Action Required for Clients Using AT&T Operator Services

JSI is aware that some clients have received notices from AT&T that it plans to withdraw certain operator services-including Bill to a Third Number, Busy Line Verify, Busy Line Interrupt, Collect Calling, and Person to Personu2012in its 21-state ILEC franchise service area. AT&T will discontinue these services for its retail and resale CLEC customers on or after March 18, 2016. Access, cellular, interconnection, and ILEC customers have until June 4, 2016, to eliminate these services for their end-users.

Carriers that use AT&T’s wholesale operator services must submit a Section 214 Discontinuance of Domestic Services filing with the FCC in order to end the affected retail operator services. In addition to filing the Section 214 with the FCC, affected carriers also may need to complete filings with their state commission to withdraw the services from state tariffs, as applicable. These filings generally require customer notice, and typically require approximately 90 days for processing. Therefore, affected carriers should begin coordinating these filings soon to allow sufficient time to accommodate AT&T’s planned service termination dates.

Affected carriers also may want to consider whether they have any other services that they plan to discontinue and if so, include those services in their Section 214 filing. Likewise, in states where operator services are not a required element of basic local service, carriers may want to consider discontinuing all operator services and not just the aforementioned services.

If you have received a notice from AT&T and would like JSI’s assistance in understanding the operator service revisions or required regulatory filings, please contact Dee Dee Longenecker in the Texas office at 512-338-0473 or Marty Kluh in the Maryland office at 301-459-7590.

Source: JSI e-Lert