 (Report No. DC-2679, Action in Docket Case) Action by the Commission November 10 by Sixth Order on Reconsideration and Fifth Report and Order (FCC 94-286). News Media contact: Morgan Broman at (202) 416- 0852; Cable Service Bureau contacts: Paul D'Ari and Joel Kaufman at (202) 416-0800. [Internet file name: nrcb4034.txt] COMMISSION ACTS ON PETITIONS TO RECONSIDER RULES TO PREVENT UNFAIR OR DISCRIMINATORY PRACTICES IN THE SALE OF VIDEO PROGRAMMING - MM DOCKET 92-265 (Report No. DC-2680, Action in Docket Case) Action by the Commission November 10 by MO&O (FCC 94-287). News Media contact: Morgan Broman at (202) 416- 0852; Cable Services Bureau contacts: Nancy Markowitz at (202) 416-0807 and Maura Cantrill at (202) 416-0820. [Internet file name: nrcb4035.txt] ++++++++++++++++++ The following items are dated for and released November 14: -------------------------------------------------------------------------- NEWS RELEASE --------------------------------------------------------------------------- H. WALKER FEASTER, III, NAMED ACTING INSPECTOR GENERAL --------------------------------------------------------------------------- PUBLIC NOTICES --------------------------------------------------------------------------- ALLTEL TELEPHONE SYSTEMS FILES ITS INITIAL COST ALLOCATION MANUAL--PUBLIC COMMENTS INVITED - Comments are due December 7, replies December 22 - Contact: Kenneth M. Ackerman at (202) 418-0810 [DA 94-1220] PACIFIC BELL FILES REVISIONS TO ITS COST ALLOCATION MANUAL--PUBLIC COMMENTS INVITED - Comments are due December 7, replies December 22 - Contact: Ed Dashkin at (202) 418-0810 [DA 94-1219] SOUTHWESTERN BELL TELEPHONE COMPANY FILES A PETITION FOR CLARIFICATION, OR IN THE ALTERNATIVE, A WAIVER OF THE COMMISSION'S METHOD OF COMPUTING RATES FOR CABLE TELEVISION POLE ATTACHMENTS - Comments are due December 12, replies December 30 - Contact: Thad Machcinski at (202) 418-0808 [DA 94- 1232] TARIFF TRANSMITTAL PUBLIC REFERENCE LOGS: November 9 and 10 [Two Public Notices] TARIFF TRANSMITTAL PUBLIC REFERENCE LOG NON-DOMINANT CARRIERS: November 9 EX PARTE PRESENTATIONS AND POST-REPLY COMMENT PERIOD FILINGS IN NON-RESTRICTED PROCEEDINGS - Contact: Barbara Lowe at (202) 418- 0310 --------------------------------------------------------------------------- TEXTS --------------------------------------------------------------------------- PINE BLUFF, AR. Denied Agape Church, Inc.. licensee of station KVTN, request for signal carriage on Community Communications Company's Monticello system. (By MO&O [DA 94-1225] adopted November 1 by the Chief, Cable Services Bureau) WILLOWS, CA. Proposed allotting Channel 292A to Willows as its second FM service. Comments are due January 5, replies January 20, 1995. (MM Docket No. 94- 126 by NPRM [D 94-1217] adopted November 1 by the Acting Chief, Allocations Branch, Mass Media Bureau) WRIGHT CITY, OK. Proposed allotting Channel 277A to Wright City, OK as its first broadcast service. (MM Docket No 94-127 by NPRM [DA 94-1234] adopted November 3 by the Acting Chief, Allocations Branch) GOSPEL MUSIC TELEVISION NETWORK, INC. (GMT). Granted GMT a limited waiver of the rules to permit operators to receive commissions from GMT's marketing test of home shopping programming without offsetting such revenues against GMT's programming costs in determining costs eligible fo external treatment. (By Letter [DA 94-1237] adopted November 9 by the Chief, Cable Services Bureau) ************************ ADDENDA: The following items were adopted November 10 but not listed on Digest 213: --------------------------------------------------------------------------- PUBLIC NOTICE --------------------------------------------------------------------------- 62 APPLICATIONS ARE ACCEPTED TO PARTICIPATE IN THE DECEMBER 5, 1994 BROADBAND PCS AUCTION; OTHER MINOR AMENDMENTS ACCEPTED; UPFRONT PAYMENTS DUE NOVEMBER 18, 1994 CORRECTION TO Report No. 22025 - BROADCAST ACTION, released November 9 --------------------------------------------------------------------------- TEXTS --------------------------------------------------------------------------- MULTIVISION CABLE TV. Granted Multivision Cable TV's request for a stay of a rate order of the City of Fairfild, CA, pending the resolution of Multivision's request for review. (By Order [DA 94-1246] adopted November 9 by the Chief, Cable Services Bureau) CONTINENTAL CABLEVISION. Dismissed Continental Cablevision's request for emergency stay of a letter ruling of the Massachusetts Community Antenna Television Commission. (By Order [DA 94-1249] adopted November 9 by the Chief, Cable Services Bureau) ULTRACOM OF MARPLE, INC. Stayed, pending the resolution of Ultracom's appeal, the local rate order adopted by the Township of Haverford, PA, with respect to UltraCom's rates for basic tier service and associated equipment and installations. (By Order [DA 94-1255] adopted November 9 by the Chief, Cable Services Bureau) SOUTHWESTERN BELL TELEPHONE COMPANY (SWBT). Suspended for one day and instituted an investigation of SWBT's Tariff FCC No. 73, Transmittal No. 2376, scheduled to take effect on November 11. (CC Docket No. 94-97 by MO&O [DA 94-1252] adopted November 9 by the Acting Chief, Tariff Division, Common Carrier Bureau) UNAUTHORIZED CHANGES OF CONSUMERS' LONG DISTANCE CARRIERS. See sixth item under "News Releases."