CFR > Title 47 - Telecommunication > CHAPTER I—FEDERAL COMMUNICATIONS COMMISSION > SUBCHAPTER B—COMMON CARRIER SERVICES (Parts 20–69) > PART 63—EXTENSION OF LINES, NEW LINES, AND DISCONTINUANCE, REDUCTION, OUTAGE AND IMPAIRMENT OF SERVICE BY COMMON CARRIERS; AND GRANTS OF RECOGNIZED PRIVATE OPERATING AGENCY STATUS > 63.71—Procedures for discontinuance, reduction or impairment of service by domestic carriers.

63.71—Procedures for discontinuance, reduction or impairment of service by domestic carriers.

Any domestic carrier that seeks to discontinue, reduce or impair service shall be subject to the following procedures:
(a) The carrier shall notify all affected customers of the planned discontinuance, reduction, or impairment of service and shall notify and submit a copy of its application to the public utility commission and to the Governor of the State in which the discontinuance, reduction, or impairment of service is proposed, and also to the Secretary of Defense, Attn. Special Assistant for Telecommunications, Pentagon, Washington, DC 20301. Notice shall be in writing to each affected customer unless the Commission authorizes in advance, for good cause shown, another form of notice. Notice shall include the following:
(1) Name and address of carrier;
(2) Date of planned service discontinuance, reduction or impairment;
(3) Points of geographic areas of service affected;
(4) Brief description of type of service affected; and
(5) One of the following statements:
(i) If the carrier is non-dominant with respect to the service being discontinued, reduced or impaired, the notice shall state: The FCC will normally authorize this proposed discontinuance of service (or reduction or impairment) unless it is shown that customers would be unable to receive service or a reasonable substitute from another carrier or that the public convenience and necessity is otherwise adversely affected. If you wish to object, you should file your comments as soon as possible, but no later than 15 days after the Commission releases public notice of the proposed discontinuance. Address them to the Federal Communications Commission, Wireline Competition Bureau, Competition Policy Division, Washington, DC 20554, and include in your comments a reference to the § 63.71 Application of (carrier's name). Comments should include specific information about the impact of this proposed discontinuance (or reduction or impairment) upon you or your company, including any inability to acquire reasonable substitute service.
(ii) If the carrier is dominant with respect to the service being discontinued, reduced or impaired, the notice shall state: The FCC will normally authorize this proposed discontinuance of service (or reduction or impairment) unless it is shown that customers would be unable to receive service or a reasonable substitute from another carrier or that the public convenience and necessity is otherwise adversely affected. If you wish to object, you should file your comments as soon as possible, but no later than 30 days after the Commission releases public notice of the proposed discontinuance. Address them to the Federal Communications Commission, Wireline Competition Bureau, Competition Policy Division, Washington, DC 20554, and include in your comments a reference to the § 63.71 Application of (carrier's name). Comments should include specific information about the impact of this proposed discontinuance (or reduction or impairment) upon you or your company, including any inability to acquire reasonable substitute service.
(b) The carrier shall file with this Commission, on or after the date on which notice has been given to all affected customers, an application which shall contain the following:
(1) Caption—“ Section 63.71 Application”;
(2) Information listed in § 63.71(a) (1) through (4) above;
(3) Brief description of the dates and methods of notice to all affected customers;
(4) Whether the carrier is considered dominant or non-dominant with respect to the service to be discontinued, reduced or impaired; and
(5) Any other information the Commission may require.
(c) The application to discontinue, reduce or impair service, if filed by a domestic, non-dominant carrier, shall be automatically granted on the 31st day after its filing with the Commission without any Commission notification to the applicant unless the Commission has notified the applicant that the grant will not be automatically effective. The application to discontinue, reduce or impair service, if filed by a domestic, dominant carrier, shall be automatically granted on the 60th day after its filing with the Commission without any Commission notification to the applicant unless the Commission has notified the applicant that the grant will not be automatically effective. For purposes of this section, an application will be deemed filed on the date the Commission releases public notice of the filing.
(d) Procedures for discontinuance, reduction or impairment of international services are in § 63.19.
[64 FR 39939, July 23, 1999, as amended at 71 FR 65751, Nov. 9, 2006; 73 FR 56741, Sept. 30, 2008]