Sec. 0.91  Functions of the Bureau.

    The Common Carrier Bureau develops, recommends, and administers 
policies and programs for the regulation of services, facilities and 
practices of entities which furnish interstate communications service or 
interstate access service for hire--whether by wire, radio or cable--and 
of ancillary operations related to the provision of such services 
(excluding public coast stations in the maritime mobile services and 
multi-point and multi-channel multi-point distribution services and 
excluding matters pertaining exclusively to the regulation and licensing 
of wireless telecommunications services and facilities). The Bureau also 
develops, recommends, and administers policies and programs for the 
regulation of rates, terms and conditions under which communications 
entities furnish interstate communications service, interstate access 
service, and (in cooperation with the International Bureau) foreign 
communications service for hire--whether by wire, cable or satellite. 
The Bureau also performs the following functions:
    (a) Advises and makes recommendations to the Commission, or acts for 
the Commission under delegated authority, in matters pertaining to the 
regulation and licensing of communication common carriers and ancillary 
operations (other than matters pertaining exclusively to the regulation 
and licensing of wireless telecommunications services and facilities). 
This includes: Policy development and coordination; adjudicatory and 
rule making proceedings, including rate and service investigations; 
determinations regarding lawfulness of carrier tariffs; action on 
applications for service and facility authorizations; review of carrier 
performance; economic research and analysis; administration of 
Commission accounting and reporting requirements; compliance and 
enforcement activities; and any matters concerning wireline carriers 
that also affect wireless carriers in cooperation with the Wireless 
Telecommunications Bureau.
    (b) Collaborates with representatives of state regulatory 
commissions and with the National Association of Regulatory Utility 
Commissioners in cooperative studies of common carrier and related 
matters.
    (c) Advises and assists the public, other government agencies and 
industry groups on wireline common carrier regulation and related 
matters.
    (d) Exercises such authority as may be assigned or referred to it by 
the Commission pursuant to Section 5(c) of the Communications Act of 
1934, as amended.

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    (e) Obtains from carriers and from persons directly or indirectly 
controlling or controlled by, or under direct or indirect common control 
with, such carriers full and complete information necessary to enable 
the Commission to perform the duties and carry out the objectives for 
which it was created.
    (f) Carries out the functions of the Commission under the 
Communications Act of 1934, as amended, except as reserved to Commission 
under Sec. 0.291.
    (g) Acts jointly with the Office of Engineering and Technology on 
applications for registration of equipment to be directly connected to 
the telephone network, and acts on complaints brought by any party 
concerning the registration or operation of such equipment.
    (h) Administers the Telecommunications Service Priority System with 
the concurrence of the Compliance and Information Bureau, and resolves 
matters involving assignment of priorities and other issues pursuant to 
part 64 of this chapter.
    (i) Acts upon matters involving telecommunications relay services 
complaints and certification.
    (j) Develops, in coordination with the Office of Plans and Policy, 
policies for the selection of licenses from mutually exclusive 
applicants in the Common Carrier Service subject to competitive bidding; 
issues Public Notices announcing auctions for Common Carrier Service 
Licenses; specifies the licenses to be auctioned; the deadlines for 
filing short-form applications, filing fees, and submission of upfront 
payments; the time and place of the auction; the method of competitive 
bidding to be used; competitive bidding procedures including, but not 
limited to, designated entity preferences, applicable bid submission 
procedures, upfront payment requirements, activity rules, stopping 
rules, and bid withdrawal procedures.

(Secs. 4, 303, 48 Stat., as amended, 1066, 1082; 47 U.S.C. 154, )
[39 303 FR 28435 , Aug. 7, 1974, as amended at  40 FR 7451 , Feb. 20, 1975;  41 FR 7751 , Feb. 20, 1976;  42 FR 42341 , Aug. 23, 1977;  43 FR 36094 , Aug. 
15, 1978;  44 FR 39179 , July 5, 1979;  45 FR 71569 , Oct. 29, 1980;  48 FR 23431 , May 25, 1983;  50 FR 26567 , June 27, 1985;  51 FR 12615 , Apr. 14, 
1986;  53 FR 47536 , Nov. 23, 1988;  54 FR 152 , Jan. 4, 1989;  56 FR 36731 , 
Aug. 1, 1991;  59 FR 26747 , May 24, 1994;  59 FR 26971 , May 25, 1994;  59 FR 38374 , July 28, 1994;  60 FR 5323 , 5324, Jan. 27, 1995;  60 FR 35504 , 
July 10, 1995;  61 FR 8477 , Mar. 5, 1996;  62 FR 4170 , Jan. 29, 1997;  62 FR 8401 , Feb. 25, 1997]

                          Cable Services Bureau