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             California Public Utilities Commission
505 Van Ness Avenue, Room 5301            San Francisco, CA 94102
CONTACT: Armando Rendon           July 17, 1996          CPUC-062
         415-703-1366                                (C96-06-030)

          CPUC ENJOINS AT&T-C FROM TAKING BACK BILLINGS

     The California Public Utilities Commission (CPUC) today
enjoined AT&T Communications of California (AT&T-C), its
officers, employees and anyone connected with the company from
taking back direct billing of its customers without 60 days
notice.
     The temporary injunction against AT&T-C will remain in
effect until further action by the Commission.  A hearing on
whether to issue a permanent injunction will be scheduled.
     AT&T-C must send a letter to all customers who have already
agreed to the take back that the company violated a CPUC order by
failing both to give proper notice and to have the notice
reviewed by the CPUC Public Advisor.  These customers also have
the option of returning to single billing from Pacific Bell
(Pacific) at no cost to the customer.
     The letter itself must be reviewed by the CPUC Public
Advisor prior to mailing and also note that Pacific is willing
to provide single billing to customers, that is, both Pacific and
AT&T-C monthly charges can appear on one bill sent by Pacific.
     The corrective letter itself must pass the Public Advisor's
review before it's mailed out as well.
     The Commission granted AT&T-C permission to take back its
billing and collection functions from Pacific or GTE California
in 1994.  The 60 days notice and Public Advisor review were two
specific conditions AT&T-C had to comply with first.
                               ###