2009
- 12/30/09
2010 Average Schedule Order: Each year, NECA and USAC submit to WCB for approval proposed modifications of formulas that determine universal service high-cost loop and local switching support, respectively, for average schedule companies. The formulas are based on statistical analysis of sample companies. In the attached order, WCB approves the formulas.
Order: Word | PDF - 12/30/09
Cellco/Verizon ETC PN: WCB seeks comment on the Cellco Partnership d/b/a Verizon Wireless requests to amend the eligible telecommunications carrier (ETC) designations currently held by Alltel in Alabama, North Carolina, and Virginia (and also ETC designations held by RCC Holdings in Virginia). Under the proposed amendment, Alltel’s and RCC’s ETC designations would reflect Cellco as the designated entity.
Public Notice: Word | PDF - 12/30/09
Alltel Lifeline Audit PN: In this Public Notice, the Commission seeks comment on the Verizon/Alltel Management Trust’s request for review of the Universal Service Administrative Company (USAC) low-income support audit findings that the Verizon/Alltel Management Trust: (1) lacked effective procedures for excluding duplicate claims for universal service low-income support under the Lifeline program from a single address; (2) claimed Tier 4 Lifeline support for subscribers not residing on Tribal lands and failed to provide Tier 4 Lifeline support to eligible households on Tribal lands; (3) sought Lifeline reimbursement for subscribers claimed on other carriers’ FCC Forms 497; and (4) claimed Lifeline support for subscribers on Tribal lands who received a rate plan that included toll-free calling.
Public Notice: Word | PDF - 12/22/09
Wellman/Iowa Telecom Study Area Waiver: WCB seeks comment on a joint petition for waiver of the study area boundary freeze filed by Iowa Telecommunications Services, Inc. (Iowa Telecom) and Wellman Cooperative Telephone Association (Wellman). Iowa Telecom and Wellman seek a waiver of the study area boundary freeze to transfer a small area from Iowa Telecom’s existing Iowa study area to Wellman’s existing Iowa study area. Wellman also requests a waiver of section 54.305 of the Commission’s rules so that it may receive universal service support for the acquired line in the same manner as its existing lines, and Wellman seeks a waiver of the average schedule company definition so that it may continue to operate as an average schedule company after the transfer.
Public Notice: Word | PDF - 12/22/09
Georgia PSC High-Cost Waiver: WCB seeks comment on a request by the Georgia Public Service Commission for waiver of the October 1, 2009 certification deadline for high-cost funds.
Public Notice: Word | PDF - 12/22/09
Millenium Telecom Contribution Waiver: WCB seeks comment on Millennium Telecom’s petition to waive certain contribution deadlines and penalties, resulting from Millenium’s inadvertent overstatement of its interstate telecom revenues on its Feb 2009 Form 499-Q and misstatement of its contact information on its 2008 Form 499-A.
Public Notice: Word | PDF - 12/22/09
RHCPP Extension Public Notice: WCB provides notice that requests to extend the June 30, 2010 RHCPP deadline, filed after the Bureau issued a public notice seeking comments on the North Carolina extension request, will be treated as ex parte comments on the pending proceeding.
Public Notice: Word | PDF - 12/17/09
Joints Board Appointments Order: This order appoints Commissioners Clyburn and Baker to the Federal-State Joint Board on Universal Service and the Federal-State Joint Board on Separations, and appoints the two commissioners and Chairman Genachowski to the Federal-State Joint Conference on Advanced Telecommunications Services.
Order: Word | PDF - 12/15/09
Qwest II- Tenth Circuit Remand: The Commission released a Further Notice of Proposed Rulemaking in response to the decision of the United States Court of Appeals for the Tenth Circuit (Tenth Circuit) in Qwest II, in which the court remanded the Commission’s rules for providing high-cost universal service support to non-rural carriers.
Further Notice for Proposed Rulemaking: Word | PDF - 12/8/09
Clear World Communications Corporation: Wireline Competition Bureau seeks comment on a request filed by Clear World Communications Corporation (Clear World) seeking review of a 2009 audit decision by USAC, in which USAC determined that, for calendar years 2005 and 2006, Clear World incorrectly allocated as international all of its revenue from monthly recurring charges and recovered its universal service contribution costs through line-item charges in excess of amounts permitted under the Commission’s rules. Comments are due January 7, 2010 and reply comments are due January 22, 2010.
Public Notice: Word | PDF - 12/8/09
National Cable & Telecommunications Association: Wireline Competition Bureau seeks comment on a petition for rulemaking filed by the National Cable and Telecommunications Association (NCTA) proposing new rules for universal service high-cost support. Specifically, NCTA proposes that the Commission establish procedures to reduce the amount of universal service high-cost support provided to carriers in those areas of the country where there is extensive, unsubsidized facilities-based voice competition and where government subsidies no longer are needed to ensure that service will be made available to consumers. Comments are due January 7, 2010 and reply comments are due January 22, 2010.
Public Notice: Word | PDF - 12/2/09
Schools and Libraries Universal Service Support Mechanism. E-rate Funding Year 2010 Eligible Services List and Seeks Further Comment on Eligible Services: The report and order releases the Funding Year 2010 E-rate Eligible Service List, concluding that interconnected VoIP service is eligible and should continue to receive E-rate program funding. Additionally, the report and order clarifies the E-rate program eligibility of text messaging, video on-demand servers, ethernet, web hosting, wireless LAN controllers, VoIP-related services and requirements, and virtualization software. The report and order also clarifies that telephone broadcast messaging, unbundled warranties, power distribution units, softphones, interactive white boards and e-mail archiving are ineligible for universal service funding. The further notice of proposed rulemaking (FNPRM) tentatively concludes that firewall services, anti-virus/anti-spam software, scheduling services, web hosting, and wireless Internet access applications should not be eligible for E-rate funding. It also seeks comment on the tentative conclusion that eligible products and services should be listed in the ESL as opposed to being individually listed in the rules, and that USAC should be required to submit any proposed changes to the ESL to the Commission by March 30 of each year, instead of June 30, as currently required. The FNPRM also seeks comment on eliminating the requirement that the ESL be released by public notice. Comments are due 30 days after publication in the Federal Register and reply comments are due 45 days after publication in the Federal Register.
Report and Order and Further Notice of Proposed Rulemaking: Word | PDF
Eligible Services List: Word | PDF - 11/12/09
Comments sought on the health care delivery elements of the national broadband plan. The notice also seeks input relating to the universal service rural health care support mechanism and the rural health care Pilot Program, specifically as such programs may assist in the deployment and adoption of broadband services. Comments are due December 4, 2009.
Public Notice: Word | PDF - 11/12/09
On October 7, 2009, the Commission released the following Notice of Proposed Rulemaking regarding the effect of line loss on high-cost universal service support received pursuant to the Local Switching Support mechanism: High-Cost Universal Service Support, WC Docket No. 05-337, Notice of Proposed Rulemaking, FCC 09-89 (rel. Oct. 7, 2009) (Local Switching Support One-Way Rule NPRM) The Commission set the comment and reply comment deadlines for this Notice as 14 and 21 days, respectively, after publication of the summary of the Notice in the Federal Register. On November 10, 2009, a summary of the Notice appeared in the Federal Register. Accordingly, comments will be due on November 24, 2009, and reply comments will be due on December 1, 2009.
Public Notice: Word | PDF - 11/05/09
Schools and Libraries Universal Service Support Mechanism: This notice of proposed rulemaking proposes revising the Commission’s rules for the E-rate program to comply with the requirements of the Protecting Children in the 21st Century Act. The Protecting Children in the 21st Century Act added a new certification requirement for elementary and secondary schools that have computers with Internet access and receive discounts under the E-rate program. The notice of proposed rulemaking also proposes to revise related Commission rules to reflect existing statutory language more accurately. Comments are due 30 days after publication in the Federal Register and reply comments are due 45 days after publication in the Federal Register.
Notice of Proposed Rulemaking: Word | PDF - 11/03/09
Public Notice: Comment Sought on Broadband Needs in Education, Including Changes to E-rate Program to Improve Broadband Deployment. Comments are due November 20, 2009 and reply comments are due December 11, 2009.
Public Notice: Word | PDF - 11/02/09
Conexions LLC DBA Conexion Wireless: Wireline Competition Bureau seeks comment on a petition filed by Conexion Wireless seeking designation as an ETC in 8 states and D.C. for Lifeline program only. Comments are due December 2, 2009 and reply comments are due December 17, 2009.
Public Notice: Word | PDF - 11/02/09
North Carolina Telehealth Network: Wireline Competition Bureau seeks comment on a request filed by the North Carolina TeleHealth Network for an extension of the June 30, 2010 deadline to file funding commitment requests under the universal service Rural Health Care Pilot Program. Comments are due December 2, 2009 and reply comments are due December 17, 2009.
Public Notice: Word | PDF - 11/02/09
New ETC Docket: Wireline Competition Bureau announces a new docket for universal service ETC-related matters.
Public Notice: Word | PDF - 11/02/09
Action Communications, Inc.: Wireline Competition Bureau seeks comment on a request filed by Action Communications, Inc. (Action) for a waiver of section 54.611 of the Commission's rules, which requires USAC to reimburse any monies due a carrier from the universal service rural health care mechanism only after an offset is credited against that carrier's universal service obligations. Action also requests that the Commission grant an expedited stay of USAC's decision which would allow Action to continue to receive monthly rural health care support disbursements pending the Commission's review of the instant waiver request. Comments are due November 16, 2009 and reply comments are due November 23, 2009.
Public Notice: Word | PDF - 10/30/09
Virgin Mobile USA, L.P. Petition for Forebearance: The Wireline Competition Bureau approved a plan submitted by Virgin Mobile USA, L.P. for complying with conditions imposed in the Virgin Mobile ETC Order. Pursuant to the Bureau's action in this order, the conditional designations of Virgin Mobile as and ETC for the limited purpose of providing Lifeline service in its conditional designations of Virgin Mobile as an ETC for limited purpose of providing Lifeline service in its licensed service areas in New York, Virginia, North Carolina and Tennessee are effective as of October 29, 2009.
Order: Word | PDF - 10/21/09
TracFone Lifeline letter: Wireline Competition Bureau seeks comment on a letter from TracFone Wireless, Inc., which (1) asks the Commission to clarify whether its ruling that carriers can receive universal service Lifeline support for a single telephone line in an eligible consumer’s principal residence is intended to limit the availability of Lifeline-supported service to only one qualified low-income resident per homeless shelter, and (2) requests guidance on how eligible telecommunications carriers (ETCs) may enroll residents of shelters in their Lifeline programs without risking violation of the “one-per-household” rule. WCB also seeks comment on the effects of the one-per-household rule for Lifeline support in the context of other types of group living facilities, such as nursing homes, assisted-living facilities, apartment buildings, trailer-home communities, halfway houses, and group homes. Finally, WCB requests comment on whether and how ETCs that provide Lifeline-supported service to homeless individuals who do not use shelters may comply with the one-per-household rule.
Order: Word | PDF - 10/21/09
Via Talk Form 499-Q petition: Wireline Competition Bureau seeks comment on Via Talk, LLC’s request for review and reversal of a USAC decision that denied Via Talk’s request that USAC accept late filed revised FCC Forms 499-Q for November 2007, February 2008, and May 2008. The Form 499-Q is filed quarterly by carriers with projected revenues for the upcoming quarter. The Commission uses this information to calculate the quarterly universal service contribution factor for the following quarter. Contributors file an annual form, the FCC Form 499-A, with actual revenues from the previous year. USAC then conducts a true-up process between the projected revenues from the four Form 499-Q filings and the Form 499-A filing, and issues credits or invoices accordingly. Order: Word | PDF - 10/21/09
Michigan Access ILEC petition: Wireline Competition Bureau seeks comment on a petition filed by Michigan Access, Inc. (Michigan Access) to be designated as an incumbent local exchange carrier (LEC) in two rural exchanges in Northeast Michigan, to participate in the National Exchange Carrier Association pools, to receive accelerated high-cost loop support, and to receive a waiver of certain filing deadlines to allow it to receive universal service support on an expedited basis. Michigan Access recognizes that Osirus Communications, Inc. and Allband Communications Cooperative have each previously filed petitions with the Commission also seeking incumbent LEC status for portions of these same areas; Michigan Access, however, petitions the Commission to designate it as an incumbent LEC irrespective of the Allband and Osirus petitions.
Order: Word | PDF - 10/21/09
NECA and USAC proposed average schedule formulas: Wireline Competition Bureau seeks comment on NECA's and USAC's proposed average schedule formulas for high-cost loop support and local switching support, respectively, for 2010. Each year the Commission must review and approve or modify any proposed modifications to the formulas used to calculate universal service high-cost loop support and local switching support for average schedule companies. Average schedule companies have been permitted by the Commission to estimate universal service support through the use of average schedule formulas to avoid the difficulties and expenses involved with conducting company-specific cost studies. Commission rules require that the National Exchange Carrier Association (NECA) file the formula modifications for high-cost loop support and that the Universal Service Administrative Company (USAC) file the formula modifications for local switching support. On August 27, 2009, NECA filed its 2010 Modification of Average Schedule Universal Service High-Cost Loop Support Formula. On September 28, 2009, the USAC filed its 2010 Average Schedule Company Local Switching Support Formula. The proposed formulas, if approved, would be scheduled to take effect on January 1, 2010, and remain in effect through December 31, 2010. Please Note: We should release PN as soon as possible in order to have time to review any comments, replies, and release an order by December 31, 2009; the new formulas would take effect January 1, 2010.
Order: Word | PDF - 10/21/09
Heller Information Services, Inc.: In this order, Telecommunications Access Policy Division grants a request filed by Heller Information Services, Inc. (Heller) to withdraw its petition, and, accordingly, dismisses Heller’s pleadings. Heller had requested review of USAC’s rejection of Heller’s revised 2003 FCC Form 499-A filing and the universal service contribution assessments that resulted from Heller’s original 2003 FCC Form 499-A filing. Heller had also requested that the Commission take expedited action on its request for review, and that all universal service contribution collection actions be held in abeyance pending final action on Heller’s request for review by the Commission.
Order: Word | PDF - 10/21/09
Lazo Petition for Recon: Wireline Competition Bureau seeks comment on a petition filed by Lazo Technologies for reconsideration of a WCB E-rate order (DA 09-1797, rel. Aug. 12, 2009).
Order: Word | PDF - 10/21/09
Integrity Petition for Recon: Wireline Competition Bureau seeks comment on a petition filed by Integrity Communications for reconsideration of a WCB E-rate order (DA 09-1946, rel. Aug. 28. 2009).
Order: Word | PDF - 10/20/09
Iosco Regional Educational Service Agency, Tawas City, MI: The Division denies appeals of decisions by USAC by an applicant failing to pay the full non-discounted portion of the services received from its service provider and allowing its chosen service provider to act as a consultant during the competitive bidding process, both in violation of Commission rules.
Order: Word | PDF - 10/20/09
Hancock County School District, New Cumberland, WV, et al.: The Division denies 7 appeals of USAC decisions denying E-rate funding on the grounds that the applicants sought discounts on telecommunications from non-eligible telecommunications carriers, in violation of Commission rules.
Order: Word | PDF - 10/20/09
Hemet Unified School District, Hemet, CA: The Division grants an appeal of a USAC decision to deny a request for E-rate funding based on a late-filed request for an extension of the deadline for implementation of services.
Order: Word | PDF - 10/20/09
Exigent Technologies, Parsippany, NJ: The Division denies an appeal of a USAC decision to seek recovery of E-rate funds. Exigent admitted to multiple violations of the rules, including improper service provider involvement in the competitive bidding process and failure to require applicants to pay the non-discounted portion of the price of services and equipment.
Order: Word | PDF - 10/20/09
Eagle Hill School, Hardwick, MA, et al.: The Division denies 3 appeals of USAC decisions denying E-rate funding on the grounds that the applicants requested support for dormitory or residence rooms and for pre-K programs, neither of which was eligible for support.
Order: Word | PDF - 10/20/09
Clark County School District, Las Vegas, NV, et al.: The Division denies 3 appeals of USAC decisions denying E-rate funding for funding years 2004-2008 on the grounds that the applicants requested ineligible services. Specifically, the applicants sought funding for dark fiber service after funding year 2003, when dark fiber was no longer eligible for support.
Order: Word | PDF - 10/20/09
Amy Biehl Charter High School, Albuquerque, NM, and Weld Library District, Greely, CO: The Division denies 2 requests for waiver of certain E-rate competitive bidding rules. The Division denies one request for waiver of the rule requiring the filing of an FCC Form 470 prior to entering into an agreement for services and another request for waiver of all E-rate filing deadlines.
Order: Word | PDF - 10/20/09
Keyport School District, Keyport, NJ: The Division grants an appeal of a USAC decision to deny a request for E-rate funding based on USAC’s assessment that the applicant violated the Commission’s competitive bidding rules.
Order: Word | PDF - 10/20/09
Hazelwood School District, Florissant, MO: The Division grants an appeal of a USAC decision to modify a request for E-rate funding based on USAC’s assessment that the services requested did not qualify as eligible services.
Order: Word | PDF - 10/9/09
Local Switching Support Order and Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (NPRM): In this order and NPRM the Commission denies the Coalition for Equity in Switching Support’s petition seeking clarification that the Commission’s rules allow an incumbent LEC ETC’s local switching support (LSS) to increase if the carrier’s access lines decrease below those thresholds. In the NPRM the Commission tentatively concludes that the LSS rules should be modified to permit incumbent LEC ETCs that lose lines to increase their LSS and seeks comment on these proposed rule changes.
Order and NPRM: Word | PDF - 10/02/09
Centennial Interim Cap Deadline Waiver: In this order, the Bureau addresses a petition for waiver filed by Centennial Communications Corp. and its subsidiaries. Centennial requests that the Commission extend the deadline for submitting changes to the March 2008 data used to cap high-cost universal service support for competitive eligible telecommunications carriers. We dismiss Centennial’s petition for waiver as moot.
Order: Word | PDF - 10/02/09
Centennial PRTC ICLS: In this order, the Bureau denies the request of Centennial Communications Corp. for reversal of a decision by the Universal Service Administrative Company (USAC) to recover universal service interstate common line support (ICLS) from Centennial. As a result of USAC's retroactive downward adjustment to Puerto Rico Telephone Company's (PRTC) ICLS for 2004 and 2005, USAC retroactively reduced Centennial's ICLS for the same period due to the identical support rule contained in section 54.307(a)(1) of the Commission rules. PRTC is the incumbent local exchange carrier in Puerto Rico. Centennial claims that USAC's decision to recover a portion of Centennial's ICLS was inappropriate because it was based on PRTC's late-filed data. The Bureau finds that USAC acted properly and within its authority to adjust Centennial’s ICLS payments pursuant to the requirements in section 54.307(a)(1) of the Commission’s rules.
Order: Word | PDF - 9/28/09
Columbus Telephone High-Cost Waiver Petition: In this Public Notice, Wireline Competition Bureau seeks comment on a request filed by Columbus Telephone Company for waiver of the March 31, 2008 filing deadline for Interstate Common Line Support (ICLS). Comments are due October 28, 2009, and reply comments are due November 12, 2009.
Public Notice: Word | PDF - 9/28/09
Skylink High-Cost Waiver Petition: In this Public Notice, Wireline Competition Bureau seeks comment on a request filed by Skylink L.C. for waiver of the December 30, 2008 line count filing deadlines for high-cost support and Interstate Access Support (IAS). Comments are due October 28, 2009, and reply comments are due November 12, 2009.
Public Notice: Word | PDF - 9/28/09
AT&T Petition Regarding USF Contribution Reform: In this Public Notice concerning AT&T's petition seeking immediate Commission action to reform the universal service contribution methodology, WCB announces that the petition will be treated as an ex parte filing in the open rulemaking proceeding seeking comment on comprehensive universal service and intercarrier compensation reform.
Public Notice: Word | PDF - 9/28/09
USAC Board Nominations: In this Public Notice, Wireline Competition Bureau seeks nominations for the six USAC Board positions that expire at the end of the year. The six positions are: ILECs with annual operating revenues in excess of $40M; state telecom regulators; IXCs with more than $3B in annual operating revenues (revenue requirement currently waived); information service providers; eligible rural health care providers; and eligible schools. Pursuant to section 54.703(c)(1) of the Commission's rules, nominations are due November 1.
Public Notice: Word | PDF - 9/28/09
Form 498 – Mandatory Electronic Disbursement of USF Payments: In this Public Notice, Wireline Competition Bureau provides notice that, pursuant to the Debt Collection Improvement Act of 1996, all universal service support payments shall be made by electronic funds transfer.
Public Notice: Word | PDF - 9/28/09
Stratos Petition for Declaratory Ruling: In this Public Notice, Wireline Competition Bureau seeks comment on a petition for declaratory ruling or clarification filed by Stratos Government Services, Inc. (Stratos). Stratos asks the Commission to confirm that entities that provide interstate services exclusively to public safety or government entities are exempt from contributing to the universal service fund. Specifically, Stratos states that the Commission has not explicitly addressed whether the existing exemption is available only to companies that act exclusively as a prime contractor, or if it also available to companies who sell exclusively to government end users either as a prime contractor or subcontractor.
Public Notice: Word | PDF - 9/28/09
Rural Health Care Pilot Program Quarterly Reports: In this Public Notice, Wireline Competition Bureau reminds Rural Health Care Pilot Program participants that quarterly reports are due October 30. In addition, we remind participants of specific information which must be included in the reports.
Public Notice: Word | PDF - 9/28/09
ComScape Form 499-Q Waiver Petition: In this Public Notice, Wireline Competition Bureau seeks comment on a petition filed by ComScape Telecommunications requesting waiver of the filing deadline for revision of its May 2009 FCC Form 499-Q. (The Form 499-Q is filed quarterly by carriers with projected revenues for the upcoming quarter. The Commission uses this information to calculate the quarterly universal service contribution factor for the following quarter. Contributors file an annual form, the FCC Form 499-A, with actual revenues from the previous year. USAC then conducts a true-up process between the projected revenues from the four Form 499-Q filings and the Form 499-A filing, and issues credits or invoices accordingly.)
Public Notice: Word | PDF - 9/28/09
Ad Hoc Coalition of International Telecom Companies Petition for Declaratory Ruling: In this Public Notice, Wireline Competition Bureau seeks comment on a petition for declaratory ruling filed by the Ad Hoc Coalition of International Telecommunications Companies. The Ad Hoc Coalition requests that the Commission issue a declaratory ruling that the Universal Service Administrative Company (USAC) lacks authority to indirectly assess universal service contribution assessments on international-only providers. In addition, the Coalition requests that the Commission declare that it lacks jurisdiction over certain non-U.S. international providers.
Public Notice: Word | PDF - 9/28/09
USAC Request for WCB Guidance: In this Public Notice, Wireline Competition Bureau seeks comment on requests filed by USAC for guidance from WCB on several policy issues related to the universal service high-cost support mechanism and contribution methodology.
Public Notice: Word | PDF - 9/23/09
USAC Board Appointments: Chairman Genachowski announces the selection of Ellis Jacobs, as representative for low-income consumers, and Scott K. Bergmann, as representative, for CMRS providers, to fill two vacancies on the USAC Board of Directors. Each was the only nominee for their respective seats.
Public Notice: Word | PDF
Letter: Word | PDF - 8/28/09
Integrity Communications, Ltd. Corpus Christi, TX: In this order, the Bureau denies the request for review of Integrity Communications, Ltd. (Integrity), finding that USAC acted consistent with its policies in requiring Integrity to file a compliance plan and suspending funding.
Order: Word | PDF - 8/17/09
Howe Independent School District 67, Howe, Oklahoma: Telecommunications Access Policy Division denies an appeal of a USAC decision that rescinded E-rate funding already committed to the Howe Independent School District 67 (Howe ISD) for discounted services for Funding Year 2004. The order finds that Howe ISD requested ineligible services and directs USAC to continue its commitment adjustment recovery actions regarding this matter.
Order: Word | PDF - 8/17/09
Global Crossing Bandwidth, Inc.: Wireline Competition Bureau denies requests filed by Global Crossing seeking review of USAC’s February 15, 2007 audit and appealing invoices submitted to Global Crossing based on the audit report. The order finds that the record does not support Global Crossing’s contention that it reasonably expected customers to directly contribute to the universal service fund as resellers, and therefore finds that USAC’s assessment of contributions on Global Crossing based on revenue from these non-contributing customers was proper.
Order: Word | PDF - 8/13/09
TeleQuality Communications, Inc.: Wireline Competition Bureau grants a request by TeleQuality Communications, Inc. (TeleQuality) to waive section 54.611 of the Commission’s rules concerning reimbursement for services provided under the universal service rural health care support mechanism. We find that TeleQuality has demonstrated that good cause exists to waive this rule because, absent waiver, TeleQuality will be unable to sustain its operations and will be unable to provide discounted telecommunications services to the rural health care providers it serves. In this order, WCB also directs USAC to make an initial reimbursement payment no later than 10 calendar days from release of this order to TeleQuality for the current rural health care support payments to which it is entitled without deducting any universal service contributions that TeleQuality may owe. USAC shall also remit to TeleQuality any additional subsequent rural health care payments on a bi-monthly basis.
Order: Word | PDF - 8/12/09
Lazo Technologies, Inc., et al.: The Wireline Competition Bureau denies a request for review filed by Lazo Technologies, Inc., Hill Professional Services, and Advanced Technology Solutions South (collectively, petitioners) of a decision by USAC denying payment for work performed by the petitioners for the Dallas Independent School District under the E-rate program after concluding that the underlying contract for E-rate services violated the Commission’s competitive bidding requirements and program rules. The Bureau affirms USAC’s decision and finds that USAC properly denied the petitioners’ request for payments.
Order: Word | PDF - 8/12/09
Juniata Valley Network and Pennsylvania Mountains Healthcare Alliance: The Wireline Competition Bureau grants a merger request from two participants in the Rural Health Care Pilot Program, the Juniata Valley Network (JVN) and Pennsylvania Mountains Healthcare Alliance and its designated agent, Pennsylvania Mountains Healthcare Resource Development (collectively PMHA).
Order: Word | PDF - 8/10/09
Panora Communications Cooperative and Prairie Telephone Company Inc. Study Area Waiver Petition: Wireline Competition Bureau seeks comment on a joint petition filed by Panora Communications Cooperative (Panora) and Prairie Telephone Co., Inc. (Prairie) for waiver of the Commission's study area boundary freeze. Specifically, Panora and Prairie seek a waiver to remove 35 access lines from Prairie’s Iowa study area and include those access lines in Panora’s Iowa study area. Comments are due September 9, 2009 and Reply Comments are due September 24, 2009.
Public Notice: Word | PDF - 8/10/09
General Communications, Inc. High-Cost Waiver : Wireline Competition Bureau seeks comment on a request by General Communications, Inc. for waiver of the December 30, 2008 and March 30, 2009 line count filing deadlines for high-cost support. Comments are due September 9, 2009 and Reply Comments are due September 24, 2009.
Public Notice: Word | PDF - 8/10/09
Network Enhanced Telecom : Wireline Competition Bureau seeks comment on Network Enhanced Telecom’s request for review of a USAC audit, in which USAC determined that revenues from Network Enhanced Telecom’s software service platform should be treated as prepaid card revenues for purposes of USF contributions. Comments are due September 9, 2009 and Reply Comments are due September 24, 2009.
Public Notice: Word | PDF - 8/10/09
Conexions LLC ETC Forbearance : Wireline Competition Bureau seeks comment on Conexions’ petition for forbearance from the facilities-based requirement in order to be eligible for designation as an ETC for Lifeline support. Comments are due September 9, 2009 and Reply Comments are due September 24, 2009.
Public Notice: Word | PDF - 8/10/09
Rural Health Care Pilot Program Form 466-A Deadline Waiver : Wireline Competition Bureau establishes June 30, 2010 as the filing deadline for Form 466-A (Funding Commitment Requests) for the second funding year of the Rural Health Care Pilot Program.
Public Notice: Word | PDF - 8/10/09
Lifeline Verification & Certification : Wireline Competition Bureau reminds ETCs of the Aug. 31, 2009 deadline for their submission of annual Lifeline verification surveys and certifications and on August 31 of each subsequent year thereafter, attesting that the ETC has complied with the state verification procedures.
Public Notice: Word | PDF - 8/10/09
Nebraska PSC and Kansas Corporation Commission Nomadic VoIP contributions to state USF : Wireline Competition Bureau seeks comment on a filing by the Nebraska PSC and the Kansas Corporation Commission (Petitioners), requesting a declaratory ruling that the Commission has not preempted states from assessing universal service charges on the intrastate revenues of providers of “nomadic” interconnected VoIP services. In addition, the Petitioners request that the Commission declare that individual states have discretion to adopt any mechanisms that do not assess interstate revenues and that contain procedures designed to ensure that no provider pays assessments to more than one state on the same intrastate revenues. In the alternative, if the Commission does not issue declaratory rulings, the Petitioners ask that the Commission propose and adopt rules to allow states to assess universal service charges on the intrastate revenues of nomadic interconnected VoIP providers. Comments are due September 9, 2009 and Reply Comments are due September 24, 2009.
Public Notice: Word | PDF - 7/31/09
Carryover of Unused Federal Universal Service Funds for Funding Year 2009: In this order, the Bureau announces that $900 million in prior unused E-rate funds will be carried forward to increase disbursements to schools and libraries in Funding Year 2009.
Order: Word | PDF - 7/31/09
North Carolina TeleHealth Network, Albemarle Health, Western Carolina University, and University Health Systems of Eastern Carolina: The Wireline Competition Bureau grants a merger request from four participants in the Rural Health Care Pilot Program, NCTN, Albemarle, WCU, and UHS, to merge their respective Pilot Program projects and designate NCTN as the successor to Albermarle, WCU, and UHS.
Order: Word | PDF - 7/21/09
Minford Local Schools, Minford, OH: The Telecommunications Access Policy Division (the Division) grants a request for waiver filed by Minford Local Schools (Minford) of the FCC Form 471 application filing window deadline for funding year 2008 under the schools and libraries universal service support mechanism consistent with the relief given to Minford by the Division in the Acorn Public Library District Order.
Order: Word | PDF - 7/21/09
Advantage Cellular Systems Inc.: The Wireline Competition Bureau seeks comment on a request filed by Advantage Cellular Systems, Inc., a competitive eligible telecommunications carrier, seeking to receive universal service high-cost support based on the own-costs exception in the Commission's Interim Cap Order. The Bureau also issued a protective order for any parties that want to review Advantage Cellular's cost information, for which it seeks confidential treatment. Comments on the request are due August 20, 2009, and reply comments are due September 4, 2009. Public Notice: Word | PDF Protective Order: Word | PDF - 7/21/09
Huron Mountain Communications Company: The Wireline Competition Bureau seeks comment on a petition filed by Huron Mountain Communications Co. (Huron) for waiver of the Commission’s rules to participate in the National Exchange Carrier Association pools and to obtain accelerated universal service support. Huron intends to provide telecommunications services to an unserved area located in the upper peninsula of the state of Michigan. Comments are due August 20, 2009 and Reply Comments are due September 4, 2009.
Public Notice: Word | PDF - 7/21/09
Mobi PCS, Inc. and Cricket Communications, Inc.: The Wireline Competition Bureau seeks comment on a request filed by Mobi PCS, Inc. and Cricket Communications, Inc. for guidance regarding permissible implementations of Section 54.307(b) of the Commission’s rules. Specifically, petitioners request guidance on how competitive ETCs should report lines pursuant to Section 54.307(b) when a customer’s billing address contains a Post Office Box rather than a street address. Comments are due August 20, 2009 and Reply Comments are due September 4, 2009.
Public Notice: Word | PDF - 7/21/09
AT&T Inc.: The Wireline Competition Bureau seeks comment on a request for review filed by AT&T (Louisiana, Mississippi, and Puerto Rico) regarding the results of an Improper Payments Information Act (IPIA) high-cost support audit for the period of July 1, 2006 to June 30, 2007. Specifically, AT&T seeks review of USAC's findings that AT&T was in material noncompliance because of inaccurate line count filings which resulted in adjustments exceeding a $100,000 quantitative materiality threshold. Comments are due August 20, 2009 and Reply Comments are due September 4, 2009.
Public Notice: Word | PDF - 7/21/09
BitWise Communications, Inc. a/k/a OmniLEC (BitWise): TThe Wireline Competition Bureau seeks comment on a request filed by BitWise Communications, Inc. a/k/a OmniLEC seeking review and reversal of three decisions of USAC, in which USAC denied BitWise’s requests to amend its 2006, 2007, and 2008 FCC Forms 499-A more than one year past the filing deadlines. Comments are due August 20, 2009 and Reply Comments are due September 4, 2009.
Public Notice: Word | PDF - 7/21/09
West River/Midcontinent High-Cost waivers petition: The Wireline Competition Bureau seeks comment on: (i) a request by West River Telecommunications Cooperative for waiver of the December 31, 2008 true-up data filing deadline for local switching support (LSS); and (ii) a request by Midcontinent Communications for waiver of the September 30, 2008 line count filing deadline for high-cost support. Comments are due August 20, 2009 and Reply Comments are due September 4, 2009.
Public Notice: Word | PDF - 7/21/09
Alabama Commercial Mobile Radio Service Emergency Telephone Services Board: The Wireline Competition Bureau seeks comment on a petition filed by the Alabama Commercial Mobile Radio Service Emergency Telephone Services Board asking the Commission to reject TracFone Wireless Inc.'s ETC self-certification. Comments are due August 20, 2009 and Reply Comments are due September 4, 2009.
Public Notice: Word | PDF - 7/21/09
Windy City/Pine Belt High-Cost waivers petitions: The Wireline Competition Bureau seeks comment on: (i) a request by Pine Belt Cellular, Inc., a competitive ETC in Alabama, for waiver of the October 1, 2008 annual certification filing deadline for high-cost interstate common line support (ICLS); and (ii) a request by Windy City Cellular, LLC, a competitive ETC in Alaska, for waiver of the 60-day deadline set forth in section 54.307(d) of the Commission’s rules for high-cost loop support (HCLS), local switching support (LSS), and ICLS. Comments are due August 20, 2009 and Reply Comments are due September 4, 2009.
Public Notice: Word | PDF - 7/21/09
Achilles Networks: The Wireline Competition Bureau seeks comment on a petition filed by Achilles Networks requesting waiver of the late fees associated with its December 2008 filing of its FCC Form 499-A. Comments are due August 20, 2009 and Reply Comments are due September 4, 2009.
Public Notice: Word | PDF - 7/21/09
Consumer Cellular, Inc.: The Wireline Competition Bureau seeks comment on Consumer Cellular’s Petition for Forbearance from the facilities-based requirement in order to be eligible for designation as an Eligible Telecommunications Carrier (ETC) for Lifeline support only. Comments are due August 20, 2009 and Reply Comments are due September 4, 2009.
Public Notice: Word | PDF - 7/21/09
USAC Board Nominations: The Wireline Competition Bureau seeks nominations for the two vacant board member positions on the Universal Service Administrative Company (USAC) Board of Directors (for commercial mobile radio service providers and for low-income consumers). Nominations are due August 20, 2009.
Public Notice: Word | PDF - 7/02/09
Cellular Properties Service Area Redefinition: The Wireline Competition Bureau initiated a proceeding to examine the request of Cellular Properties, Inc. to redefine the service area of Wabash Telephone Cooperative, Inc. in Illinois. Comments are due July 16, 2009 and reply comments are due July 22, 2009.
Public Notice: Word | PDF - 6/10/09
Centennial Michigan RSA 6 Cellular Corp. and Centennial Michigan RSA 7 Cellular Corp.: The Wireline Competition Bureau denies a request for review filed in 2005 by Centennial Michigan RSA 6 Cellular Corp. and Centennial Michigan RSA 7 Cellular Corp. (Centennial). In its request, Centennial asked the Commission to reverse a USAC decision to recover universal service high-cost support funds. We find that USAC properly recovered funds that were disbursed to Centennial prior to the Commission's approval of the redefinition of the study areas of certain rural incumbent local exchange carriers.
Order: Word | PDF - 6/10/09
Centennial Communications Corp.: The Wireline Competition Bureau denies a request filed by Centennial Communications Corp. for waivers of the September 30, 2005, June 30, 2006, and June 30, 2007, filing deadlines for universal service Interstate Access Support (IAS) set forth in section 54.802(a) of the Commission's rules. Centennial argues that it was confused by the language in its Louisiana ETC designation order, which was granted in March 2004, and therefore did not file IAS annual certifications or line counts until February 2008. Centennial seeks a waiver to permit it to receive IAS funds for the first and second quarters of 2008, and a further waiver to permit it to receive retroactive payments beginning October 1, 2005 through the end of 2007. The order provides that even though we deny Centennial’s request for waiver, the amount of IAS that Centennial would have been able to receive in March 2008 if it had not missed the filing deadlines will be included in the capped level of support available to competitive ETCs in Louisiana pursuant to the Commission’s Interim Cap Order.
Order: Word | PDF - 06/08/2009
Virginia Cellular ETC Relinquishment Order: The Wireline Competition Bureau accepts the relinquishment of the eligible telecommunications carrier designation of Virginia Cellular, LLC in the Williamsville wire center in the study area of MGW Telephone Company in Virginia.
Order: Word | PDF - 06/05/2009
TracFone Lifeline Petition to Modify Lifeline Head of Household: The Wireline Competition Bureau seeks comment on a TracFone petition to modify a condition (imposed by the Commission’s designation of TracFone) that TracFone must require each of its Lifeline customers to annually self-certify that they are the head of their household and receive Lifeline-supported service only from TracFone. Specifically, TracFone requests that it be allowed to verify annually that its Lifeline customers are heads of households and receive Lifeline-supported service only from TracFone through use of a statistically valid sample of those customers. Comments are due July 6, 2009 and reply comments are due July 20, 2009.
Public Notice: Word | PDF - 06/05/2009
TracFone Lifeline Tier 1 Petition: The Wireline Competition Bureau seeks comment on a petition filed by TracFone in which TracFone requests that it be allowed to receive Tier One Lifeline support in the amount of $6.50 per month per Lifeline customer in all service areas where it operates as en eligible telecommunications carrier, provided that TracFone: (1) passes through the full amount of its federal Lifeline support to its Lifeline customers; and (2) provides each of its Lifeline customers with an additional monthly Lifeline benefit of $3.50. This petition for waiver seeks the same relief that TracFone is seeking in a petition for rulemaking that it recently filed. Comments are due July 6, 2009 and reply comments are due July 20, 2009.
Public Notice: Word | PDF - 06/05/2009
Head Start ETC Forbearance Petition: The Wireline Competition Bureau seeks comment on Head Start's petition for forbearance from the eligible telecommunications carrier (ETC) facilities requirement for designation as a limited ETC eligible for low-income support. Comments are due July 6, 2009 and reply comments are due July 20, 2009.
Public Notice: Word | PDF - 06/05/2009
i-wireless ETC Forbearance Petition: The Wireline Competition Bureau seeks comment on i-wireless's petition for forbearance from the eligible telecommunications carrier (ETC) facilities requirement for designation as a limited ETC eligible for low-income support. Comments are due July 6, 2009 and reply comments are due July 20, 2009.
Public Notice: Word | PDF - 06/05/2009
TeleQuality Communications Waiver Request: The Wireline Competition Bureau seeks comment on a request by TeleQuality Communications, seeking a waiver of section 54.611 of the Commission’s rules, which requires that USAC reimburse any monies due a carrier from the universal service rural health care support mechanism only after an offset is credited against that carrier’s universal service support obligations. TeleQuality also requests that the Commission grant an expedited stay of USAC’s decision, allowing TeleQuality to continue to receive bi-monthly rural health care support disbursements pending the Commission’s review of the instant waiver request. Comments are due June 19, 2009 and reply comments are due June 26, 2009.
Public Notice: Word | PDF - 06/05/2009
Alexicon Petition to Change FCC Form 499 Deadline: The Wireline Competition Bureau seeks comment on Alexicon’s petition to change the filing date for the annual Telecommunications Reporting Worksheet (FCC Form 499-A) from April 1st to September 1st. Comments are due July 6, 2009 and reply comments are due July 20, 2009.
Public Notice: Word | PDF - 06/05/2009
Accipiter/Qwest Joint Petition for Study Area Waiver: The Wireline Competition Bureau seeks comment on a joint petition filed by Accipiter and Qwest for a study area waiver in Arizona. On April 30, 2009, Accipiter Communication, Inc. d/b/a Zona Communications (Accipiter) and Qwest Corporation (Qwest) filed a joint petition for waiver of the study area boundary freeze as codified in the Appendix-Glossary of Part 36 of the Commission’s rules. The requested waiver would permit Accipiter and Qwest to exchange territories and add those exchanged territories to their existing study areas in Arizona. Comments are due July 6, 2009 and reply comments are due July 20, 2009.
Public Notice: Word | PDF - 06/05/2009
WorldNet Telecommunications, Inc. Request for Waiver: The Wireline Competition Bureau seeks comment on a request by WorldNet Telecommunications, Inc., a CETC in Puerto Rico, for waiver of the December 30, 2008 line count filing deadline for Interstate Common Line Support (ICLS). Comments are due July 6, 2009 and reply comments are due July 20, 2009.
Public Notice: Word | PDF - 06/05/2009
Long Lines and OTZ High-Cost Waiver Requests: The Wireline Competition Bureau seeks comment on: (i) a request by Long Lines Wireless, LLC for waiver of the September 30, 2008 line count filing deadlines for High-Cost Model Support and Interstate Access Support (IAS); and (ii) a request by OTZ Telecommunications, Inc. for waiver of the December 30, 2008 and March 30, 2009 line count filing deadlines for high cost support. Comments are due July 6, 2009 and reply comments are due July 20, 2009.
Public Notice: Word | PDF - 06/05/2009
AT&T Lifeline Audit Petition: The Wireline Competition Bureau seeks comment on AT&T’s petition regarding USAC’s Lifeline audit of AT&T. In its petition, AT&T seeks review of USAC’s findings that: (1) USAC should recover toll limitation service (TLS) support from AT&T because AT&T cannot supply documentation detailing its incremental cost of providing TLS to its Lifeline customers; (2) AT&T was required to advertise to its Lifeline customers toll blocking and all other services supported by federal universal service support mechanisms; and (3) AT&T was required to populate Line 9 of FCC Form 497 (the Lifeline and Link-Up Worksheet) with pro-rata dollars attributable to Lifeline subscribers that entered or exited the Lifeline program mid-month. Comments are due July 6, 2009 and reply comments are due July 20, 2009.
Public Notice: Word | PDF - 06/05/2009
Verizon and Hospital Network Management Request: The Wireline Competition Bureau seeks comment on requests for review filed by Verizon and Hospital Network Management, seeing reversal of USAC’s decision to seek recovery from Verizon of universal service rural health care funds relating to services it performed for HNM. Comments are due July 6, 2009 and reply comments are due July 20, 2009.
Public Notice: Word | PDF - 06/05/2009
North Carolina RHCPP Merger Request: The Wireline Competition Bureau seeks comment on a request to merge four participants in the universal service Rural Health Care Pilot Program: the North Carolina TeleHealth Network (NCTN); Albemarle Health (Albemarle); Western Carolina University (WCU); and University Health Systems of Eastern Carolina (UHS). Comments are due June 19, 2009 and reply comments are due June 26, 2009.
Public Notice: Word | PDF - 6/3/09
Cook Telecom, Inc.: The Telecommunications Access Policy Division grants Cook Telecom, Inc.’s request for review of a decision by the Universal Service Administrative Company (USAC) rejecting Cook’s initial FCC Form 457 filing, and directs USAC to accept Cook’s revised FCC Form 457 filing dated December 2, 1997.
Order: Word | PDF - 06/02/2009
E-rate Eligible Services List: Wireline Competition Bureau Seeks Comment on Proposed Funding Year 2010 E-rate Eligible Services List.
Public Notice: PDF | Text - 5/12/09
Judy Green: The Commission debar Judy Green from all activities associated with the schools and libraries universal service support mechanism.
Notice of Debarment: Word | PDF - 5/7/09
Ad Hoc Coalition Petition for Declaratory Ruling: The Wireline Competition Bureau seeks comment on a petition for declaratory ruling filed by the Ad Hoc Coalition of International Telecommunications Companies’ (Coalition) regarding universal service contributions. Comments are due June 8, 2009 and reply comments are due June 22, 2009.
Public Notice: Word | PDF - 5/7/09
Spectrotel Contributor Appeal: The Wireline Competition Bureau seeks comment on a request filed by Spectrotel seeking review of a USAC decision to deny a waiver of fees associated with its late-filed August, 2008 FCC Form 499-Q. Comments are due June 8, 2009 and reply comments are due June 22, 2009.
Public Notice: Word | PDF - 5/7/09
Masergy Contributor Appeal: The Wireline Competition Bureau seeks comment on a request filed by Masergy seeking clarification or review of the decision to include Multi-Protocol Label Switching (MPLS) in the FCC Form 499 Instructions. Comments are due June 8, 2009 and reply comments are due June 22, 2009.
Public Notice: Word | PDF - 5/7/09
Aspire Contributor Appeal: The Wireline Competition Bureau seeks comment on a request filed by Aspire Telecom, Inc. seeking waiver of the 45-day FCC Form 499-Q revision window. Comments are due June 8, 2009 and reply comments are due June 22, 2009.
Public Notice: Word | PDF - 5/6/09
Rural Health Care Pilot Program Pennsylvania Merger: The Wireline Competition Bureau seeks comment on a request to merge two participants in the universal service Rural Health Care Pilot Program, Juniata Valley Network and Pennsylvania Mountains Healthcare Resource Development. Comments are due May 20, 2009 and reply comments are due May 27, 2009.
Public Notice: Word | PDF - 5/6/09
inContact Contributor Appeal: The Wireline Competition Bureau seeks comment on a petition filed by inContact, Inc. seeking waiver of contribution fees assessed by USAC in 2009 based on adjustments to inContact’s 2004 FCC Form 499-A. Comments are due June 5, 2009 and reply comments are due June 22, 2009.
Public Notice: Word | PDF - 5/6/09
DTS NECA and Universal Service Support Waiver Petition: The Wireline Competition Bureau seeks comment on a petition filed by DTS of California seeking a waiver to allow DTS to become a member of the National Exchange Carrier Association and to immediately receive universal service high-cost loop support initially based on its forecasted costs rather than its historical costs. Comments are due June 5, 2009 and reply comments are due June 22, 2009.
Public Notice: Word | PDF - 5/6/09
Virgin Mobile ETC Compliance Plan: The Wireline Competition Bureau seeks comment on the compliance plan filed by Virgin Mobile USA L.P., in which Virgin Mobile seeks to comply with the conditions set out in the order granting it forbearance and designating it as an eligible telecommunications carrier. Comments are due June 5, 2009 and reply comments are due June 22, 2009.
Public Notice: Word | PDF - 5/6/09
Pennsylvania PUC TracFone/Virgin Mobile Petition for Reconsideration: The Wireline Competition Bureau seeks comment on a petition filed by the the Pennsylvania Public Utility Commission seeking reconsideration or clarification of the Commission’s TracFone Modification Order and Virgin Mobile Forbearance Order. Comments are due June 5, 2009 and reply comments are due June 22, 2009.
Public Notice: Word | PDF - 5/4/09
Smith Bagley, Inc.: The Wireline Competition Bureau seeks comment on a petition filed by Smith Bagley seeking an increase to Tier Four of the Universal Service Low-Income Program from $25 per month to $30 per month. Comments are due June 3, 2009 and reply comments are due June 18, 2009.
Public Notice: Word | PDF - 5/4/09
Wireline Competition Bureau Announces Posting of Cost Model: The Wireline Competition Bureau announces that the publicly-available version of the High-Cost Proxy Model on the FCC's website has been updated to work with the Commission's current computer operating systems (Microsoft Windows XP Operating System, Service Pack 2 or greater, and Microsoft Office Suite 2003, Service Pack 3 or greater).
Public Notice: Word | PDF - 5/1/09
Verizon Wireless FCC Form 499 Waiver Order: The Wireline Competition Bureau grants a petition by Verizon Wireless seeking limited waiver of certain FCC Form 499 revenue filing requirements related to its mergers with Alltel and Rural Cellular Corporation. Specifically, Verizon Wireless is granted a limited waiver to allow it to report revenues for all affiliated companies using a weighted average of actual and safe harbor revenues until December 31, 2009.
Order: Word | PDF - 4/28/09
Qwest Corporation and Pine Telephone Systems, Inc. Combined Order: The Wireline Competition Bureau grants a joint request filed by Qwest Corporation (Qwest), Pine Telephone Systems, Inc. (Pine), and Oregon Telephone Corporation (Oregon Telephone) for waivers of the study area boundary freeze codified in the Appendix-Glossary of Part 36 of the Commission's rules.
Order: Word | PDF - 4/21/09
Centennial USVI High-Cost Waiver Order: The Wireline Competition Bureau acts on a request from Centennial USVI Operations Corp. for a waiver of high-cost universal service support filing deadlines.
Order: Word | PDF - 4/21/09
Northeast Iowa High-Cost Waiver Order: The Wireline Competition Bureau grants a request by ICORE, Inc. on behalf of Northeast Iowa Telephone Company for a waiver of the data submission reporting deadline for local switching universal service support.
Order: Word | PDF - 4/21/09
Xfone High-Cost Waiver Order:: The Wireline Competition Bureau grants in part and denies in part a request filed by Xfone USA, Inc. for waivers of high-cost universal service support filing deadlines.
Order: Word | PDF - 4/21/09
LBH et al. High-Cost Waiver Order: The Wireline Competition Bureau denies three requests, filed by LBH, LLC; Knology of the Black Hills, LLC; and USCOC of Cumberland Inc. Hardy Cellular Telephone Company for waivers of high-cost universal service support filing deadlines.
Order: Word | PDF - 4/21/09
Grande Communications Networks et al. High-Cost Waiver Order: The Wireline Competition Bureau acts on nine requests for waivers of various high-cost universal service support filing deadlines filed by Grande Communications Networks, Inc.; Hardy Telecommunications, Inc.; iBroadband Network, Inc.; IT&E Overseas, Inc.; Micronesian Telecommunications Company; Pattersonville Telephone Company; PTI Pacifica, Inc.; Texas RSA 8 South Limited Partnership dba Westex Wireless; and Thumb Cellular, LLC.
Order: Word | PDF - 4/16/09
Rural Health Care Pilot Program Texas Projects Merger: In this order, the Wireline Competition Bureau grants a request from two participants in the Rural Health Care Pilot Program, the Texas Healthcare Network (THN) and the Texas Health Information Network Collaborative (THINC), to merge their respective Pilot Program projects and designate THINC as the successor to THN’s Pilot Program project.
Order: Word | PDF - 4/14/09
Albert Lea Area Schools, Albert Lea, Minnesota, et al: The Telecommunications Access Policy Division grants 39 appeals and denies 31 appeals of decisions by the Universal Service Administrative Company denying requests for funding under the schools and libraries universal service mechanism for funding years 1999 through 2008 due to the applicant's failure to comply with the Commission's 28-day competitive bidding requirement.
Order: Word | PDF - 4/10/09
The Wireline Competition Bureau released the FCC Form 499-Q and accompanying instructions. The instructions incorporate nonsubstantive clarifications to ensure that all contributors are properly reporting revenues and are treating similar revenues uniformly.
Public Notice: Word | PDF - 4/10/09
TracFone Wireless, Inc. Request for Waiver of Section 54.418 of the Commission's Rules: Granted a request from TracFone Wireless, Inc. for a conditional waiver of section 54.418 of the Commission's rules, which requires ETCs to notify their Lifeline and Link-Up customers about the DTV transition.
Order: Word | PDF - 4/9/09
Corr Wireless Request for Review: The Wireline Competition Bureau seeks comment on Corr Wireless Communication's (Corr) request for review of a decision by the Universal Service Administrative Corporation (USAC). Corr challenges USAC’s failure to include universal service high-cost support funds disclaimed by ALLTEL and Verizon in connection with their merger last year in the pool of funds available for distribution under the competitive eligible telecommunications carrier interim cap on high-cost universal service support. Comments are due May 11, 2009 and reply comments are due May 26, 2009.
Public Notice: Word | PDF - 4/8/09
Twin Valley Telephone, Inc.: The Wireline Competition Bureau (Bureau) grants Twin Valley's request to withdraw its application for review of the Bureau's prior decision to deny Twin Valley's petition for clarification or expedited waiver of Section 54.305 of the Commission's rules.
Order: Word | PDF - 4/8/09
High Cost Non-Rural Support Notice of Inquiry: The Commission seeks to refresh the record regarding the issues raised by the United States Court of Appeals for the Tenth Circuit (Tenth Circuit) in the Qwest II decision. In that decision the Tenth Circuit invalidated the Commission’s high-cost universal service support mechanism for non-rural carriers, which determines the amount of support to be provided to each state by comparing the statewide average forward-looking cost per line for non-rural carriers to a nationwide cost benchmark. Comments are due May 8, 2009 and reply comments are due June 8, 2009.
Notice of Inquiry: Word | PDF - 4/3/09
Cellular Properties, Inc.: The Wireline Competition Bureau seeks comment on a petition filed by Cellular Properties, Inc., pursuant to section 54.207 of the Commission’s rules, requesting the Commission’s agreement with the decision of the Illinois Commerce Commission to redefine the service area of Illinois Consolidated Telephone Company. Comments are due on the petition May 4, 2009 and reply comments are due May 19, 2009.
Public Notice: Word | PDF - 4/3/09
Cellular Properties, Inc.: The Wireline Competition Bureau seeks comment on a petition filed by Cellular Properties, Inc., pursuant to section 54.207 of the Commission’s rules, requesting the Commission’s agreement with the decision of the Illinois Commerce Commission to redefine the service area of Wabash Telephone Cooperative Inc. Comments are due on the petition May 4, 2009 and reply comments are due May 19, 2009
Public Notice: Word | PDF - 4/2/09
Schools and Libraries, Letter Approving Funding Year 2009 PIA Procedures: In this letter, the Wireline Competition Bureau (Bureau) notifies the Universal Service Administrative Company (USAC) that the Bureau has approved the Schools and Libraries Funding Year 2009 Program Integrity Assurance FCC Form 471 Review procedures.
Letter: Word | PDF - 4/1/09
Universal Service Administrative Company: Wireline Competition Bureau provides letter to USAC concerning FCC Form 499-A Instructions and universal service contribution obligations.
Letter: Word | PDF - 3/30/09
Kouso Communications, LLC: The Wireline Competition Bureau seeks comment on Kouso's request for waiver of late fees associated with the late filing of 2008 FCC Form 499-A. Comments are due April 29, 2009 and reply comments are due May 14, 2009.
Public Notice: Word | PDF - 3/30/09
Ready Telecom, Inc.: The Wireline Competition Bureau seeks comment on a request for review filed by Ready Telecom, Inc. seeking review of a USAC decision in which USAC denied Ready Telecom's request to amend its May 2008 FCC Form 499-Q filing. Comments on the request are due April 29, 2009 and reply comments are due May 14, 2009.
Public Notice: Word | PDF - 3/30/09
Pennsylvania Emergency Management Agency TracFone Certification Petition: The Wireline Competition Bureau seeks comment on a petition filed by the Pennsylvania Emergency Management Agency asking the Commission to reject TracFone Wireless, Inc.'s certification of compliance with all Pennsylvania 911 and E911 obligations. Comments on the petition are due April 29, 2009 and reply comments are due May 14, 2009.
Public Notice: Word | PDF - 3/30/09
Pelzer Communication Corporation Universal Service Contributions Request: The Wireline Competition Bureau seeks comment on Pelzer Communications' request seeking review of USAC's decision declining to accept Pelzer's revised February 2007 FCC Form 499-Q filing. Comments on the request are due April 29, 2009 and reply comments are due May 14, 2009.
Public Notice: Word | PDF - 3/30/09
Minerva Valley Telephone Company High-Cost Waiver: The Wireline Competition Bureau seeks comment on a petition by Minerva Telephone Company, an incumbent local exchange carrier in Iowa, for waiver of the June 30, 2008 annual certification filing deadline for universal service interstate common line support. Comments on the petition are due April 29, 2009 and reply comments are due May 14, 2009.
Public Notice: Word | PDF - 3/19/09
Ascent Media Group: The Wireline Competition Bureau seeks comment on Ascent Media Group petition for reconsideration of the Wireline Competition Bureau's order dismissing Ascent's request for review of the Universal Service Administrative Company decision. Comments are due by April 20, 2009 and reply comments are due by May 5, 2009.
Public Notice: Word | PDF - 3/19/09
Coalition for Equity in Switching Support: The Wireline Competition Bureau seeks comment on the petition of the Coalition for Equity in Switching Support for Clarification of Sections 36.125 and 54.301 of the Commission's rules concerning local switching Universal Service Support. Comments are due by April 20, 2009 and reply comments are due by May 5, 2009.
Public Notice: Word | PDF - 3/19/09
CalTel Inc., CalTel Inc. of North Carolina, and South Bell Payphones, Inc.: The Wireline Competition Bureau seeks comment on CalTel Inc., CalTel Inc. of North Carolina, and South Bell Payphones, Inc. requests for review seeking review and reversal of late fees assessed by the Universal Service Administrative Company for their late-filed 2008 FCC Forms 499-A. Comments are due by April 20, 2009 and reply comments are due by May 5, 2009.
Public Notice: Word | PDF - 3/19/09
Midstate Telecom, Inc.: The Wireline Competition Bureau seeks comment on a petition filed by Midstate Telecom, Inc. seeking waiver of filing deadlines associated with the receipt of universal service funds, pursuant to sections 54.307(c) and 54.802(a) of the Commission's rules. Comments are due by April 20, 2009 and reply comments are due by May 5, 2009.
Public Notice: Word | PDF - 3/19/09
Sunshine Community Health Center Rural Health Care: The Wireline Competition Bureau seeks comment on a request filed by Sunshine Community Health Center seeking review and reversal of a USAC decision which substantially reduced Sunshine's funding request for funding year 2006 under the rural health care support mechanism. Sunshine argues that USAC incorrectly rejected funding for connections originating in Alaska and terminating in Seattle, Washington. Comments are due by April 20, 2009 and reply comments are due by May 5, 2009.
Public Notice: Word | PDF - 3/19/09
Via Talk, LLC Contributor Appeal: The Wireline Competition Bureau seeks comment on a request filed by Via Talk seeking review and reversal of a USAC decision denying Via Talk's request to accept its amended 2007 FCC Form 499-A, which was filed more than one year past the filing deadline. Via Talk requests that the Commission correct the amount of Via Talk's universal service debt and allow Via Talk to enter into a payment extension plan for the debt. Comments are due by April 20, 2009 and reply comments are due by May 5, 2009.
Public Notice: Word | PDF - 3/19/09
Hargray Telephone Company High-Cost Waivers: The Wireline Competition Bureau seeks comment on a request filed by Hargray Telephone Company, a South Carolina ILEC, for waiver of the October 1, 2006 and October 1, 2007 projected-data filing deadlines for local switching support (LSS). Comments are due by April 20, 2009 and reply comments are due by May 5, 2009.
Public Notice: Word | PDF - 3/19/09
General Communication, Inc. Declaratory Ruling Regarding CETC Wireless Lines: The Wireline Competition Bureau seeks comment on a request filed by GCI for a declaratory ruling finding that its wireless subsidiaries in Alaska: (i) are correctly reporting prepaid wireless lines based on a local address or point of sale address; and (ii) are correctly reporting wireless business lines based on the address to which a service invoice is sent rather than a separate or third-party address from where payments are processed. Comments are due by April 20, 2009 and reply comments are due by May 5, 2009.
Public Notice: Word | PDF - 3/19/09
T-Mobile USA, Inc. Universal Service Fund High-Cost Waiver: The Wireline Competition Bureau seeks comment on a request filed by T-Mobile for a waiver of the December 30, 2008 line count filing deadline to allow it to receive universal service high-cost support. This petition does not affect the amount of support available to competitive ETCs pursuant to the Interim Cap Order because it does not affect support received in March 2008. Comments are due by April 20, 2009 and reply comments are due by May 5, 2009.
Public Notice: Word | PDF - 3/19/09
Centennial Communications Corp. Interim Cap Data Deadline Waiver: The Wireline Competition Bureau seeks comment on a request filed by Centennial Communications Corp. and its subsidiaries seeking a waiver of the December 31, 2008 deadline for submitting to USAC changes to the March 2008 data on which interim universal service high-cost capped support is based. Comments are due by April 20, 2009 and reply comments are due by May 5, 2009.
Public Notice: Word | PDF - 3/19/09
10D Telecom, Inc.: The Wireline Competition Bureau seeks comment on a request filed by 10D Telecom for a waiver of late fees assessed by USAC due to 10D Telecom's late-filing of its 2008 FCC Form 499-A. Comments are due by April 20, 2009 and reply comments are due by May 5, 2009.
Public Notice: Word | PDF - 3/19/09
Eagle Telephone System, Inc. and Midvale Telephone Exchange, Incorporated Study Area Waiver: The Wireline Competition Bureau seeks comment on a joint petition for waiver of the study area boundary freeze filed by Eagle Telephone System and Midvale Telephone Exchange. Eagle and Midvale seek a waiver of the study area boundary freeze to remove territory from Midvale's Idaho study area and recognize such territory as part of Eagle's Oregon study area. Comments are due by April 20, 2009 and reply comments are due by May 5, 2009.
Public Notice: Word | PDF - 3/13/09
Texas Healthcare Network and Texas Health Information Network Collaborative: The Wireline Competition Bureau seeks comment on a request to merge two participants in the universal service Rural Health Care Pilot Program, Texas Healthcare Network (THN) and Texas Health Information Network Collaborative(THINC). Comments are due by March 20, 2009 and reply comments are due by March 24, 2009.
Public Notice: Word | PDF - 3/13/09
Leaco Rural Telephone Cooperative Redefinition: The Wireline Competition Bureau seeks comment on a petition filed by Leaco Rural Telephone Cooperative, Inc., pursuant to section 54.207 of the Commission’s rules, requesting the Commission’s agreement with the decision of the New Mexico Public Regulation Commission to redefine the service areas of certain rural local exchange carriers. Comments are due by April 13, 2009 and reply comments are due by April 28, 2009.
Public Notice: Word | PDF - 3/5/09
Virgin Mobile Conditional Forbearance and Lifeline ETC Order: The Commission conditionally granted a petition filed by Virgin Mobile USA, L.P. (Virgin Mobile) seeking forbearance from the requirement that a carrier designated as an eligible telecommunications carrier (ETC) provide services, at least in part, over its own facilities. The Commission granted Virgin Mobile forbearance for ETC designation for Lifeline universal service support only. The Commission also conditionally designated Virgin Mobile an ETC for Lifeline support only in New York, Virginia, North Carolina, and Tennessee.
Order: Word | PDF - 3/5/09
TracFone PSAP Forbearance Condition Modification Order: The Commission modified a forbearance condition imposed on TracFone Wireless, Inc. as a requirement that TracFone must meet prior to receiving support under the Lifeline universal service program. Specifically, TracFone must request a certification from each public safety answering point (PSAP) where it provides Lifeline service confirming that TracFone provides its customers with access to basic and E911 service; however, if, within 90 days of TracFone's request a PSAP has not provided the certification and the PSAP has not made an affirmative finding that TracFone does not provide its customers with access to 911 and E911 service within the PSAP's service area, TracFone may self-certify that it meets the basic and E911 requirements..
Order: Word | PDF - 3/5/09
Competitive ETC Interim Cap Alaska Native Regions/Tribal Lands Exception Waiver Order: The Commission waives on its own motion the limitation on the availability of uncapped high-cost universal service support for competitive eligible telecommunications carriers (ETCs) serving tribal lands or Alaska Native regions (Covered Locations). Specifically, for the period in which the interim cap is in effect, the Commission waives the restriction in paragraph 33 of the Interim Cap Order limiting the availability of uncapped per line support to competitive ETCs serving Covered Locations "to one payment per each residential account.".
Order: Word | PDF - 2/27/09
U.S. Virgin Islands Telephone Corp. High-Cost Abeyance Request: This letter directs USAC to hold in abeyance until May 31, 2009, any adjustments in universal service fund high-cost loop support for the Virgin Islands Telephone Corporation.
Letter: Word | PDF - 2/27/09
RCC Minnesota (Verizon Wireless) relinquishment of New Hampshire ETC Status: The Wireline Competition Bureau accepts the reliquishment of the eligible telelcommunications carrier (ETC) designation of RCC Minnesota in the state of New Hampshire.
Order: Word | PDF - 2/27/09
Updated FCC Form 499-A Public Notice: The Wireline Competition Bureau released a public notice announcing the release of the updated FCC Form 499-A, which carriers file annually on April 1 with USAC. The public notice identifies non-substantive changes and clarifications to the instructions for filing the FCC Form 499-A.
Letter: Word | PDF - 1/16/09
Schools and Libraries Program, "Table C" recovery Issues: Responded to the outstanding policy issues regarding recovery of funds in the schools and libraries universal service program, also known as the E-rate program, on which USAC has sought formal guidance from the Commission.
Letter: Word | PDF | text
2008
12/30/08
Madison River Communications, LLC: Wireline Competition Bureau seeks comment on a request filed by Madison River Communications, LLC (Madison River) seeking review of a USAC decision, in which, as a result of an audit, USAC determined that Madison River should have reported the transmission portion of its Internet access services separately as assessable telecommunications service revenues. Madison River also seeks review of USAC’s conclusion that it owed universal service contributions on T-1 revenues Madison had classified as intrastate for calendar year 2005. Madison River requests that the Commission reverse USAC’s decisions, and instruct USAC to reject the audit report findings regarding the classification of Madison River’s services for universal service contribution purposes. Comments are due January 29, 2009 and reply comments are due February 13, 2009.
Public Notice: Word | PDF | text
12/23/08
TracFone Wireless, Inc.: Wireline Competition Bureau seeks comment on TracFone’s request to modify the requirement that it obtain certification from each public safety answering point (PSAP) where it offers Lifeline service that it has 911 and E911 capabilities. The requirement was imposed by the order granting TracFone forbearance from the ETC facility requirement.
Public Notice: Word | PDF | text
12/15/08
Wholesale Carrier Services, Inc.: Wireline Competition Bureau seeks comment on a petition filed by Wholesale Carrier Services for waiver of the 45-day window for filing revisions to the FCC Form 499-Q. Wholesale Carrier Services contends that it inadvertently reported annual revenue instead of quarterly revenues in its first quarter 2008 FCC Form 499-Q, which it filed on January 15, 2008. Wholesale Carrier Services requests a waiver because it became aware of its mistake after the 45-day window closed. Wholesale Carrier Services has paid in full and is disputing.
Public Notice: Word | PDF | text
12/15/08
Maritime Communications/Land Mobile, LLC: Wireline Competition Bureau seeks comment on a petition filed by Maritime Communications/Land Mobile, LLC (Maritime) for reconsideration of the Bureau's recent Watercom Mobex Order (DA 08-1971, rel. 8/26/08), which found, based on Commission precedent, that Waterway Communications System, LLC (Watercom) and Mobex Network Services, LLC (Mobex) are commercial mobile radio service (CMRS) providers and, as such, are required to contribute directly to the universal service fund. Maritime alleges that the Watercom Mobex Order erroneously concluded that these providers are commercial radio service providers.
Public Notice: Word | PDF | text
12/15/08
Alltel Communications, Inc., et al.: Wireline Competition Bureau amends certain ETC designations granted in the Interim Cap Order. The Bureau amends the ETC designation of New York RSA 2 Cellular Partnership, limiting the designation to the 13 wire centers requested; grants designation to St. Lawrence Seaway Cellular Partnership in 9 wire centers in the study area of Citizens Telecommunications of New York d/b/a Frontier Communications; and accepts the relinquishment of the designation of Dobson Cellular Systems Inc. and American Cellular Corp. in the state of New York.
Order: Word | PDF | text
12/15/08
Nex-Tech Wireless, LLC: Wireline Competition Bureau seeks comment on a petition filed by Nex-Tech Wireless, pursuant to section 54.207 of the Commission’s rules, requesting the Commission’s agreement with the decision of the Kansas Corporation Commission to redefine the service area of Home Communications, Inc.
Public Notice: Word | PDF | text
12/15/08
Achieve Telecom Network of Massachusetts, LLC, et al.: Wireline Competition Bureau In this order, we dismiss as moot ten requests for waiver of actions taken by the Universal Service Administrative Company (USAC). Specifically, Petitioners request that the Commission waive certain filing deadlines associated with the filing of their FCC Form 499-Qs and allow them to late-file corrected forms. Because the annual true-up process for the FCC Forms 499-Q at issue in these requests has already provided the relief sought by Petitioners, we dismiss as moot Petitioners’ requests. We also deny separate requests, filed by Achieve Telecom Network of Massachusetts, LLC (Achieve), Ascent Media Group (Ascent), and New Edge Network, Inc. (New Edge) for a refund of late fees, penalties and interest charges assessed, resulting from these petitioners’ late filed FCC Forms 499-Q.
Order: Word | PDF | text
12/10/08
2009 Modification of Average Schedule Universal Service Support Formulas: Each year, the Commission must review and approve or modify any proposed modifications to the formulas used to calculate universal service high-cost loop support and local switching support for average schedule companies. The high-cost loop and local switching support formulas are proposed by NECA and USAC, respectively. The Commission’s rules require that these formulas simulate the disbursements that would be received by a company that is representative of average schedule companies. The formulas proposed for 2009 are consistent with the methods we have approved in previous years.
Order: Word | PDF | text
12/10/08
Competitive ETC March 2008 Capped High-Cost Support: The Wireline Competition Bureau provides notice that competitive ETCs should confirm their March 2008 universal service high-cost support amount information with USAC and file any corrections on or before December 31, 2008. To provide certainty regarding the amount of high-cost support available to competitive ETCs under the cap in each state, after December 31, 2008, USAC will not accept changes from competitive ETCs regarding the data on which their March 2008 high-cost support is based, absent grant of a waiver of this deadline by the Commission.
Public Notice: Word | PDF | text
12/08/08
Virgin Islands Telephone Corporation: The Wireline Competition Bureau seeks comment on a petition filed by the Virgin Islands Telephone Corporation (Vitelco) on November 21, 2008, seeking waiver of sections 32.2000(g)(2)(ii) and 36.621 of the Commission’s rules to address these rules’ effect on Vitelco’s receipt of universal service high-cost loop support. Comments on the petition are due January 7, 2009, and reply comments are due January 22, 2009.
Public Notice: Word | PDF | text
12/05/08
Virgin Mobile Forbearance Extension Order: The Wireline Competition Bureau extends by 90 days the date by which the forbearance petition filed by Virgin Mobile shall be deemed granted in the absence of Commission action. Pursuant to the extension, the statutory deadline by which the Commission must act on Virgin Mobile's petition is March 5, 2009.
Order: Word | PDF | text
12/05/08
Letter to USAC on TracFone Low-Income Support: The Wireline Competition Bureau informs USAC that, pursuant to the Commission's conditional grant of forbearance and limited eligible telecommunications carrier (ETC) designation of TracFone, TracFone is not required to obtain certification from every public safety answering point (PSAP) within a state prior to receiving Lifeline support in any part of that state. Rather, TracFone is required to obtain certification from each PSAP in those areas where it offers Lifeline service prior to receiving Lifeline support in those areas of the state. TracFone should, however, demonstrate that it plans to obtain certifications from PSAPs throughout the rest of its licensed service areas within a state within a reasonable period of time.
Order: Word | PDF | text
12/05/08
As One Together for Health and the University of Mississippi Medical Center: The Wireline Competition Bureau grants a request from two participants in the Rural Health Care Pilot Program, As One Together for Health (ATH) and the University of Mississippi Medical Center (UMC), to merge and designate UMC as ATH’s successor. In doing so, the Bureau finds that ATH has demonstrated that it is unable to continue to participate in the Pilot Program due to extenuating circumstances. The Bureau also finds that UMC has demonstrated that the public interest would be served by designating UMC as the successor to ATH because UMC: (1) has committed to fulfill the goals identified in ATH’s Pilot Program application; (2) will use any funds saved by combining the projects to broaden the goals identified in each application; and (3) has identified an eligible source for the 15 percent of costs not funded by the Pilot Program.
Order: Word | PDF | text
12/05/08
Southern Ohio Health Care Network and Holzer Consolidated Health Systems: The Wireline Competition Bureau grants the merger of two Rural Health Care Pilot Program projects in Ohio: (i) Southern Ohio Health Care Network (SOHCN), and (ii) Holzer Consolidated Health Systems (Holzer). SOHCN will assume responsibility for the project originally applied for by Holzer.
Order: Word | PDF | text
12/04/08
Worldcall Interconnect, Inc.: WCB seeks comment on an ETC designation petition filed by Worldcall Interconnect, Inc. for two counties in New York. Comments are due January 5, 2009, and reply comments are due January 21, 2009.
Public Notice: Word | PDF | text
12/04/08
Open Mobile: WCB seeks comment on a request by PRWireless, Inc. (d/b/a Open Mobile) for waiver of the March 30, 2008 line count filing deadline for ICLS. PRWireless is an ETC in Puerto Rico. Comments are due January 5, 2009, and reply comments are due January 21, 2009.
Public Notice: Word | PDF | text
12/04/08
Filing Deadline Waiver Requests: WCB seeks comment on: (i) a request by FiberNet LLC for waiver of the June 30, 2008 line count filing deadline for IAS; and (ii) a request by CommuniGroup of Jackson, Inc. for waiver of the of the September 30, 2008 line count filing deadline for IAS, HCLS and HCMS. Comments are due January 5, 2009, and reply comments are due January 21, 2009.
Public Notice: Word | PDF | text
12/03/08
Deadline Extension for USAC Board of Directors Nominations: The Wireline Competition Bureau extends the deadline for nominations for six positions on the USAC Board of Directors. Nominations are now due December 19, 2008.
Public Notice: Word | PDF | text
12/03/08
Virgin Mobile USA, L.P. Withdrawal: The Wireline Competition Bureau grants Virgin Mobile's request to withdraw its petition for designation as an ETC in Massachusetts.
Order: Word | PDF | text
12/03/08
Hopi Telecommunications, Inc.: WCB seeks comment on (i) a request by Hopi Telecommunications, Inc. for waiver of the October 1, 2008 annual certification for ICLS; and (ii) a request by Etex Telephone Cooperative for waiver of the October 1, 2008 projected-data filing deadline for LSS.
Public Notice: Word | PDF | text
12/03/08
Ambess Enterprises, Inc.: Wireline Competition Bureau seeks comment on a request filed by Ambess Enterprises, Inc. (Ambess) seeking review and reversal of a decision of the Universal Service Administrative Company (USAC), in which USAC denied Ambess’ request to accept its amended February 2008 FCC Form 499-Q.
Public Notice: Word | PDF | text
11/28/08
U.S. Virgin Islands Telephone Corp. High-Cost Abeyance Request: This letter directs USAC to hold in abeyance until February 28, 2009, any adjustments in universal service fund high-cost loop support for the Virgin Islands Telephone Corporation.
Letter: Word | PDF | Text
11/26/08
Cellular Properties, Inc.: The Wireline Competition Bureau seeks comment on a petition filed by Cellular Properties, Inc., pursuant to section 54.207 of the Commission's rules, requesting the Commission's agreement with the decision of the Illinois Commerce Commission to redefine the service area of certain rural incumbent local exchange carriers.
Public Notice: Word | PDF | text
11/21/08
Funding Year 2009 Eligible Services List for Schools and Libraries Universal Service Mechanism: FCC Releases Funding Year 2009 Eligible Services List For Schools And Libraries Universal Service Support Mechanism .
Public Notice: Word | PDF | text
Eligible Services List: PDF | text
11/12/08
The Wireline Competition Bureau Seeks Nominations for Six Positions on the Universal Service Administrative Company Board of Directors. Nominations due by: December 1, 2008
Public Notice: Word | PDF
11/6/08
Commission Responds to D.C. Circuit Mandamus and Joint Board Recommended Decision and Seeks Further Comment on Comprehensive Reform: The Commission addresses compensation rates for ISP-bound traffic, declines to adopt the Joint Board's recommendations for reforming distribution of high-cost universal service support, and seeks further comment on comprehensive universal service and intercarrier compensation reform. Comments will be due 14 days after publication in the Federal Register, and reply comments will be due 21 days after Federal Register publication.
Order: Word | PDF
Martin Statement: Word | PDF
Copps, Adelstein, Tate and McDowell Joint Statement: Word | PDF
10/30/08
Wireline Competition Bureau Addresses Schools and Libraries Requests for Review or Waiver: The Wireline Competition Bureau grants 262 separate requests in 28 orders.
Acorn Public Library District, et al. Word | PDF
Adams County Public Library, et al. Word | PDF
Addison Northeast Supervisory Union, et al. Word | PDF
Alcona County Library, et al. Word | PDF
Approach Learning and Assessment Centers, et al. Word | PDF
Archer Public Library, et al. Word | PDF
Barberton City School District, et al. Word | PDF
Bay Shore Union Free School District, et al. Word | PDF
Broaddus Independent School District, et al. Word | PDF
Canon-McMillan School District, et al. Word | PDF
Chester Upland School District, et al. Word | PDF
Colegio Nuestra Senora del Carmen, et al. Word | PDF
Consorcio de Escuelas y Bibliotecas de Puerto Rico/HITN Word | PDF
District of Columbia Public Schools Word | PDF
Delano Joint Union High School District and Cityroots, Inc. Word | PDF
Excellence Charter School of Beford-Stuyvesant, et al. Word | PDF
Grand Rapids Public Schools Word | PDF
Harvey Public Library District Word | PDF
Hillsboro Independent School District Word | PDF
Hispanic Information and Telecommunications Network, Inc. Word | PDF
Liberal Unified School District Word | PDF
Midwestern Intermediate Unit IV Word | PDF
New Haven Free Public Library Word | PDF
Radford City Schools Word | PDF
Tekoa Academy of Accelerated Studies Word | PDF
Trenton City Schools Word | PDF
United Talmudical Academy Word | PDF
West Branch-Rose City Area Schools Word | PDF
10/22/08
HTC Services, Inc.: Wireline Competition Bureau denies a petition by HTC for a waiver of the filing deadlines in section 54.802(a) of the Commission rules.
Order: Word | PDF
10/22/08
Wireline Competition Bureau Addresses Universal Service Fund Waiver Requests: Wireline Competition Bureau (WCB) grants six separate requests, filed by Advanced Communications Technology, Inc. (ACT); Allo Communications (Allo); Aventure Communication Technology, LLC (Aventure); CC Cellular; PrairieWave Black Hills, LLC (PrairieWave); and Texas RSA 1 Limited Partnership dba XIT Wireless (XIT), for waivers of various high-cost universal service support filing deadlines set forth in sections 54.307 and 54.802 of the Commission’s rules.
Order: Word | PDF
10/7/08
Curry IP Solutions, et al.: Wireline Competition Bureau (WCB) grants six requests for reversal of late fees associated with the filing of the FCC Form 499-A for 2007. Upon review of these requests, WCB finds that the issue raised here was recently addressed in the 2007 499-A Waiver Order. Thefefore, WCB directs Universal Service Administrative Company and the other plan administrators to reverse any late payment fees that have been assessed on the applicants..
Order: Word | PDF
9/30/08
Progress International, LLC: Wireline Competition Bureau seeks comment on a request by Progress International seeking waiver of the 45-day revision deadline for its November 2007 FCC Form 499-Q. Progress International asserts that 100 percent of its revenues are international, and that it is de minimis, making it exempt from USF contribution. Comments are due October 30, 2008, and reply comments are due November 14, 2008.
Public Notice: Word | PDF
9/30/08
Larsen Communications: Wireline Competition Bureau seeks comment on a request by Larsen Communications that the FCC waive fees assessed by USAC for late filing of Form 499-A (Telecommunications Reporting Worksheet). Larsen asserts that it timely filed an electronic version of its Form 499-A, but the Form was not certified. USAC assessed late-filing fees of $400. Larsen requests a waiver of the late-filing fees. Comments are due October 30, 2008, and reply comments are due November 14, 2008.
Public Notice: Word | PDF
9/30/08
Centennial Communications Corp.: Wireline Competition Bureau seeks comment on a request by Centennial Communications that it be allowed to file annual certifications for IAS funding in 2008 and receive funding retroactively to the first quarter of 2005. Centennial was designated as an ETC by Louisiana in 2004, but did not file annual IAS certifications until February 2008. Comments are due October 30, 2008, and reply comments are due November 14, 2008.
Public Notice: Word | PDF
9/23/08
Centennial Communications Corp.: The Wireline Competition Bureau seeks comment on Centennial's request for review of a high-cost support decision of the Universal Service Administrative Company. Comments are due October 23, 2008, and reply comments are due November 7, 2008.
Public Notice: Word | PDF
9/19/08
Comment Sought On Request To Merge Mississippi Rural Health Care Pilot Program Projects.
9/17/08
AT&T (Kansas, Indiana, and Oklahoma) Petition for Review: The Wireline Competition Bureau seeks comment on a petition for review filed on August 18, 2008 by AT&T (Kansas, Indiana and Oklahoma) of USAC's audit findings of AT&T's participation in the Lifeline program. Specifically, AT&T seeks review of USAC's findings that AT&T: (1) was required to maintain copies of Lifeline subscriber self-certifications prior to the effective date of the Commission’s applicable rule; (2) failed to comply with the Commission’s rule requiring eligible telecommunications carriers (ETCs) to secure Lifeline-compliance certifications from their resellers; (3) was required to advertise toll blocking and all other services supported by federal universal service support mechanisms; and (4) was required to populate Line 9 of FCC Form 497 (the Lifeline and Link-Up Worksheet) with pro-rata dollars attributable to Lifeline subscribers that entered or exited the Lifeline program mid-month. Comments are due October 17, 2008, and reply comments are due November 3, 2008.
9/17/08
State of Iowa: The Wireline Competition Bureau seeks comment on a petition by the State of Iowa. Iowa seeks a waiver of the E-rate rules similar to the relief that was granted for Hurricane Katrina victims on behalf of victims of storms and floods in Iowa this past spring and early summer. Comments are due October 1, 2008, and reply comments are due October 8, 2008.
9/17/08
Hayneville Fiber Transport, Inc. d/b/a Camellia Communications: The Wireline Competition Bureau seeks comment on a request by Hayneville Fiber Transport, Inc. d/b/a Camellia Communications that it be allowed to revise its Form 525 line count reports filed with USAC. USAC adopted a policy that competitive ETCs may not make line count revisions to a Form 525 filing more than 24 months after the date of the original filing. Comments are due October 17, 2008, and reply comments are due November 3, 2008.
9/17/08
CTE Telecom, LLC: The Wireline Competition Bureau seeks comment on a request for review by CTE Telecom, LLC of a USAC decision, in which, as a result of an audit, USAC determined that CTE inaccurately designated certain USF contribution revenues as enhanced services, instead of DSL services. Comments are due October 17, 2008, and reply comments are due November 3, 2008.
9/17/08
NextGen Telephone: The Wireline Competition Bureau seeks comment on a request for review by NextGen Telephone of a USAC decision, in which, as a result of an audit, USAC determined that NextGen should report subscriber line charges as interstate revenue subject to USF contribution. Comments are due October 17, 2008, and reply comments are due November 3, 2008.
9/17/08
Ballard Rural Telephone Cooperative Corporation, Inc. and HTC Communications, LLC: The Wireline Competition Bureau seeks comment on two petitions for waiver of universal service high-cost filing deadlines submitted by Ballard Rural Telephone Cooperative Corporation, Inc. and HTC Communications, LLC of the Commission's rules. Comments are due October 17, 2008, and reply comments are due November 3, 2008.
8/27/08
Sacred Wind Communications, Inc. And Qwest Corporation: In this order, WCB grants Sacred Wind's request to extend the timing of our previously granted waiver of sections 36.611 and 36.612, permitting Sacred Wind to receive immediate high-cost loop support based on projected costs, subject to true-up, to the end of 2008. Sacred Wind requests this extension because approval of the transaction by the New Mexico Public Regulatory Commission was delayed until December 15, 2006, which resulted in only 15 days of network costs during calendar year 2006 (actual costs for 2006 are the basis for 2008 high-cost support payments).
8/26/08
Waterway Communication System, LLC and Mobex Network Services, LLC: In this order, WCB denies a request for review filed by Maritime Communications/Land Mobile, LLC (Maritime) on behalf of Waterway Communication System, LLC (Waterway) and Mobex Network Services, LLC (Mobex). Maritime seeks review of USAC’s decision denying Watercom’s and Mobex’s request for refund of $1.3 million in USF contributions. Maritime asserts that the Commission’s rules do not require maritime radio service providers to contribute to USF, and that USAC should, therefore, refund the monies Watercom and Mobex previously paid into the USF.
Order: Word | PDF
8/26/08
Level 3 Form 499A: The Wireline Competition Bureau seeks comment on a request filed by Level 3 seeking review of a decision by USAC, or, in the alternative, a petition for waiver to expedite processing of Level 3’s revised 2007 FCC Form 499-A filing. Level 3 also filed a petition seeking a stay of USAC’s decision to calculate Level 3’s annual true-up amount based on its original FCC Form 499-A filing. Level 3 also filed a motion for waiver of public notice. Comments are due September 10, 2008, and reply comments are due September 17, 2008.
Public Notice: Word | PDF
8/25/08
WCB Grants WeavTel Petition for Waiver of USF Filing Deadline: In this order, the Wireline Competition Bureau grants Westgate Communications LLC d/b/a WeavTel waiver of a filing deadline required by section 54.903(a) of the Commission's rules to allow WeavTel to receive universal service high-cost support.
Order: Word | PDF
8/20/08
Compass Global, Inc.: The Wireline Competition Bureau seeks comment on a request filed by Compass Global, Inc. seeking review and reversal of a decision by USAC, in which USAC found that Compass Global had failed to timely file revisions to its 2005 and 2006 FCC Forms 499-A. Comments are due September 19, 2008, and reply comments are due October 6, 2008.
Public Notice: Word | PDF
8/20/08
High-Cost Support Filing Waiver Petitions: The Wireline Competition Bureau seeks comment on petitions for waiver of filing deadlines submitted by H&B Cable Service, Inc.; Flat Rock Telephone Co-op, Inc.; Western New Mexico Telephone Company, Inc.; Yukon Telephone Company, Inc.; Windstream Communications, Inc.; and Northern New England Telephone Operation LLC and Telephone Operating Company of Vermont LLC (FairPoint Communications). Comments on the petitions are due September 19, 2008, and reply comments are due October 6, 2008.
Public Notice: Word | PDF
8/20/08
Comment Cycle for Eligible Service List: The Wireline Competition Bureau announces that the summary for the Eligible Services List NPRM has been published in the Federal Register. Comments are due September 18, 2008, and reply comments are due October 3, 2008.
Public Notice: Word | PDF
8/14/08
Inter-Tel, Inc. Reconsideration Order: The Wireline Competition Bureau grants a petition for reconsideration filed by Inter-Tel, Inc. (Inter-Tel), seeking partial reconsideration of the Approach Learning Order. In that order, the Bureau addressed several appeals of USAC decisions relating to alleged violations of the Commission's competitive bidding requirements under the E-rate program. On reconsideration, the Bureau finds that the relief extended in the Approach Learning Order applies to any work that Inter-Tel had not yet performed for funding request numbers 764333, 764346, 764341, 764340.
Order on Reconsideration: Word | PDF
8/12/08
United States Cellular Corporation: The Wireline Competition Bureau seeks comment on a petition filed by United States Cellular Corporation to amend its eligible telecommunications carrier (ETC) designation in Tennessee. Comments are due September 11, 2008 and reply comments are due September 26, 2008.
Public Notice: Word | PDF
8/12/08
Savannah R-III School District: In this order, the Telecommunications Access Policy Division grants a request for review filed by Savannah R-III School District (Savannah) for E-rate Funding Years 2003, 2004 and 2005, finding that Savannah demonstrated that on-premise satellite equipment was properly classified as Internet access for purposes of E-rate funding.
Order: Word | PDF
8/8/08
Airband Communications, Inc.: The Wireline Competition Bureau seeks comment on Airband Communications, Inc.'s request for review of a universal service fund contribution decision by the Universal Service Administrative Company. Comments are due September 8, 2008, and reply comments are due September 23, 2008.
Public Notice: Word | PDF
8/8/08
InterCall, Inc.: The Wireline Competition Bureau seeks comment on Global Conference Partners, A+ Conferencing Ltd., Free Conferencing Corporation, and The Conference Group's petitions for reconsideration and clarification of the Commission's InterCall Order. Comments are due September 8, 2008, and reply comments are due September 22, 2008.
Public Notice: Word | PDF
8/7/08
Virgin Mobile USA, L.P.: The Wireline Competition Bureau grants the Massachusetts Department of Telecommunications and Cable's motion for a 21-day extension of the deadlines for filing comments and reply comments in response to Virgin Mobile's petition seeking limited eligible telecommunications carrier (ETC) designation in Massachusetts. Comments are due August 21, 2008, and reply comments are due September 5, 2008.
Order: Word | PDF
8/6/08
IDT Request for Review Public Notice: The Wireline Competition Bureau seeks comment on IDT Corporation and IDT Telecom’s request for review of a universal service fund contribution decision by the Universal Service Administrative Company. Comments are due September 5, 2008, and reply comments are due September 22, 2008.
Public Notice: Word | PDF
8/5/08
Low-Income USF Support Certification Public Notice: The Wireline Competition Bureau reminds eligible telecommunications carriers (ETCs) that, by September 2, 2008, an ETC in a state with its own state-based low-income universal service program must submit a certification, signed by an officer of the company, to USAC attesting that the ETC has complied with the state verification procedures. All ETCs in federal default states must also submit their annual Lifeline verification survey results to USAC by September 2, 2008.
Public Notice: Word | PDF | Text
8/1/08
Mid-Com Request for Review Public Notice: Mid-Communications, Inc. (Mid-Com) requests review of a decision by USAC to adjust Mid-Com's local switching support retroactively for calendar year 2006. Comments on the request are due September 2, 2008, and reply comments are due September 17, 2008.
Public Notice: Word | PDF | Text
7/31/08
Funding Year 2009 Eligible Services List Public Notice: The Commission seeks comment on USAC's proposed E-rate eligible services list for funding year 2009. Comments are due August 14, 2008, and reply comments are due August 21, 2008.
Public Notice: Word | PDF
7/31/08
E-Rate Eligible Services Notice of Proposed Rulemaking: The Commission seeks comment on changes to the eligible services list for E-rate universal service support. Comments on the notice of proposed rulemaking will be due 30 days after its publication in the Federal Register, and reply comments will be due 45 days after publication in the Federal Register.
NPRM: Word | PDF
7/31/08
SADDLEBACK et al. ANNUAL ETC REPORT FILING WAIVER ORDER
In this order, the Wireline Competition Bureau (Bureau) grants petitions for waiver filed by Saddleback Communications (Saddleback), Pine Belt Cellular, Inc. (Pine Belt), and IT&E Overseas, Inc, (IT&E) seeking waiver of the annual eligible telecommunications carrier (ETC) filing deadlines set forth in section 54.209(b) of the Commission’s rules for 2006 and 2007. The Bureau also grants a petition for waiver filed by Gila River Telecommunications, Inc. (Gila River) seeking waiver of the annual ETC filing deadline for 2006. Finally, the Bureau grants Gila River’s petition for waiver of the 2007 annual ETC filing deadline, but denies Gila River's request for a prospective waiver of section 54.209 for all future annual ETC filings.
Order: Word | PDF
7/28/08
Notice of Rural Health Care Pilot Program Quarterly Report Filing Deadline: The Wireline Competition Bureau announces the July 30, 2008 filing deadline for Rural Health Care Pilot Program quarterly reports.
Public Notice: Word | PDF | Text
7/28/08
NEP Cellcorp ETC Public Notice: NEP Cellcorp, Inc. (NEP) asks the Commission to amend its decision to deny NEP’s request for eligible telecommunications carrier (ETC) designation in the rural study area of North-Eastern Pennsylvania Telephone Company. Comments are due August 27, 2008 and reply comments are due September 11, 2008.
Public Notice: Word | PDF | Text
7/17/08
Audio Bridging FCC Form 499-Q Filing Date Public Notice: The Wireline Competition Bureau provides notice of the August 1st FCC Form 499-Q filing date for audio bridging service providers, pursuant to the InterCall Order.
Public Notice: Word | PDF | Text
7/17/08
Public Notice: The Wireline Competition Bureau seeks comment on a petition filed by Achieve Telecom Networks seeking review and reversal of a decision by USAC in which USAC denied Achieve's request to accept its amended FCC Form 499-Q. Comments on the petition are due August 11, 2008 and reply comments are due August 25, 2008.
Public Notice: Word | PDF | Text
7/8/08
Public Notice: The Wireline Competition Bureau seeks comment on a petition filed by Sage Telecom, Inc. and Sage Telecom of Texas, L.P., seeking waiver of the requirement that USAC calculate the universal service annual contribution true-up for under-projections based on the average of the two highest contribution factors, and that USAC calculate the true-up for over-projections based on the average of the two lowest contribution factors. Comments on the petition are due August 7, 2008 and reply comments are due August 21, 2008.
Public Notice: Word | PDF | Text
7/1/08
Virgin Mobile Massachusetts ETC Petition Public Notice: The Wireline Competition Bureau seeks comment on a petition filed by Virgin Mobile USA, L.P. (Virgin Mobile) for a limited designation as an eligible telecommunications carrier in Massachusetts. Virgin Mobile is seeking eligibility for Lifeline universal service support only. Comments on the petition are due July 31, 2008 and reply comments are due August 15, 2008.
Virgin Mobile Massachusetts ETC Petition Public Notice: Word | PDF | Text
6/30/08
InterCall, Inc.: In this order, the FCC denies in part and grants in part a request for review filed by InterCall, Inc. of a Universal Service Administrative Company decision finding that the audio bridging services offered by InterCall are “toll teleconferencing” services and that InterCall must contribute directly to the universal service fund based on revenues from these services.
Intercall, Inc.: Word | PDF
6/26/08
Aventure Communication Technology, LLC: The Wireline Competition Bureau, based on the unique circumstances presented, grants an appeal filed by Aventure Communication Technology, LLC requesting reversal of a decision by USAC to reject a late-filed revision to its FCC Form 499-Q.
Aventure Communication Technology, LLC: Word | PDF
6/23/08
E-rate Rollover Public Notice: The Wireline Competition Bureau announces that $600 million in unused funds will be carried forward from Funding Years 2002, 2003, and 2004 to increase the disbursements to schools and libraries in Funding Year 2008 in excess of the annual cap.
E-rate Rollover Public Notice: Word | PDF
6/19/08
InterCall USAC Abeyance Letter: The Wireline Competition Bureau directed USAC to hold in abeyance until July 1, 2008 its universal service contribution decision regarding InterCall, Inc.
Intercall USAC Abeyance Letter: Word | PDF
6/17/08
Public Notice: Northwest Iowa Telephone Company: The Wireline Competition Bureau seeks comment on a petition filed by Northwest Iowa Telephone Company for waiver of a filing deadline required by section 54.301(e)(1) of the Commission's rules for receipt of universal service support. Comments on the petition are due July 17, 2008 and reply comments are due August 1, 2008.
Public Notice: Word | PDF
6/13/08
Order: Arkansas Department of Information Systems E-Rate Order (Arkansas DIS): The Telecommunications Access Policy Division grants two requests for review filed by the Arkansas DIS, seeking review of decisions by USAC denying E-rate funding for Funding Years 2004 and 2005 for failure to timely submit FCC Forms 471, 486 or 472.
Order: Word | PDF
6/10/08
Order: Competitive ETC Interim Cap Erratum: The Telecommunications Access Policy Division released an erratum correcting a May 1, 2008 order, which capped high-cost universal service support to competitive eligible telecommunications carriers.
Order: Word | PDF
6/10/08
Public Notice: The Wireline Competition Bureau seeks comment on two Requests for Review filed by Lake Delton Urgent Care and Franciscan Skemp Prairie du Chien Clinic that seek review of decisions of USAC. USAC’s decisions reduced the applicants' Rural Health Care funding requests for Funding Year 2006. Comments on the requests are due July 10, 2008, and reply comments are due July 25, 2008.
Public Notice: Word | PDF
6/6/08
Public Notice: Palmerton/Northeastern Pennsylvania Telephone Company Waiver: The Wireline Competition Bureau seeks comment on a petition filed by Palmerton Telephone Company and Northeastern Pennsylvania Telephone Company for waiver of a filing deadline required by section 54.301(e)(1) of the Commission’s rules for receipt of universal service funds. Comments on the requests are due July 7, 2008, and reply comments are due July 22, 2008.
Public Notice: Word | PDF
6/4/08
Order: Cox Communications, Inc.: The Wireline Competition Bureau grants an appeal filed by Cox Communications, Inc., requesting reversal of a decision by USAC to disallow Cox’s use of VoIP revenue allocation methodology to determine interstate revenues for universal service contribution purposes.
Public Notice: Word | PDF
5/30/08
Public Notice: In this Public Notice, the Wireline Competition Bureau seeks comment on Fort HealthCare—Fort Memorial Hospital, Fort HealthCare—Lake Mills Clinic, and Fort HealthCare—Whitewater Clinic, and Franciscan Skemp Waukon Clinic’s requests for review of decisions by the Universal Service Administrative Company. Comments on the requests are due June 30, 2008, and reply comments are due July 14, 2008.
Public Notice: Word | Acrobat
5/22/08
Public Notice: The Bureau seeks comment on two petitions filed by Virgin Mobile USA, L.P., seeking eligible telecommunications carrier (ETC) designation in North Carolina and Tennessee. Virgin Mobile is seeking limited eligibility for Lifeline universal service support only. Comments are due on June 23, 2008 and reply comments are due on July 8, 2008.
Public Notice: Word | Acrobat
5/20/08
Order: In this order, the Wireline Competition Bureau (WCB) waives on its own motion sections 54.702(b)(1) and 54.703(c) of the Commission’s rules that specify that one member of the Universal Service Administrative Company(USAC) Board of Director’s shall be nominated by and shall represent “interexchange carriers with more than $3 billion in annual operating revenues.” WCB finds good cause exists to waive these rules to enable the Commission to designate a member USAC Board of Directors for the seat from an interexchange carrier, regardless of its annual operating revenues.
Order: Word | Acrobat
5/16/08
Public Notice: The Wireline Competition Bureau seeks comment on a petition filed by Sacred Wind Communications, Inc. to extend its previously received waiver of sections 36.611 and 36.612 of the Commission's rules. The Commission previously granted Sacred Wind, a new incumbent local exchange carrier, a waiver of sections 36.611 and 36.612 in order that it may immediately receive high-cost loop universal service support. Comments are due on June 16, 2008 and reply comments are due on July 1, 2008.
Public Notice: Word | Acrobat
5/16/08
Public Notice: The Wireline Competition Bureau seeks comment on a joint petition for waiver filed by Dubois Telephone Exchange, Inc. (Dubois) and Qwest Corporation (Qwest). Dubois and Qwest seek a waiver of the study area boundary freeze to transfer an unserved portion of Qwest's Wyoming study area to Dubois' Wyoming study area. Comments are due on June 16, 2008 and reply comments are due on July 1, 2008.
Public Notice: Word | Acrobat
5/16/08
Public Notice: The Wireline Competition Bureau seeks comment on a request filed by ETS Telephone Company, Inc. (ETS), f/k/a> Kingsgate Telephone, Inc., regarding potential retroactive application of the Commission's 2004 Skyline Order to ETS' Texas study area. ETS requests confirmation that the Commission's 2004 Skyline Order cannot have retroactive effect on its study area. ETS' Texas study area was created in 1996 when Kingsgate began serving a previously unserved area. Comments are due on June 16, 2008 and reply comments are due on July 1, 2008.
Public Notice: Word | Acrobat
5/16/08
Public Notice: The Wireline Competition Bureau seeks comment on two petitions for waiver of filing deadlines associated with receipt of universal service high-cost support filed by iBroadband Networks, Inc. d/b/a Cedar Valley Communications and HTC Services Inc. Comments are due June 16, 2008, and reply comments are due July 1, 2008.
Public Notice: Word | Acrobat
5/16/08
Public Notice: The Wireline Competition Bureau seeks comment on a Qwest request for review of three USAC low-income audit findings. Comments are due on June 16, 2008 and reply comments are due on July 1, 2008.
Public Notice: Word | Acrobat
5/16/08
Order: In this Order, WCB extends the deadline for filing reply comments in response to the three High-Cost NPRMs from May 19, 2008, to June 2, 2008.
Order: Word | Acrobat
5/2/08
Public Notice: The Wireline Competition Bureau seeks comment on a petition filed by the Kansas Corporation Commission for a declaratory ruling affirming the lawfulness of its procedure for certifying carriers’ receipt of federal universal service support. The Kansas Corporation Commission filed its petition in response to a primary jurisdiction referral by the U.S. District Court for the District of Kansas. Comments on the petition are due by June 2, 2008 and reply comments are due by June 17, 2008.
Public Notice: Word | Acrobat
5/1/08
Order: FCC Takes Action to Cap High Cost Support Under the Universal Service Fund.
News Release: Word | Acrobat
Order: Word | Acrobat
Martin Statement: Word | Acrobat
Copps Statement: Word | Acrobat
Adelstein Statement: Word | Acrobat
Tate Statement: Word | Acrobat
McDowell Statement: Word | Acrobat
4/30/08
Order: The Wireline Competition Bureau grants a petition filed by Micronesian Telecommunications Corporation and PTI Pacifica, Inc. to waive the DTV notification requirements in section 54.418 of the Commission's rules.
Order: Word | Acrobat
4/29/08
Public Notice: This Public Notice seeks comment on Ascent Media Group's (Ascent) request for review and reversal of a decision by USAC, in which USAC denied Ascent’s request to accept its amended August 2007 FCC Form 499-Q after the 45-day FCC Form 499-Q revision window. Ascent asserts that it inadvertently included its total projected revenue in place of its projected billed universal service fund revenues on the FCC Form 499-Q. Comments on the petition are due by May 13, 2008, and reply comments are due by May 20, 2008.
Public Notice: Word | Acrobat
4/28/08
Order on Reconsideration: In this Order, the Commission denies the Petition filed by the CTIA – The Wireless Association seeking extension to all similarly-situated Universal Service Fund (USF) contributors of the relief granted to three USF contributors in the Commission’s 2004 True-Up Waiver Order, which addressed the true-up process for 2003 USF contributions.
Order on Reconsideration: Word | Acrobat
4/23/08
Order: Wireline Competition Bureau dismisses appeal of 360networks (USA), Inc. seeking refund of late payment fees related to universal service fund contributions.
Order: Word | Acrobat
4/21/08
Order: The Wireline Competition Bureau granted three separate requests for waiver filed by the Illinois Commerce Commission, Farmers Mutual Telephone Company, and the Wyoming Public Service Commission, of the high-cost universal service support filing deadlines set forth in sections 54.313(d) and 54.314(d) of the Commission's rules.
Order: Word | Acrobat
4/18/08
Public Notice: The Wireline Competition Bureau provides notice, pursuant to section 54.207 of the Commission’s rules, that it is initiating a proceeding to consider a petition filed by Sagebrush Cellular, Inc for agreement with a decision by the North Dakota Public Service Commission to redefine the service area of Northwest Communications Cooperative Comments on the petition are due by May 19, 2008, and reply comments are due by June 3, 2008.
Public Notice: Word | Acrobat
4/17/08
Public Notice: The Wireline Competition Bureau seeks comment on three separate petitions filed by IT&E Overseas, Inc. for waiver of various filing deadlines required by sections 54.209, 54.314, 54.809, and 54.904 of the Commission’s rules for receipt of universal service funds. Comments on the petition are due by May 19, 2008, and reply comments are due by June 3, 2008.
Public Notice: Word | Acrobat
4/14/08
Public Notice: The Wireline Competition Bureau seeks comment on the Central Atlantic Pennsylvania Payphone Association's (CAPA) petition for clarification, or, in the alternative, reconsideration of the Commission's APCC Reconsideration Order. CAPA is seeking refunds from local exchange carriers for universal service fees paid by independent payphone providers. Comments on the petition are due by May 14, 2008, and reply comments are due by May 29, 2008.
Public Notice: Word | Acrobat
4/14/08
Mineola Union Free School District, Mineola, New York: In the letter, Wireline Competition Bureau directs USAC to allow Mineola to submit two funding requests and consider them with its FY 2008 application. In FY 2008, Mineola timely submitted a paper copy of its FCC Form 471 to USAC. Upon realizing that it had inadvertently failed to include two of its three funding requests as part of its FY 2008 application, Mineola asked USAC if it could submit the missing two pages, including the two funding requests, to be included with its application as submitted to USAC. Based on the information provided to us by USAC staff, we find that this was a clerical error that can be corrected, pursuant to Commission precedent.
Mineola Union Free School District: Word | Acrobat
4/14/08
Public Notice: Bureau seeks comment on SEND’s petition for partial reconsideration of the Bureau’s Caldwell Parish Order, which, among other things, denied SEND’s Request for Review of a decision by USAC related to one applicant, Jackson Parish School District, denying it discounted services for Funding Years 2003 and 2004 under the E-rate program.
Public Notice: Word | Acrobat
4/14/08
Public Notice: Wireline Competition Bureau seeks comment on an AT&T petition, filed Jan. 7, 2008, seeking review of a USAC audit decision. ATT seeks review of USAC’s finding that an ETC must use Line 9 of FCC Form 497 if the ETC gains or loses Lifeline customers mid-month. In its petition, AT&T asks the Commission to find that USAC erred when it concluded that AT&T is required to populate Line 9 of the FCC Form 497 with partial or pro-rata dollars attributable to Lifeline subscribers who entered or left the Lifeline program during any given month, regardless of whether the company sought partial or pro-rata dollars from USAC.
Public Notice: Word | Acrobat
4/11/08
Order on Reconsideration: The Commission denies petitions for reconsideration of universal service fund (USF) contribution obligations adopted in the Fifth Circuit Remand Order. Reconfirms Commercial Mobile Radio Services providers may recover USF contributions through rates charged for all services; declines to reconsider the Limited International Revenues Exception; and denies requests for refunds of universal service contributions.
Order on Reconsideration: Word | Acrobat
4/11/08
Order: The Commission conditionally designates Tracfone as an eligible telecommunications carrier for Lifeline service in several states.
Order: Word | Acrobat
Copps Statement: Word | Acrobat
Adelstein Statement: Word | Acrobat
Tate Statement: Word | Acrobat
4/3/08
Public Notice: In this Public Notice, the Wireline Competition Bureau seeks comment on a joint petition filed by Qwest Corporation and Pine Telephone System, Inc. and a petition filed by Mid-Rivers Telephone Cooperative, Inc. (Mid-Rivers) seeking a waiver of the study area boundary freeze. Mid-Rivers also requests, if necessary, waiver of section 69.3(e)(11) of the Commission’s rules. Comment Date: May 5, 2008; Reply Comment: May 20, 2008.
Public Notice: Word | Acrobat
4/3/08
Public Notice: The Wireline Competition Bureau seeks comment on a petition filed LBH, LLC seeking waiver of the December 31, 2007, filing deadline required by section 54.802(a) of the Commission’s rules for receipt of universal service funds. Comment Date: May 5, 2008; Reply Comment: May 20, 2008.
Public Notice: Word | Acrobat
3/31/08
Public Notice: The Wireline Competition Bureau seeks comment on a petition filed by USCOC of Illinois RSA #1, LLC, USCOC of Illinois RSA #4, LLC, USCOC of Rockford, LLC and USCOC of Central Illinois, LLC, pursuant to section 54.207 of the Commission’s rules, requesting the Commission’s agreement with the decision of the Illinois Commerce Commission to redefine the service area of certain rural telephone carriers at the wire center level. Comment Date: April 30, 2008; Reply Comment: May 15, 2008.
Public Notice: Word | Acrobat
3/27/08
Public Notice: The Wireline Competition Bureau seeks comment on a petition filed by Centennial U.S.V.I. Operations Corp. (Centennial) seeking waiver of section 54.314(d)(1) of the Commission’s rules. Centennial seeks a waiver to enable it to receive universal service support starting on December 2, 2006. Comment Date: April 28, 2008; Reply Comment: May 13, 2008
Public Notice: Word | Acrobat
3/24/08
Order: Comment Deadlines for Three Universal Service High-Cost Support Notices of Proposed Rulemaking Extended by Two Weeks. Revised Filing Dates: Comments Due: April 17, 2008; Reply Comments Due: May 19, 2008
Order: Word | Acrobat
3/19/08
InterCall, Inc. Letter: On February 1, 2008, InterCall filed a Request for Review of USAC’s decision, and on February 5, 2008, InterCall requested that the Commission stay the same decision. InterCall’s Request for Review raises questions regarding USF contribution obligation policies for stand-alone audio bridging service providers, as well as unique questions concerning the scope of USAC’s authority in making its decision. In light of the questions raised in this proceeding, the Wireline Competition Bureau instructs USAC to hold in abeyance for 90 days its decision against InterCall, pending further Commission action.
InterCall, Inc. Letter: Word | Acrobat
3/19/08
Public Notice: The Wireline Competition Bureau seeks comment on a petition filed by Pine Belt Cellular, Inc. seeking waiver of the October 1, 2006, filing deadline required by section 54.209 of the Commission’s rules for receipt of universal service funds. Comments due April 18, 2008. Reply Comments due May 5, 2008.
Public Notice: Word | Acrobat
3/11/08
Berrien County Intermediate School District, Berrien Springs, Michigan: Berrien County Independent School District Request for Review: In this letter, the Bureau directs USAC to review Berrien’s appeal in light of information provided to the Commission on appeal indicating that there was an inadvertent miscommunication regarding the amount of funding requested by Berrien.
Letter: Word | Acrobat
3/4/08
Public Notice: Comment cycles were established for the Identical Support Rule NPRM, the Reverse Auctions NPRM, and the Joint Board Comprehensive Reform NPRM. Comments are due April 3, 2008, and reply comments are due May 5, 2008. Parties may consolidate their comments and reply comments for the three NPRMs.
Public Notice: Word | Acrobat
2/28/08
Public Notice: The Wireline Competition Bureau seeks comment on five petitions for waiver of various filing deadlines associated with the receipt of universal service funds. Comments due March 31, 2008; Reply Comments Due April 15, 2008.
Public Notice: Word | Acrobat
2/22/08
Order: SEND Technologies, L.L.C./Nexus Systems, Inc. Request for Review of a Decision of USAC: The Bureau grants in part and denies in part two Requests for Review filed by SEND seeking review of decisions by USAC denying E-rate funding for Funding Years 2002-2004 for improper service provider involvement in the applicants’ competitive bidding processes.
Order: Word | Acrobat
2/21/08
Public Notice: In this Public Notice, the Wireline Competition Bureau seeks comment on a petition filed by ASTAC Wireless LLC (ASTAC) seeking waiver of the requirement in section 54.307(b) of the Commission’s rules that subscriber line count data submitted for purposes of obtaining high-cost universal service support be based on subscribers’ billing addresses. Comments are due March 24, 2008 and reply comments are due April 8, 2008.
Public Notice: Word | Acrobat
2/14/08
Order on Reconsideration: In this Order, the Commission grants the petition for reconsideration filed by APCC, finding that application of the Centrex-adjusted portion of the universal service line item to payphone service providers would be inconsistent with Congress’ direction in section 276(b) of the Act.
Order on Reconsideration: Word | Acrobat
2/14/08
Order on Reconsideration: In this Order on Reconsideration, the Commission grants in part a Petition for Reconsideration by the American Telemedicine Association (ATA), seeking limited reconsideration of the Commissions’ Rural Health Care Support Mechanism Second Report and Order. Specifically, the Commission grants ATA’s Petition for Reconsideration in part and extends for three years the Commission’s prior determination to grandfather those health care providers who were eligible under the Commission’s definition of “rural” prior to the Second Report and Order.
Order on Reconsideration: Word | Acrobat
2/14/08
Public Notice: The Wireline Competition Bureau seeks comment on petitions filed by Saddleback Communications and Gila River Telecommunications, Inc., seeking waivers of the October 1, 2006, filing deadline associated with the receipt of universal service funds pursuant to section 54.209 of the Commission’s rules. Comments on the petitions are due February 25, 2008, and reply comments are due March 3, 2008.
Public Notice: Word | Acrobat
2/14/08
Public Notice: The Wireline Competition Bureau seeks comment on Intercall, Inc.’s (Intercall's) request for review of a decision by the Universal Service Administrative Company (USAC) and petition for stay. On February 1, 2008, Intercall filed a request seeking review and reversal of a USAC decision, in which USAC ruled that Intercall’s audio bridging services are toll teleconferencing services, requiring Intercall to submit FCC Form 499 filings to USAC. On February 5, 2008, Intercall filed a petition requesting that the Commission stay USAC’s decision pending the Commission’s review. Comments are due February 25, 2008 and reply comments are due March 3, 2008.
Public Notice: Word | Acrobat
2/8/08
Public Notice: The Wireline Competition Bureau seeks comment on a petition filed by Thumb Cellular, LLC (Thumb Cellular) seeking review and reversal of a decision of the Universal Service Administrative Company (USAC) regarding the results of a 2007 Improper Payment Improvement Act (IPIA) audit of the high-cost support received by Thumb Cellular during the period October 1, 2004 through September 30, 2005. Comments are due March 10, 2008 and reply comments on or before March 24, 2008.
Public Notice: Word | Acrobat
2/8/08
Order: In this Order, the Wireline Competition Bureau grants an appeal filed by Franklin-McKinley School District (Franklin-McKinley) for review of a decision by USAC that rescinded funding already committed for Funding Year 2005. The Bureau grants Franklin-McKinley a limited waiver of section 54.504(c) of our rules, which requires that the FCC Form 471 requesting support for the services ordered by the applicant shall be submitted "upon signing a contract for eligible services." Consistent with the Adams County Order, the Bureau finds that Franklin-McKinley had a legally binding agreement with its service provider and, although it missed the deadline, it eventually had a signed contract. The Bureau remands the appeal to USAC, and directs USAC to reinstate the funding commitment no later than 60 days from release of the Order.
Order: Word | Acrobat
01/29/08
Commission issues NPRM seeking comment on rules governing the amount of high-cost universal service support provided to competitive eligible telecommunications carriers.
NPRM (Identical Support): Word | Acrobat
Martin Statement: Word | Acrobat
Copps Statement: Word | Acrobat
Adelstein Statement: Word | Acrobat
Tate Statement: Word | Acrobat
McDowell Statement: Word | Acrobat
01/29/08
Commission issues NPRM seeking comment on the merits of using reverse auctions to determine the amount of high-cost universal service support provided to eligible telecommunications carriers serving rural, insular, and high-cost areas.
NPRM (Reverse Auctions): Word | Acrobat
Martin Statement: Word | Acrobat
Copps Statement: Word | Acrobat
Adelstein Statement: Word | Acrobat
Tate Statement: Word | Acrobat
McDowell Statement: Word | Acrobat
01/29/08
Commission issues NPRM seeking comment on the recommendation of the Federal-State Joint Board on Universal Service regarding comprehensive reform of high-cost universal service support.
NPRM (Joint Board): Word | Acrobat
Martin Statement: Word | Acrobat
Copps Statement: Word | Acrobat
Adelstein Statement: Word | Acrobat
Tate Statement: Word | Acrobat
McDowell Statement: Word | Acrobat
1/29/08
Public Notice: The Wireline Competition Bureau seeks comment on a petition filed by USCOC of Greater Missouri, LLC d/b/a U.S. Cellular, pursuant to section 54.207 of the Commission’s rules, requesting the Commission’s agreement with the decision of the Missouri Public Service Commission to redefine the service areas of certain rural telephone companies.
Public Notice: Word | Acrobat
1/28/08
Public Notice: The Wireline Competition Bureau seeks comment on a petition filed by TracFone Wireless, Inc. seeking designation as an eligible telecommunications carrier (ETC), only for purposes of participating in the Lifeline program, in the District of Columbia. Comments are due February 27, 2008 and reply comments on or before March 13, 2008.
Public Notice: Word | Acrobat
1/24/08
Declaratory Order: In this Order, the Commission addresses petitions filed by CTIA-The Wireless Association (CTIA) and Cingular Wireless, LLC, seeking clarification of the definition of “toll services” for purposes of determining contribution obligations to the federal universal service fund (USF or Fund). The Commission grants both petitions to the extent that they ask the Commission to declare that the definition of “toll services” discussed in the 2006 Contribution Methodology Order is the definition to be used on the FCC Form 499 for reporting the revenues derived from toll service charges. The Commission also addresses CTIA’s request to clarify how wireless carriers should allocate toll service revenues to the interstate and international jurisdiction. In particular, the Commission clarifies that, to the extent a Fund contributor (including wireless and interconnected Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) providers) uses a traffic study or studies to determine its contribution obligations, such traffic study or studies must specifically account for the interstate or international nature of toll service revenues.
Declaratory Order: Word | Acrobat
1/22/08
Public Notice: In this Public Notice, the Wireline Competition Bureau announces the Office of Management and Budget Approval of the Universal Service Rural Health Care Pilot Program Information Collection Requirements.
Public Notice: Word | Acrobat
1/22/08
Public Notice: The Wireline Competition Bureau seeks comment on a petition filed by Sagebrush Cellular, Inc., pursuant to section 54.207 of the Commission’s rules, requesting the Commission’s agreement with the decision of the North Dakota Public Service Commission to redefine the service area of Northwest Communications Cooperative at the wire center level.
Public Notice: Word | Acrobat
01/22/08
Public Notice: Office of Management and Budget Approves Rural Health Care Pilot Program Information Collection Requirements.
Public Notice: Word | Acrobat
1/18/08
Order: The Wireline Competition Bureau extends the deadline for filing reply comments in response to Osirus Communications, Inc.'s petition seeking to become a member of the National Exchange Carrier Association (NECA), to participate in NECA tariffs and pools, and to begin immediately to receive universal service high-cost support. Reply comments are due February 1, 2008.
Order: Word | Acrobat
1/18/08
Public Notice: The Wireline Competition Bureau seeks comment on a petition filed by Hawaiian Telcom, Inc. (Hawaiian Telcom) on December 31, 2007, seeking waiver of the Commission’s rules regarding high-cost universal service support.
Public Notice: Word | Acrobat
1/18/08
Public Notice: The Wireline Competition Bureau (Bureau) provides notice that it is initiating a proceeding to consider a petition filed by United States Cellular Corporation (U.S. Cellular), pursuant to section 54.207 of the Commission’s rules.
Public Notice: Word | Acrobat
1/18/08
Public Notice: The Wireline Competition Bureau (Bureau) seeks comment on petitions filed by Texas RSA 1 Limited Partnership, d/b/a XIT Wireless, Hardy Telecommunications Inc. and Thumb Cellular, LLC, seeking waiver of filing deadlines associated with the receipt of universal service funds.
Public Notice: Word | Acrobat
01/17/08
WCB Letter to USAC on Rural Health Care Pilot Program Carry-Over of Funds.
Letter: Acrobat
1/8/08
Order: In this order, the Wireline Competition Bureau denies Cedar Valley Communications, Inc.'s request for a waiver of a line count filing deadline to allow Cedar Valley to receive universal service high-cost loop support after missing the filing deadline by more than five months.
Order: Word | Acrobat
2007
12/26/07
Public Notice: The Wireline Competition Bureau seeks comment on a petition filed by Allo Communications, seeking waiver of the September 28, 2007, filing deadline associated with the receipt of universal service support pursuant to section 54.802 of the Commission’s rules. Comments on the petition are due by January 25, 2008, and reply comments are due by February 11, 2008.
Public Notice: Word | Acrobat
12/26/07
Public Notice: The Wireline Competition Bureau released a Public Notice initiating a proceeding to consider USCOC of Greater Missouri, LLC d/b/a U.S. Cellular's petition for redefinition of certain rural telephone company study areas in the state of Missouri. Comments in the proceeding are due by January 25, 2008, and reply comments are due by February 11, 2008.
Public Notice: Word | Acrobat
12/20/07
WCB sends letter congratulating RHC Pilot Program selected participants and reminding them of the program’s competitive bid requirements.
Letter: Acrobat | Text
12/20/07
Order: In this order, the Wireline Competition Bureau approves NECA's and USAC's proposed 2008 high-cost loop and local switching support formulas for providing universal service support to average schedule companies.
Order: Word | Acrobat
12/17/07
Order: In this Order, the Wireline Competition Bureau has under consideration a Request for Review filed by Troup County school System, LaGrange, Georgia (Troup County), seeking review of a Funding Year 2006 Universal Service Administrative Company, Inc. (USAC) decision in which USAC denied schools and libraries universal service funding because the applicant's contracts were not signed by both parties prior to the filing of the FCC Form 471. We grant Troup County’s Motion to Dismiss Appeal and, accordingly, dismisses Troup County’s Request for Review.
Order: Word | Acrobat
12/13/07
Public Notice: Virgin Mobile: The Wireline Competition Bureau seeks comment on four petitions filed by Virgin Mobile USA, L.P. (Virgin Mobile). One petition requests that the Commission forbear from applying the requirement in section 214(e)(1)(A) of the Act that an eligible telecommunications carrier (ETC) offer services supported by the universal service fund using either its own facilities or a combination of its own facilities and resale of another carrier’s services. In the remaining three petitions, Virgin Mobile seeks designation as an ETC, only for purposes of participation in the Lifeline/Link Up program, in the state of New York and the commonwealths of Pennsylvania and Virginia. Comments are due January 14, 2008 and reply comments are due January 29, 2008.
Public Notice: Word | Acrobat
12/13/07
Public Notice: TracFone: The Wireline Competition Bureau seeks comment on two petitions filed by TracFone Wireless, Inc. seeking designation as an eligible telecommunications carrier (ETC), only for purposes of participating in the Lifeline program, in the states of Delaware and New Hampshire. Comments are due January 14, 2008 and reply comments are due January 29, 2008.
Public Notice: Word | Acrobat
12/12/07
Order: In this Order, we grant 13 appeals of 12 petitioners that were denied funding because USAC determined that the consortia leaders did not provide evidence of their authority to represent their respective consortium members. We find that the petitioners have provided evidence to the Commission on appeal demonstrating that each consortia member knew it was represented, and consented to its representation, on the applications. For five petitioners, consistent with our reasoning in the South Carolina CIO Order, we find that USAC should not have denied the requests for failure to comply with a new USAC procedure for FY2005 because USAC did not provide sufficient notice for consortia applicants to comply with the new policy. For four petitioners, we find that evidence submitted on appeal either remedies any deficiencies in their LOAs or is consistent with USAC's guidance that documentation other than LOAs may be accepted as proof of authorization. Finally, for three petitioners, we find that the failure to specify the timeframe covered by the LOA is not sufficient to deny the entire application.
Order: Word | Acrobat
12/12/07
Order: In this Order, we grant 10 requests for reversal of late fees associated with the filing of the FCC Form 499-A for 2007. We find that good cause exists to grant the requests, as more fully discussed below. We further direct the Universal Service Administrative Company (USAC) and the other plan administrators to reverse any late payment fees that have been assessed on the applicants listed in the attached Appendix.
Order: Word | Acrobat
12/12/07
Order: The Wireline Competition Bureau released an order granting a request from Bristol Bay Cellular Partnership (Bristol Bay), a competitive eligible telecommunications carrier in Alaska, for a waiver of section 54.307(b) of the Commission’s rules. Specifically, due to the unique circumstances presented by Bristol Bay, the order waives the requirement that subscriber line count data submitted for purposes of obtaining universal service support be based on the subscriber’s billing address.
Order: Word | Acrobat
12/4/07
Public Notice: The Wireline Competition Bureau seeks comment on a petition filed by Osirus Communications, Inc., seeking waiver of Commission rules to allow it to join the National Exchange Carrier Association (NECA) and to receive immediate universal service support. Comments are due January 3, 2008 and reply comments are due January 18, 2008.
Public Notice: Word | Acrobat
11/29/07
Public Notice: The Wireline Competition Bureau seeks comment on a petition filed by CC Cellular, seeking waiver of the March 30, 2007, filing deadline associated with the receipt of universal service funds pursuant to sections 54.307(c)(4) of the Commission's rules. Interested parties may file comments on or before December 29, 2007 and reply comments on or before January 13, 2008.
Public Notice: Word | Acrobat
11/29/07
Public Notice: The Wireline Competition Bureau seeks comment on a petition filed by Hargray Wireless, LLC, pursuant to section 54.207 of the Commission's rules, requesting the Commission's agreement with the decision of the South Carolina Public Service Commission to redefine the service area of United Telephone Company of the Carolinas d/b/a Embarq at the wire center level. Interested parties may file comments on or before December 29, 2007 and reply comments on or before January 13, 2008.
Public Notice: Word | Acrobat
11/26/07
Public Notice: The Wireline Competition Bureau released a Public Notice initiating a proceeding to consider Triangle Communication System, Inc.'s petition for redefinition of certain rural telephone company study areas in the state of Montana. Comments in the proceeding are due by December 26, 2007, and reply comments are due by January 10, 2008.
Public Notice: Word | Acrobat
11/20/07
Recommended Decision: Federal-State Joint Board on Universal Service Issues Recommended Decision on High-Cost Reform.
Recommended Decision: Word | Acrobat
FCC Chairman Martin Statement: Word | Acrobat
FCC Commissioner Copps Statement: Word | Acrobat
FCC Commissioner Tate Statement: Word | Acrobat
Commissioner Ray Baum Statement: Word | Acrobat
Chairman Lisa Polak Edgar Statement: Word | Acrobat
Commissioner Larry S. Landis Statement: Word | Acrobat
Commissioner John D. Burke Statement: Word | Acrobat
Assistant Attorney General Public Counsel Simon ffitch Statement: Word | Acrobat
11/19/07
FCC Launches Initiative to Increase Access to Health Care in Rural America Through Broadband Telehealth. WCB Docket No. 02-60.
News Release: Word | Acrobat
Selected Participants: Word | Acrobat
Corrected Order: Acrobat
Erratum (12/17/07): Word | Acrobat
Order: Word | Acrobat
Martin Statement: Word | Acrobat
Copps Statement: Word | Acrobat
Adelstein Statement: Word | Acrobat
Tate Statement: Word | Acrobat
McDowell Statement: Word | Acrobat
11/9/07
Public Notice: Comment is sought on petitions filed by Saddleback Communications, Gila River Telecommunications, Inc., and Pine Belt Cellular, Inc. seeking waivers of the October 1, 2007, deadline for Commission-designated eligible telecommunications carriers to file annual reports pursuant to section 54.209 of the Commission’s rules. Comments are due by November 23, 2007 and reply comments are due by November 30, 2007. Word | Acrobat| Text
11/6/07
Public Notice: Comment is sought on a petition filed by Texas RSA 8 South Limited Partnership d/b/a Westex Wireless seeking waiver of filing deadlines associated with the receipt of universal service funds, pursuant to sections 54.307(c)(2), 54.802(a), and 54.903(a) of the Commission’s rules. Comments are due by December 6, 2007 and reply comments are due by December 21, 2007. Word | Acrobat| Text
11/6/07
Order: Oblio Telecom, Inc. In this Order, at the request of Oblio Telecom, Inc. (Oblio), Telecommunications Access Policy Division dismisses with prejudice Oblio’s petition for declaratory ruling regarding the universal service certification process between resellers and their underlying carriers. Word | Acrobat| Text
10/30/07
Order: Joseph Jingoli & Son, Inc., et al. In this Order, the Telecommunications Access Policy Division granted 13 appeals of decisions by the Universal Service Administrative Company (USAC) denying funding from the E-rate program, on the grounds that Petitioners sought cancellation of their funding requests. Word | Acrobat| Text
10/22/07
Public Notice: TCA High-Cost Waiver Petition: Comment is sought on a petition by The Community Cable Television Agency of O'Brien County d/b/a The Community Agency and TCA (TCA) seeking wavier of the December 31, 2006, filing deadlines associated with the receipt of universal service funds pursuant to sections 54.307 and 54.802 of the Commission's rules. Comments are due by November 21, 2007 and reply comments are due by December 6, 2007. Word | Acrobat| Text
10/22/07
Public Notice: United States Cellular Redefinition: Comment is sought on a petition filed by United States Cellular requesting the Commission’s agreement with the decision of the Nebraska Public Service Commission to redefine the service areas of certain rural telephone companies in Nebraska at the wire center level. Comments are due by November 21, 2007 and reply comments are due by December 6, 2007. Word | Acrobat| Text
10/19/07
Public Notice: Funding Year 2008 Eligible Services List: On October 19, 2007, the Commission released the Funding Year 2008 Eligible Services List (ESL) for the schools and libraries universal service support mechanism pursuant to section 54.522 of the Commission’s rules.
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10/5/07
Public Notice: Comment is sought on the National Exchange Carrier Association, Inc.'s 2008 modification of average schedule universal service high-cost loop support formula, and on the Universal Service Administrative Company's 2008 average schedule company local switching support formula. Comments are due November 5, 2007 and reply comments are due November 20, 2007. Word | Acrobat| Text
10/5/07
Public Notice: Comment is sought on the petition for study area waiver filed jointly by Beaver Creek Cooperative Telephone Company and Qwest Corporation. Comments on the petition are due November 5, 2007 and reply comments are due November 20, 2007. Word | Acrobat| Text
9/28/07
Order: Pursuant to sections 254(a)(1) and 410 of the Communications Act of 1934, as amended, the Federal Communications Commission (Commission) appoints Simon ffitch, Assistant Attorney General, Chief, Public Counsel Section, Attorney General of Washington, to serve on the Federal-State Joint Board on Universal Service, effective October 1, 2007. Word | Acrobat| Text
9/27/07
Public Notice: The Wireline Competition Bureau seeks comment on a high-cost filing deadline waiver petition filed by Dixie-Net Communications, Inc. Dixie-Net is seeking a waiver of the June 30, 2007 filing deadline required by section 54.802 of the Commission's rules. Comments on the petition are due October 29, 2007 and reply comments are due November 13, 2007. Word | Acrobat| Text
9/27/07
Public Notice: The Wireline Competition Bureau seeks comment on a petition filed by USCOC of Greater Missouri, Inc. d/b/a U.S. Cellular requesting the Commission’s agreement with the decision of the Missouri Public Service Commission to redefine the service areas of certain rural telephone companies in Missouri at the wire center level. Comments on the petition are due October 29, 2007 and reply comments are due November 13, 2007. Word | Acrobat| Text
9/21/07
Public Notice: The Wireline Competition Bureau announces Office of Management and Budget approval of the revised 2007 Federal Communications Commission Forms 499-A, 499-Q, and accompanying instructions. Word | Acrobat| Text
9/20/07
Order: The Telecommunications Access Policy Division adopted a protective order to provide limited access to confidential information in Centennial USVI Operations Corp.'s petition for designation as an eligible telecommunications carrier in the U.S. Virgin Islands. Word | Acrobat| Text
9/20/07
Order: The Telecommunications Access Policy Division adopted a protective order to provide limited access to confidential information in Choice Communications LLC's petition for designation as an eligible telecommunications carrier in the U.S. Virgin Islands. Word | Acrobat| Text
9/6/07
Public Notice: The Universal Service Joint Board continues to work on the issue of fundamental reform. This document reflects a tentative agreement among the board members on the principles that may guide their deliberations. Word | Acrobat| Text
8/31/07
Public Notice: On November 21, 2006, Gila River Telecommunications Inc. (GRTI) filed a petition seeking a waiver of sections 36.3; 36.123-126, 36.152-157, and 36.372-382 of the Commission’s rules to unfreeze GRTI’s category relationships. In this Public Notice, the Wireline Competition Bureau seeks comment on GRTI’s petition. Comments due October 1, 2007 and reply comments due October 15, 2007. Word | Acrobat| Text
8/30/07
Public Notice: The Wireline competition Bureau seeks comment on a petition filed by Decatur Telephone Company seeking waiver of the June 30, 2007, filing deadline associated with the receipt of universal service funds pursuant to section 54.904 of the Commission's rules. Comments due October 1, 2007 and reply comments due October 15, 2007. Word | Acrobat| Text
8/29/07
Public Notice: American Telecommunications Systems, Inc.: In the Public Notice, the Wireline Competition Bureau (WCB) seeks comment on two applications for review of WCB orders denying universal service fund contributor appeals by American Cyber corp. et al. American Telecommunications Systems, Inc. Comments are due September 13, 2007 and reply comments are due September 28, 2007. Word | Acrobat| Text
8/29/07
Public Notice: Triangle Communication Redefinition: In the Public Notice, the Wireline Competition Bureau (WCB) seeks comment on two applications for review of WCB orders denying universal service fund contributor appeals by American Cyber corp. et al. American Telecommunications Systems, Inc. Comments are due September 28, 2007 and reply comments are due October 15, 2007. Word | Acrobat| Text
8/29/07
News Release: FCC Takes Further Action to Safeguard Universal Service Fund From Risk of Waste, Fraud and Abuse.
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8/16/07
Public Notice: Extension of Katrina Relief Order: In the Public Notice, the Wireline Competition Bureau seeks comment on a request for a further waiver to extend relief provided in the Katrina Relief Order under the E-rate program for schools and libraries in Louisiana and Mississippi for Funding Year 2007. 8/16/07. Word | Acrobat| Text
8/16/07
Public Notice: The Wireline Competition Bureau seeks comment on a petition filed by ICORE, Inc. on behalf of Pattersonville Telephone Company, seeking waiver of the June 30, 2007 filing deadline associated with the receipt of interstate common line support universal service funds pursuant to section 54.903 of the Commission's rules. Comments on the petition are due September 17, 2007 and reply comments are due October 2, 2007. 8/16/07. Word | Acrobat| Text
8/15/07
Order: The Telecommunications Access Policy Division adopted a protective order to provide limited access to confidential information in Corr Wireless Communications LLC's petition for designation as an eligible telecommunications carrier in Alabama. 8/15/07. Word | Acrobat| Text
8/15/07
Order: The Telecommunications Access Policy Division adopted a protective order to provide limited access to confidential information in NEP Cellcorp, Inc.'s petition for designation as an eligible telecommunications carrier in Pennsylvania. 8/15/07. Word | Acrobat| Text
8/15/07
Order: The Telecommunications Access Policy Division adopted a protective order to provide limited access to confidential information in Cingular Wireless LLC's petition for designation as an eligible telecommunications carrier in Georgia. 8/15/07. Word | Acrobat| Text
8/15/07
Public Notice: In this Public Notice, the Wireline Competition Bureau seeks comment on two petitions seeking eligible telecommunications carrier (ETC) designations. One petition was filed by NEP Cellcorp, Inc., which is seeking ETC designation in Pennsylvania, and the other was filed by Corr Wireless Communications LLC, which is seeking ETC designation in Alabama. Comments on the petitions are due August 29, 2007 and reply comments are due September 5, 2007. 8/15/07. Word | Acrobat| Text
8/13/07
Order: In this order, Telecommunications Access Policy Division grants Sagebrush Cellular, Inc. (Sagebrush) a waiver of the certification filing deadline in section 54.904(d) of the Commission's rules to allow Sagebrush to receive Interstate Common Line Support from the date of its ETC designation. 8/13/07. Word | Acrobat| Text
8/8/07
Public Notice: In this Public Notice, the Wireline Competition Bureau seeks comment on a study area waiver petition filed by Qwest. Qwest seeks a waiver of the study area boundary freeze to allow it to transfer a territory in Wyoming to RT Communications. Comments on the petition are due September 7, 2007, and reply comments are due September 24, 2007. 8/8/07. Word | Acrobat| Text
8/6/07
Order: The Commission denied a petition filed by Iowa Telecommunications Services, Inc. requesting that the Commission forbear from enforcing certain sections of the Commission’s rules to permit Iowa Telecom to be eligible for high-cost universal service support under the non-rural mechanism, rather than under the high-cost loop support mechanism for rural carriers. 8/6/07. Word | Acrobat| Text
8/1/07
Public Notice: In this Public Notice, comment is sought on two petitions for waiver of universal service line count filing rules, filed by Vantage Point and WeavTel Communications LLC. Comments on the petitions are due August 31, 2007, and reply comments are due September 17, 2007. 8/1/07. Word | Acrobat| Text
8/1/07
Order: This order grants Centennial Communications Corp.'s request to extend the reply comment deadline on its request for review and reversal of a decision by USAC regarding the “true-up” of interstate common line support (ICLS) universal service payments disbursed to Centennial Puerto Rico in 2004. The deadline for filing reply comments is extended from August 13, 2007 to August 31, 2007. 8/1/07. Word | Acrobat| Text
7/27/07
Public Notice: The Commission today sought comment on USAC’s proposed schools and libraries program eligible services list (ESL) for Funding Year 2008. The changes that are being proposed for the Funding Year 2008 ESL include (1) treating Centrex service as basic telephone service for purposes of the schools and libraries program with the intention of eliminating the requirement that applicants file a technology plan for Centrex service; (2) clarifying that the basic conduit access to the Internet for the purpose of accessing distance learning and video conferencing is eligible for funding in the Internet access category but distance learning and video conferencing tools are not eligible for funding; and (3) clarifying that program participants are not required to provide cost allocation for calendaring functions ancillary to E-mail service. Comments are due Aug. 10, 2007 and reply comments are due Aug. 17, 2007. 7/27/07. Word | Acrobat| Text
7/11/07
Public Notice: The Wireline Competition Bureau announces the availability of revised FCC Forms 472, 473, 474, 479, 486 and 500. The revised forms are posted on the web site of the Universal Service Administrative Company (USAC) at www.usac.org. 7/11/07. Word | Acrobat| Text
7/10/07
Public Notice: In this Public Notice, the Wireline Competition Bureau announces that an eligible telecommunications carrier (ETC) in a state with its own state-based Low-Income program must submit a certification, signed by an officer of the company to USAC by August 31, 2007, and on August 31 of each subsequent year thereafter, attesting that the ETC has complied with state lifeline verification procedures. ETCs in federal default states must also submit their annual Lifeline verification survey results to USAC by August 31, 2007. 7/10/07. Word | Acrobat| Text
7/10/07
Public Notice: In this Public Notice, the Wireline Competition Bureau seeks comment on Sprint's Petition requesting a declaratory ruling concerning a Kansas Corporation Commission ruling that requires an eligible telecommunications carrier (ETC) to apply federal Lifeline support to reduce the cost of any rate plan offered by an ETC, as opposed to only the carrier’s lowest-cost generally available rate plan. Sprint requests that the Commission find that the Kansas ruling violates section 47 U.S.C. § 254(f) of the Act. Sprint also asks the Commission to declare that the Kansas ruling violates 47 U.S.C. § 332(c)(3)(A). Comment Date: August 9,2007. Reply Comment Date: August 24, 2007. 7/10/07. Word | Acrobat| Text
7/9/07
Public Notice: Comment is sought on a petition filed by TDS, FairPoint, and Burke's Garden Telephone Company, seeking revocation of Sprint/Nextel's ETC designation in Virginia. Comments on the petition are due August 8, 2007, and reply comments are due August 23, 2007. 7/9/07. Word | Acrobat| Text
7/2/07
Order: In this Order, the Wireline Competition denied the appeal filed by Radiant Telecom, Inc. seeking review of the Universal Service Administrative Company's Decision on Contributor Appeal. 7/2/07. Word | Acrobat| Text
6/27/07
Public Notice: Released 6/27/07, Comment sought on Centennial Communications Corp.’s request for review of a USAC decision regarding the true-up of interstate common line support universal service payments for Puerto Rico in 2004. Comments on the request for review are due July 27, 2007, and reply comments are due August 13, 2007. 6/19/07. Word | Acrobat| Text
6/19/07
Public Notice: Oblio filed a petition for declaratory ruling requesting (1) to have the Commission declare that a wholesale telecommunications carrier may not refuse to honor a telecommunication reseller’s proof of exemption from USF pass-through charges where the reseller has certified that it is a direct contributor to the USF; (2) a declaration of the obligation of the wholesale telecommunications carrier to refund collected USF charges where the reseller has provided the wholesale telecommunications carrier a certification letter; and (3) a declaration that AT&T’s refusal to honor Oblio's refund request, while providing refunds to other resellers amounts to a discriminatory practice under §202(a) of the Act. At 2. 6/19/07. Word | Acrobat| Text
6/19/07
Public Notice: The Bureau released a Public Notice seeking comment on six petitions seeking waivers of various filing requirements associated with the receipt of universal service support pursuant to the Commission’s rules. The petitions were filed by the Illinois Commerce Commission; Pine Cellular Phones, Inc.; Grande Communications Network, Inc.; Range Telephone Cooperative, Inc.; Prairie Wave Black Hills, L.L.C.; and Farmers Mutual Telephone Company. Comments on the petitions are due July 19, 2007 and reply comments are due August 3, 2007. 6/19/07. Word | Acrobat| Text
Public Notice: The Bureau released a Public Notice seeking comment on petitions for waiver of section 36.611 and 36.612 of the Commission’s rules filed by Allband Communications Cooperative and Direct Communications Cedar Valley. Comments on the petitions are due July 19, 2007 and reply comments are due August 3, 2007. 6/19/07. Word | Acrobat| Text
Public Notice: The Bureau released a Public Notice seeking comment on a petition for study area waiver filed by El Paso Telephone Company and Qwest Corporation. Comments on the petition are due July 19, 2007 and reply comments are due August 3, 2007. 6/19/07. Word | Acrobat| Text
6/12/07
Order: On June 12, 2007, the Commission released an order granting an extension of time for parties to file reply comments in response to the May 14, 2007 Notice of Proposed Rulemaking, which sought comment on the Federal-State Joint Board on Universal Service’s recommendation that the Commission adopt an interim, emergency cap on high-cost universal service support for competitive eligible telecommunications carriers. The reply comment date is changed from June 13, 2007, to June 21, 2007. 6/12/07. Word | Acrobat| Text
6/11/07
Public Notice: Pursuant to section 54.709(a)(3) of the Commission’s rules, on May 2, 2007, the Universal Service Administrative Company (USAC) submitted projections of demand and administrative expenses for the Federal Universal Service Fund for the Third Quarter of 2007. According to USAC’s projections, $650 million in unused funds from Funding Years 2001 through 2004 is available to carry forward to increase disbursements to schools and libraries via the schools and libraries universal service mechanism. Section 54.507(a)(2) of the Commission’s rules states, in pertinent part, that "all funds that are collected and that are unused from prior years shall be available for use in the next full funding year of the schools and libraries mechanism in accordance with the public interest and notwithstanding the annual cap." 6/11/07. Word | Acrobat| Text
6/4/07
Order: On May 21, 2007, Dobson Cellular System and the American Cellular Corporation (Dobson/ACC) filed a petition seeking the Commission's agreement with the Oklahoma Corporation Commission's redefinition of certain rural incumbent local exchange carriers. Pursuant to section 54.207(c)(2) of the Commission's rules, the Wireline Competition Bureau seeks comment on Dobson/ACC's petition. Comment Date: 7/5/07. Reply Comment: 7/19/07. 6/4/07. Word | Acrobat| Text
5/25/07
Order: On October 10, 2006, Twin Valley Telephone, Inc. (Twin Valley) filed a Petition for Clarification of the effective date of the Wireline Competition Bureau’s order granting it waivers of the study area boundary freeze and section 69.3(e)(11) of the Commission’s rules. On April 26, 2006, Twin Valley filed a request to withdraw the Petition for Clarification. We grant Twin Valley’s request for withdrawal. 5/25/07. Word | Acrobat| Text
5/24/07
Order: On March 5, 2007, Alenco Communications, Inc. (Alenco), et al., filed a petition seeking a declaratory ruling that customer equipment used in connection with fixed or mobile satellite service is not within the definition of “facilities” as used in section 214(e) of the Communications Act of 1934, as amended. On April 25, 2007, the Wireline Competition Bureau released a Public Notice requesting that comments on the Alenco Petition be filed by May 25, 2007 and reply comments by June 11, 2007. On May 16, 2007, DialToneServices, L.P. (DTS) filed a letter seeking to extend the comment and reply comment deadlines by six weeks. DTS states that the extension would enable parties and the Commission to develop a more complete record of the important issues raised in the petition. On May 18, 2007, Alenco, the Texas Telephone Association, the Texas Statewide Telephone Cooperative, Inc., and others (collectively Petitioners) filed a letter responding to DTS’ request, and arguing that a six-week extension was unwarranted. Instead, the Petitioners suggest extending the comment and reply comment deadlines by two weeks. Comments Due: June 22, 2007. Reply Comments Due: July 9, 2007. 5/24/07. Word | Acrobat| Text
5/23/07
Public Notice: On May 14, 2007, the Commission released a Notice of Proposed Rulemaking, seeking comment on the Federal-State Joint Board on Universal Service’s recommendation that the Commission adopt an interim, emergency cap on high-cost universal service support for competitive eligible telecommunications carriers. The Commission set the comment and reply comment deadlines as 14 and 21 days, respectively, after publication of the Notice in the Federal Register. On May 23, 2007, a summary of the Notice appeared in the Federal Register. Accordingly, comments will be due on June 6, 2007, and reply comments will be due on June 13, 2007. 5/23/07. Word | Acrobat| Text
5/18/07
Order: In this order, the Wireline Competition Bureau grants 27 appeals of decisions by the Universal Service Administrative Company (USAC). USAC denied funding on the grounds that the requests for telecommunications service were from service providers that do not provide telecommunications on a common carrier basis and therefore were not eligible for direct reimbursement from the E-Rate program. Because the Petitioners may have used incorrect Service Provider Information Numbers (SPINs), the order grants the Petitioners the opportunity to correct the SPINs. 5/18/07. Word | Acrobat| Text
5/18/07
Public Notice: The SECA (State E-Rate Coordinators Assoc.) PN establishes a comment cycle for a petition for reconsideration of our recent order (DA 07-1272, rel. 3/13/07) granting AT&T's petition for clarification of the E-rate billing rules filed by SECA. In its petition, SECA argues that AT&T's billing system requires applicants to pay the entire amount of the billed charges by the due date, including the discounted and non-discounted portions, regardless of when the applicant receives the reimbursement check from AT&T. SECA notes that all other companies have been able to implement discounted billing. Comment Date: June 1, 2007. Reply Comment Date: June 15, 2007. 5/18/07. Word | Acrobat| Text
5/18/07
Public Notice: The Eureka / Value Added PN establishes a comment cycle for two petitions seeking review of WCBs Reseller Order. In the Reseller Order, the Bureau denied petitions filed by Eureka and Value-Added, both resellers of telecommunication services, challenging USAC’s decisions not to recognize USF contributions which petitioners contended they made indirectly through underlying carriers. Comment Date: June 1, 2007. Reply Comment Date: June 15, 2007. 5/18/07. Word | Acrobat| Text
5/14/07
Notice of Proposed Rulemaking: In this Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (Notice), we seek comment on the recommendation of the Federal-State Joint Board on Universal Service (Joint Board) that the Commission take immediate action to rein in the explosive growth in high-cost universal service support disbursements. Specifically, we seek comment on the Joint Board’s recommendation that the Commission impose an interim, emergency cap on the amount of high-cost support that competitive eligible telecommunications carriers (ETCs) may receive. The Joint Board also recommended that both it and the Commission further explore comprehensive high-cost distribution reform, and sought comment on various reform proposals in a Public Notice released on the same day as the Recommended Decision. 5/14/07. Word | Acrobat| Text
5/14/07
Public Notice: The Wireline Competition Bureau initiates a proceeding to consider a petition by Dobson Cellular Systems, Inc. and its affiliate American Cellular Corporation to redefine the service areas of twelve rural telephone companies in the state of Oklahoma. Due to creamskimming concerns in four of the service areas, the Public Notice initiates a proceeding to examine the request. Comment Date: June 13, 2007. Reply Comment Date: June 28, 2007. 5/14/07. Word | Acrobat| Text
5/11/07
Order: In this Order, pursuant to section 1.429 of the Commission’s rules, we dismiss the Expedited Petition to Reduce or Adjust the Proposed Fourth Quarter Contribution Factor filed by WilTel Communications, LLC (“WilTel”). Specifically, we find that the Petition was untimely filed. 5/11/07. Word | Acrobat| Text
5/8/07
Order: In this Order, the Commission grants in part and denies in part Macomb Intermediate School District Technology Consortium’s (Macomb ISD) Request for Review. Macomb ISD requested the same type of Internet access (T-3 lines) from three separate service providers. The order finds that Macomb ISD violated the Commission’s competitive bidding rules by not selecting the bids that were the most cost-effective. We find, however, that Macomb ISD is entitled to E-rate program funding for the T-3 lines in an amount associated with the least expensive of the services, consistent with the Commission’s rules on competitive bidding. 5/8/07. Word | Acrobat| Text
5/8/07
Order: In this Order, the Bureau grants 62 appeals and denies one pertaining to applicants that were denied E-rate program funding on the grounds that they did not wait 28 days after their FCC Form 470s were posted on the USAC website before entering into an agreement with a service provider or submitting their FCC Form 471s for the requested services. 5/8/07. Word | Acrobat| Text
5/8/07
Order: In this Order, the Commission grants 17 Requests for Review of decisions by USAC denying petitioners’ requests for funding under the E-rate program because more than 30 percent of the funding requests were for entities ineligible for E-Rate support. The Commission finds that 11 petitioners have provided sufficient evidence that the entities for which they sought discounted services were eligible for support and that four petitioners have provided sufficient evidence justifying further review by USAC. For the remaining two petitioners, the Commission holds that the Commission’s 30 percent rule is not applicable to the petitioners’ applications. 5/8/07. Word | Acrobat| Text
5/8/07
Order: In this Order, the Commission grants 59 appeals of decisions by USAC denying petitioners’ requests for funding under the E-rate program because applicants violated section 54.504(d) of the Commission’s rules, which requires USAC to deny a request for E-rate support if 30 percent or more of a request for discounts is for ineligible services. The Commission finds that 23 petitioners provided sufficient evidence to demonstrate that at least 70 percent of the requested services are eligible for support. For the remaining 36 petitioners, the Commission finds that good cause exists to justify, on our own motion, waivers of section 54.504(d). 5/8/07. Word | Acrobat| Text
5/8/07
Order: In this Order, the Commission grants 56 Requests for Review of decisions by USAC denying petitioners’ requests for funding under the E-rate program because the applicants failed to demonstrate access to the resources required to effectively use the requested eligible services or to pay their non-discounted share for the services. In this order, the Commission finds that the petitioners either provided sufficient evidence to demonstrate they had the resources to make effective use of the requested eligible services or they should have an additional opportunity to provide the documentation to USAC. Accordingly, the Commission grants the appeals and remands the underlying applications to USAC for further action consistent with the Order. 5/8/07. Word | Acrobat| Text
5/1/07
News Release: The Federal-State Joint Board on Universal Service recommended that the Federal Communications Commission take immediate action to rein in explosive growth in high-cost universal service support disbursements. The Joint Board is also seeking comment on proposals for long-term, comprehensive reform of the high-cost program. 5/1/07. Word |Acrobat
5/1/07
Public Notice: In this Public Notice, the Federal-State Joint Board on Universal Service (Joint Board) seeks comment on various proposals to reform the high-cost universal service support mechanisms. In a companion Recommended Decision released today, the Joint Board recommends that the Commission take immediate action to rein in the explosive growth in high-cost universal service support disbursements by imposing an interim, emergency cap on the amount of high-cost support that competitive eligible telecommunications carriers (ETCs) may receive. The Joint Board is committed to making further recommendations regarding long term, comprehensive high-cost universal service reform within six months. To assist the Joint Board in accomplishing this goal, we seek comment on several proposals that have been placed in the record since the close of the last comment cycle, as well as other possible reforms. The Joint Board expects parties to put forth detailed, comprehensive proposals within this comment cycle. Comments on the Public Notice are due May 31, 2007, and reply comments are due July 2, 2007. 5/1/07. Word | Acrobat| Text
5/1/07
Recommended Decision: In this Recommended Decision, the Federal-State Joint Board on Universal Service (Joint Board) recommends that the Commission take immediate action to rein in the explosive growth in high-cost universal service support disbursements. Specifically, we recommend that the Commission impose an interim, emergency cap on the amount of high-cost support that competitive eligible telecommunications carriers (ETCs) may receive for each state based on the average level of competitive ETC support distributed in that state in 2006. We also recommend that the Joint Board and the Commission further explore comprehensive high-cost distribution reform. As part of that effort, today in a companion Public Notice we seek comment on various proposals to reform the high-cost universal service support mechanisms. We also commit to making further recommendations regarding comprehensive high-cost universal service reform within six months of this Recommended Decision. Finally, we recommend that the Commission act on these further recommendations within one year from the date of our further recommended decision. 5/1/07. Word | Acrobat| Text
4/25/07
Public Notice: Public Notice seeks comment on a petition for declaratory ruling and preemption of a Texas PUC order filed by a group of rural carriers. The petitioners request that the Commission issue a declaratory ruling affirming that rooftop or pole-mounted antenna used with fixed satellite service and mobile handset and accessories used with mobile satellite service do not satisfy the "facilities" requirement of sec. 214(e) of the Act. The petitioners also seek an order preempting the Texas PUC's designation of DialToneServices (DTS) as an ETC, because DTS does not meet section 214(e)'s facilities requirement. Comments on the petition are due May 25, 2007, and reply comments are due June 11, 2007. 4/25/07. Word | Acrobat| Text
4/25/07
Public Notice: Public Notice seeks comment on a petition by the State E-rate Coordinators Alliance for clarification and/or waiver of E-rate rules concerning technology plan creation and approval under the schools and libraries universal service support mechanism. Comments on the petition are due May 10, 2007, and reply comments are due May 25, 2007. 4/25/07. Word | Acrobat| Text
4/17/07
Order on Reconsideration: In this Order, the Wireline Competition Bureau (Bureau) grants and remands a Petition for Reconsideration filed by the Virginia State Department of Education (Virginia DOE) asking the Bureau to reconsider its order denying Virginia DOE’s Request for Review of a decision issued by the Universal Service Administrative Company. 4/17/07. Word | Acrobat| Text
4/16/07
Notice of Inquiry: This Notice of Inquiry (Notice) begins our fifth inquiry under section 706 of the Telecommunications Act of 1996 (the 1996 Act) into “whether advanced telecommunications capability is being deployed to all Americans in a reasonable and timely fashion.” We seek comment on various market, investment, and technological trends in order for the Commission to analyze and assess whether infrastructure capable of supporting advanced services is being made available to all Americans. 4/16/07. Word | Acrobat| Text
4/10/07
Order: In this Order, the Wireline Competition Bureau (Bureau) denies the request for review filed by i-Tel Long Distance a/k/a Impact Telecommunications, Inc. (i-Tel) of two Administrator’s Decisions on Contributor Appeal. In its request, i-Tel alleges that qualifies for de minimis status and, thus, is not subject to universal service contributions. The Bureau finds that i-Tel did qualify for de minimis status for the billing periods at issue and affirms the Administrator’s Decisions. 4/10/07. Word | Acrobat| Text
4/10/07
Order: In this Order, the Wireline Competition Bureau (Bureau) dismisses in part and denies in part a request for review of a USAC administrator decision filed by National Network Communications, Inc. National Network alleges that it qualifies for de minimis status and, thus, is not subject to universal service contributions. The Bureau finds that National Network was eligible for the de minimis exemption for the billing period January – December 2002, but, pursuant to the true-up process, has already received relief for this time period. The Bureau also finds that National Network was not eligible for the de minimis exemption for the billing periods January – December 2000 and January – December 2001. 4/10/07. Word | Acrobat| Text
4/6/07
Order: In this order, pursuant to section 10(c) of the Communications Act of 1934, as amended (the Act), the Wireline Competition Bureau extend by 90 days the date by which the petition requesting forbearance filed by Iowa Telecommunications Services, Inc. (Iowa Telecom) shall be deemed granted in the absence of a Commission decision that the petition fails to meet the standards for forbearance under section 10(a) of the Act. 4/6/07. Word | Acrobat| Text
4/3/07
Order: In this Order, the Wireline Competition Bureau grant a joint request from SRT Communications, Inc. (SRT) and North Dakota Telephone Company (NDTC) (collectively, the Petitioners) for a waiver of the study area boundary freeze codified in the Appendix-Glossary of Part 36 of the Commission’s rules. This waiver will permit NDTC to remove the Velva exchange comprising approximately 720 lines from its North Dakota study area and will permit SRT to add that exchange to its existing North Dakota study area. We also grant SRT’s request for waiver of section 69.3(e)(11) of the Commission’s rules so that it can include the acquired exchange in the National Exchange Carrier Association (NECA) common line tariff. 4/3/07. Word | Acrobat| Text
4/2/07
Public Notice: The Wireline Competition Bureau seeks comment on a petition filed by Northwest Missouri Cellular Limited Partnership pursuant to section 54.207 of the Commission's rules, 47 C.F.R. section 54.207, requesting the Commission's agreement with the decision of the Missouri Publi Service Commission to redefine the study areas of three rural telephone companies at the wire center level. Comment Date: April 16, 2007. Reply Comment Date: April 23, 2007. 4/2/07. Word | Acrobat| Text
3/29/07
Order: The Wireline Competition Bureau grant Cellular South's petition for waiver of sections 54.904(d) of the Commission's rules to enable Cellular South to receive Interstate Common Line Support as of its ETC designation date. Specifically, Cellular South seeks waiver of a filing deadline that occurred prior to its ETC designation date. We find that Cellular South has demonstrated good cause to grant this waiver. 3/29/07. Word | Acrobat| Text
3/28/07
Public Notice: Public Notice To Wireless Carriers Who Filed FCC Form 499-Q in November 2006 With The Universal Service Administrative Company And Sought Confidential Treatment Of The Information Submitted. 3/28/07. Word | Acrobat| Text
3/28/07
Public Notice: Public Notice To All Carriers Who Filed FCC Form 499-Q in November 2006 With The Universal Service Administrative Company And Sought Confidential Treatment Of The Information Submitted. 3/28/07. Word | Acrobat| Text
3/28/07
Order: In this Order, the Commission grants 29 appeals of decisions by the Universal Service Administrative Company reducing or denying funding under the E-rate program on the grounds that Petitioners' funding requests were not supported by an approved technology plan. 3/28/07. Word | Acrobat| Text
3/28/07
Order: In this Order, the Commission grants 76 appeals of decisions by the Universal Service Administrative Company (USAC) reducing or denying funding from the E-rate program on the grounds that applicants failed to respond to USAC’s requests for information within the USAC-specified time frame. 3/28/07. Word | Acrobat| Text
3/28/07
Order: In this Order, the Commission grants 72 appeals of decisions by the Universal Service Administrative Company reducing or denying funding on the grounds that the applicant did not have a legally binding agreement in place when it filed its FCC Form 471, that the applicant’s existing contract expired before the end of the funding year, or that the execution date of the contract did not accompany the signature lines of both the applicant and the service provider. 3/28/07. Word | Acrobat| Text
3/26/07
Public Notice: The Wireline Competition Bureau Seeks Comment on a Petition by Missouri RSA No. 5 Partnership to Redefine the Study Areas of Four Rural Telephone Companies in Missouri. The Wireline Competition Bureau (Bureau) seeks comment on a petition filed by Missouri RSA No. 5 Partnership pursuant to section 54.207 of the Commission’s rules, 47 C.F.R. § 54.207 requesting the Commission’s agreement with the decision of the Missouri Public Service Commission (MPSC) to redefine the study areas of four rural telephone companies at the wire center level. 3/26/07. Word | Acrobat| Text
3/23/07
Order: This order addresses 14 appeals of USAC decisions denying funding on the ground that the Petitioners violated the Commission's competitive bidding requirements. The Order denies one appeal because the record shows that the Petitioner’s competitive bidding process violated program rules, but grants and remands the remaining appeals to USAC for further action. 3/23/07. Word | Acrobat| Text
3/19/07
Public Notice: On December 18, 2006, the Commission sought approval from the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) of the information collection for the revised FCC Form 499-A, FCC Form 499-Q, and accompanying instructions. 3/19/07. Word | Acrobat| Text
3/19/07
Order: In this Order, the Wireline Competition Bureau (Bureau) deny the Petition for Waiver filed by Sprint Corporation (Sprint). Sprint asks for a waiver of the Commission's rule requiring that private branch exchange (PBX) and key systems be treated as "Priority Two" services under the schools and libraries universal service support mechanism (also known as the E-rate program). Sprint asks that the Commission treat such services as "Priority One" services for the duration of those contracts that were signed prior to December 1, 2003, because the Universal Service Administrative Company (USAC) had treated these services as Priority One services prior to this date. We deny the Petition. 3/19/07. Word | Acrobat| Text
3/14/07
Order: In this Order, the Wireline Competition Bureau (Bureau) deny requests for review filed by ABS-CBN Telcom North America, Incorporated (ABS-CBN), Southwest Communications, Inc. (SCI), and Trans National Communications International, Inc. (TNCI)(collectively Petitioners). 3/14/07. Word | Acrobat| Text
3/14/07
Order: In this Order, the Wireline Competition Bureau (Bureau) deny the request filed by Big River Telephone Company, LLC (Big River or Petitioner) seeking review of the Decision on Contributor Appeal issued by the Universal Service Administrative Company (USAC or the Administrator). Specifically, Big River challenges the Administrator’s application of adjustments posted to Big River’s account and reflected on its July, August, and September 2002 invoices. For the reasons set forth below, we affirm the Administrator’s Decision. 3/14/07. Word | Acrobat| Text
3/14/07
Order: In this Order, the Wireline Competition Bureau (Bureau) grant in part and deny in part a petition by Corr Wireless Communications, LLC (Corr), an eligible telecommunications carrier (ETC), for waiver of certain filing deadlines set forth in sections 54.313(d)(3) and 54.307(c) of the Commission’s rules. 3/14/07. Word | Acrobat| Text
3/14/07
Public Notice: On February 21, 2007, Alltel Communications, Inc. (Alltel) requested that the Commission resolve previously filed petitions for declaratory ruling seeking preemption of the Arkansas Telecommunications Reform Act of 1997. Specifically, Alltel requests that Commission consider whether Section 5 of the Arkansas Telecommunications Regulatory Reform Act of 1997 (Arkansas Act) conflicts with federal law and the Commission’s implementing regulations. Interested parties are invited to comment on Alltel’s request. 3/14/07. Word | Acrobat| Text
3/14/07
Order: On May 19, 2005, GTA Wireless, LLC (GTA), filed a Petition for Designation as an Eligible Telecommunications Carrier (Petition) in the above-captioned proceeding. In its Petition, GTA sought designation as an Eligible Telecommunications Carrier throughout the Territory of Guam, pursuant to section 214(e)(6) of the Communications Act of 1934, as amended. On October 3, 2006, Pulse Mobile, LLC, formerly GTA, submitted a request to withdraw the Petition. We grant the GTA request for withdrawal. 3/14/07. Word | Acrobat| Text
3/14/07
Order: In this Order, the Wireline Competition Bureau (Bureau) deny the petitions filed by American Telecommunication Systems, Inc. (ATS), Equivoice, Inc., (Equivoice), Eureka Broadband Corporation (Eureka), TON Services, Inc. (TON) and Value-Added Communications, Inc. (VAC), collectively Petitioners. Petitioners, all resellers of telecommunication services, challenge the Universal Service Administrative Company’s (USAC’s or Administrator’s) decisions not to recognize the Universal Service Fund (USF or Fund) contributions which Petitioners contend that they made indirectly through underlying carriers. The time periods at issue vary by case, but all fall within the years 1999-2003. For the reasons set forth below we deny the petitions and direct that all outstanding payments, including late fees, penalties, or other monies owed be made not later than 30 days from release of this Order. 3/14/07. Word | Acrobat| Text
3/16/07
Order: In this Order, the Wireline Competition Bureau (Bureau) deny Allegheny Telephone Company's (Allegheny) appeal of the Administrator's Decision on Contributor Appeal by the Universal Service Administrative Company (USAC). 3/16/07. Word | Acrobat| Text
3/16/07
Public Notice: In this Order, the Wireline Competition Bureau (Bureau) seeks to refresh the record on issues raised in the Petition of Genesis Communications International, Inc. (Genesis) for Declaratory Rulings Regarding Lifeline Assistance Revenues (Petition). Because comments and reply comments on the issue were filed several years ago, the passage of time and intervening developments have rendered the records developed by those commenters stale. Moreover, some issues raised by commenters may have become moot or irrelevant in light of intervening events. For these reasons, the Bureau requests that parties refresh the record with any new information or arguments they believe to be relevant to deciding the issues still pending. 3/16/07. Word | Acrobat| Text
3/16/07
Order: In this Order, the Wireline Competition Bureau (Bureau) deny the request for review of action taken by the Universal Service Administrative Company (USAC) filed by Telco Group Inc. (Telco). 3/16/07. Word | Acrobat| Text
3/16/07
Order: In this Order, the Wireline Competition Bureau (Bureau) deny the request for review of a decision taken by the Universal Service Administrative Company (USAC or the Administrator) filed by WorldxChange Corp. (WorldxChange). 3/16/07. Word | Acrobat| Text
3/16/07
Order: In this Order, the Wireline Competition Bureau (Bureau) dismiss as moot the request for review of action taken by the Universal Service Administrative Company (USAC) filed by Advantage Telecommunications Corp. (Advantage). 3/16/07. Word | Acrobat| Text
3/16/07
Order: The National Exchange Carrier Association (NECA) files annually a proposed formula for calculating high-cost loop support for average schedule members of the common line pool. The Wireline Competition Bureau (Bureau) issued orders modifying each of NECA’s proposed formulas for the years 2000 through 2005. In turn, NECA filed Applications for Review (Applications) or Petitions for Reconsideration (Petitions) of each of the Bureau orders, requesting in each instance that the Commission or the Bureau adopt NECA’s preferred formula. 3/16/07. Word | Acrobat| Text
3/13/07
Order: In this Order, the Wireline Competition Bureau (Bureau) grant the petition of AT&T Corp. (AT&T) for clarification or, in the alternative, waiver of section 54.514(a) of the Commission’s rules, which states that service providers must allow the billed entity to choose the method of payment for the discounted services. Specifically, AT&T requests the Commission to clarify that AT&T’s on-line reimbursement process complies with section 54.514(a) of the Commission’s rules or, in the alternative, waive this rule as it applies to AT&T’s reimbursement process. As explained below, we find that AT&T’s on-line reimbursement process complies with the Commission’s rules. 3/13/07. Word | Acrobat| Text
3/13/07
Order: In this Order, the Wireline Competition Bureau (Bureau) has under consideration two Requests for Review filed by Send Technologies L.L.C. (Send Technologies) relating to services provided by Send Technologies to Union Parish School Board, Farmerville, Louisiana (Union Parish). Send Technologies seeks review of decisions by USAC denying Send Technologies’ appeal of commitment adjustment recovery actions. Consistent with precedent, we deny the Requests for Review and direct USAC to continue the commitment adjustment recovery actions regarding this matter. To the extent that Send Technologies requests a waiver of the Commission’s rules, we deny that request as well. 3/13/07. Word | Acrobat| Text
3/13/07
Order: In this Order, the Wireline Competition Bureau (Bureau) deny three separate requests for waiver, filed by three eligible telecommunications carriers (ETCs) – NPI-Omnipoint Wireless, LCC (NPI), SouthEast Telephone, Inc. (SouthEast), and SEI Data, Inc. (SEI) (collectively, Petitioners) – of certain filing deadlines required for receipt of high-cost universal support service as set forth in sections 54.307(c), 54.802(a), 54.809(c), and 54.903 of the Commission’s rules. We find that the Petitioners have failed to demonstrate that good cause warrants waiver of the Commission’s rules. 3/13/07. Word | Acrobat| Text
3/12/07
Order: In this Order, the Wireline Competition Bureau (Bureau) deny the petitions filed by American Cyber Corp. (ACC), Coleman Enterprises, Inc. (Coleman), Inmark, Inc., d/b/a Preferred Billing (Inmark), Lotel, Inc., d/b/a Coordinated Billing (Lotel), Protel Advantage, Inc. (Protel) (collectively, Petitioners) seeking review of the Universal Service Administrative Company’s (the Administrator) Decision on Contributor Appeal. 3/12/07. Word | Acrobat| Text
3/13/07
Public Notice: In this Public Notice, the Wireline Competition Bureau (Bureau) seeks to refresh the record on issues raised in the Further Notice of Proposed Rulemaking in the Lifeline and Link-Up docket. Because comments on the issue were filed several years ago, the passage of time and intervening developments may have rendered the records developed by those commenters stale. Moreover, some issues raised by commenters may have become moot or irrelevant in light of intervening events. For these reasons, the Bureau requests that parties refresh the record with any new information or arguments they believe to be relevant to deciding the issues still pending. The refreshed record will enable the Commission to undertake appropriate consideration of the issue of how best to provide support through the Lifeline and Link-Up programs to more low-income individuals and families. 3/13/07. Word | Acrobat| Text
3/12/07
Public Notice: In this Public Notice, the Wireline Competition Bureau (Bureau) seeks to refresh the record on issues raised in the Twelfth Report and Order and Twenty-Fifth Report and Order and Further Notice of Proposed Rulemaking in the above proceeding related to what constitutes a “near reservation” area for federal Lifeline and Link-Up support purposes. Because comments on the issue were filed several years ago, the passage of time and intervening developments have rendered the records developed by those commenters stale. Moreover, some issues raised by commenters may have become moot or irrelevant in light of intervening events. For these reasons, the Bureau requests that parties refresh the record with any new information or arguments they believe to be relevant to deciding the issues still pending. The refreshed record will enable the Commission to undertake appropriate consideration of the issue of how best to provide support through Lifeline and Link-Up to “near reservation” areas. 3/12/07. Word | Acrobat| Text
3/13/07
Order: In this Order, the Wireline Competition Bureau (Bureau) deny four appeals of decisions by the Universal Service Administrative Company (USAC) reducing or denying funding from the schools and libraries universal service support mechanism (also known as the E-rate program) for Funding Year 2001 on the grounds that they failed to timely submit an FCC Form 486. Under the E-rate program, eligible schools, libraries, and consortia that include eligible schools and libraries may apply for discounts for eligible telecommunications services, Internet access, and internal connections. After an applicant for discounted services under the E-rate program has entered into agreements for eligible services with one or more service providers, it must file an FCC Form 471 with USAC. The FCC Form 471 notifies USAC of the services that have been ordered and supplies an estimate of funds requested for eligible services. USAC then issues a funding commitment decision letter indicating the funding, if any, for which the applicant is approved to receive. After the funding year begins and the applicant begins receiving services at the discounted rate, the applicant submits an FCC Form 486 to USAC. The FCC Form 486 indicates that the service has begun, specifies the service start date and demonstrates that the applicant has received approval of its technology plans. The timely submission of FCC Form 486 ensures that disbursements for discounts on eligible services occur in a prompt and efficient manner. 3/13/07. Word | Acrobat| Text
3/13/07
Public Notice: In the Second Report and Order, the Commission changed its definition of “rural” for the purposes of the rural health care support mechanism. In March 2005, the American Telemedicine Association (ATA) filed a Petition for Reconsideration of the Commission’s Second Report and Order, in which it requested that the Commission grandfather, for an indefinite period of time, rural sites that were no longer eligible for rural health care support under the new definition of rural in the Second Report and Order, but which were eligible prior to the date of the Second Report and Order. By this Public Notice, we seek comment on the ATA Petition for Reconsideration. 3/13/07. Word | Acrobat| Text
3/13/07
Order: In this Order, the Wireline Competition Bureau (Bureau) address three appeals of decisions by the Universal Service Administrative Company (USAC) denying requests for funding under the schools and libraries universal service support mechanism. The decisions at issue involve the denial of funding on the ground that the underlying applications violated the Commission’s competitive bidding requirements. As discussed below, we find that the Petitioners complied with the Commission’s competitive bidding requirements in place at the time of their applications. We therefore grant the appeals and remand the underlying applications to USAC for further action consistent with this Order. To ensure that the underlying applications are resolved expeditiously, we direct USAC to complete its review of the applications and issue a decision based on a complete review and analysis no later than 90 days from release of this Order. 3/13/07. Word | Acrobat| Text
3/12/07
Order: In this Order, the Wireline Competition Bureau (Bureau) dismiss as moot the request of the Telecommunications Regulatory Board of Puerto Rico (Puerto Rico Board) for clarification or, in the alternative, waiver of section 54.311(b) of the Commission’s rules. 3/12/07. Word | Acrobat| Text
3/9/07
Order: In this Order, the Wireline Competition Bureau (Bureau) granted requests by California Youth Authority, Florence County School District 3, Lee County School District, and Moreno Valley Unified School District (collectively, Applicants) for an extension of the deadline for implementing non-recurring services under the E-rate program. The Bureau extended, until September 30, 2008, the deadline for Applicants to complete installation of non-recurring services for the funding years at issue in their Extension Requests. 3/9/07. Word | Acrobat| Text
3/9/07
Order: In this Order, the Wireline Competition Bureau (Bureau) denied a Request for Waiver filed by the Otsego Local School District seeking a waiver of the designation of its district as “urban” under section 54.505(b)(3) of the Commission’s rules by USAC for purposes of calculating its discount level under the schools and libraries universal service support mechanism. 3/9/07. Word | Acrobat| Text
3/9/07
Order: In this Order, the Wireline Competition Bureau (Bureau) dismissed as moot a Request for Review filed by Kress Independent School District Kress, seeking a service provider identification number (SPIN) change and a service substitution. Upon review of the record, the Bureau found that USAC had previously approved Kress’s request. 3/9/07. Word | Acrobat| Text
3/9/07
Order: In this Order, the Wireline Competition Bureau (Bureau) granted a request for review filed by the Tri-River Educational Computer Association (TRECA) of a decision by USAC that denied TRECA funding from the schools and libraries universal service support mechanism because USAC determined that TRECA failed to provide evidence of its authority to represent its consortium members. 3/9/07. Word | Acrobat| Text
3/9/07
Order: In this Order, the Wireline Competition Bureau (Bureau) grants Requests for Waiver filed by 44 applicants seeking waiver of the FCC Form 471 filing window deadline for Funding Years 2004, 2005, 2006, or 2007 under the schools and libraries support mechanism. The Bureau remands the underlying applications to USAC for further action consistent with the Bishop Perry Order. 3/9/07. Word | Acrobat| Text
3/9/07
Order: In this Order, the Wireline Competition Bureau (Bureau) grants the petition of the Kentucky Department of Education (Kentucky) seeking a waiver of section 54.504(c) of the Commission’s rules to enable Kentucky schools to use state master contracts to apply for universal service support under the schools and libraries support mechanism for Funding Year 2005 and future funding years. 3/9/07. Word | Acrobat| Text
2/12/07
Public Notice: In this Public Notice, Wireline Competition Bureau seeks comment on a petition filed by Dobson Cellular Systems Inc. and American Cellular Corporation pursuant to section 54.207 of the Commission’s rules, requesting the Commission’s agreement with the decision of the Oklahoma Corporation Commission to redefine the service areas of certain rural telephone companies in Oklahoma at the wire center level. 2/12/07. Word | Acrobat| Text
2/9/07
Public Notice: In this Public Notice, the Federal-State Joint Board on Universal Service (Joint Board) will hold an en banc hearing on Tuesday, February 20, 2007, in Washington, DC. 2/9/07. Word | Acrobat| Text
2/8/07
Order: In this Order, the Wireline Competition Bureau grant a petition filed by Smith Bagley, Inc. (SBI) seeking designation as an eligible telecommunications carrier (ETC) on the Navajo Reservation (Reservation) in Utah pursuant to section 214(e)(6) of the Communications Act of 1934, as amended (the Act). 2/8/07. Word | Acrobat| Text
2/8/07
Order: In this Order, the Telecommunications Access Policy Division, Wireline Competition Bureau adopted a protective order granting limited access to Exhibit E of the Cingular petition for designation as an eligible telecommunications carrier in the Commonwealth of Virginia. 2/8/07. Word | Acrobat| Text
2/6/07
Order on Reconsideration: In this Order, the Commission grant a Petition filed by National LambdaRail, Inc. (NLR) seeking reconsideration or, in the alternative, clarification of the Commission’s order establishing a rural health care pilot program to encourage the provision of telehealth and telemedicine services throughout the nation. Specifically, we find that pilot program applicants may request and, if selected, may receive funding to support up to 85 percent of the cost of connecting state and regional broadband networks to the University Corporation for Advanced Internet Development, Inc. (Internet2) or NLR. We further find that an applicant that proposes to connect its state or regional broadband networks to Internet2 or NLR may either (1) pre-select Internet2 or NLR; or (2) seek a competitive bid for the provision of nationwide backbone services from Internet2 or NLR. To ensure the success of the pilot program, we expect that Internet2 and NLR will interconnect or peer with each other. Finally, we provide applicants with an additional thirty (30) days time to submit their applications to the Commission. 2/6/07. Word | Acrobat| Text
2/5/07
Public Notice: Due Dates Extended for Comments and Reply Comments on Petition of Cingular Wireless, LLC for Designation as an Eligible Telecommunications Carrier in the State of Georgia. In the interest of developing a thorough and complete record in this proceeding, the Wireline Competition Bureau (Bureau) hereby extends the comment and reply comment filing deadlines. Parties therefore have until February 20, 2007 to file comments on the Cingular Petition in this docket, and until February 27, 2007 to file reply comments. 2/5/07. Word | Acrobat| Text
1/31/07
Public Notice: In this Public Notice, the Federal Communications Commission requires telecommunications providers to register with the Commission, comply with periodic reporting requirements, and contribute to certain regulatory programs. In this Public Notice, the Wireline Competition Bureau reminds telecommunications providers that are considered "de minimis" under the Commission’s rules of how these requirements apply to them. 1/31/07. Word | Acrobat| Text
1/31/07
Order: In this Order, the Wireline Competition Bureau grant Hopi request to be designated as an ETC on the Hopi Reservation and on a small portion of the Navajo Reservation in Arizona. 1/31/07. Word | Acrobat| Text
1/26/07
Public Notice: In this Public Notice, the Wireline Competition Bureau grants a request by Pine Cellular Phones, Inc. (Pine Cellular), an eligible telecommunications carrier (ETC) in Oklahoma, for a waiver of 54.307 of the Commission’s rules. 1/26/07. Word | Acrobat| Text
1/26/07
Public Notice: In this Public Notice, the Wireline Competition Bureau grants a request by MTA Communication Inc. d/b/a MTA Wireless (MTAW), an eligible telecommunications carrier, for a waiver of section 54.314(d) of the Commission’s rules. 1/26/07. Word | Acrobat| Text
1/26/07
Public Notice: In this Public Notice, the Wireline Competition Bureau granted a request by the Kansas Corporation Commission (Kansas Commission) for a waiver of section 54.313 and 54.314 of the Commission’s rules. 1/26/07. Word | Acrobat| Text
1/26/07
Public Notice: In this Public Notice, the Wireline Competition Bureau grants a request by AT&T Communications of NY and AT&T Communications of California (collectively, AT&T), eligible telecommunications carriers (ETC), for a waiver of section 54.802(a) of the Commission’s rules. 1/26/07. Word | Acrobat| Text
1/23/07
Public Notice: In this Public Notice, the Wireline Competition Bureau Invites Parties to Comment on the Petition of Cingular Wireless, LLC for Designation as an ETC in the State of Georgia. Comment Date: 2/6/07. Reply Comment Date: 2/13/07. 1/23/07. Word | Acrobat| Text
1/9/07
Order: In this Order, the Wireline Competition Bureau approves NECA’s proposed high-cost loop formula and USAC’s proposed local switching support formula. As we have done previously, we direct NECA and USAC to provide support to average schedule carriers consistent with this Order retroactive to January 1, 2007. 1/9/07. Word | Acrobat| Text
1/4/07
Public Notice: In this Public Notice, the Wireline Competition Bureau Seeks Comment on a Petition filed by American Cellular Corporation to Redefine the Service Areas of Certain Rural Telephone Companies in the State of Minnesota. Comment Date: 1/18/07. Reply Comment Date: 1/25/07. 1/4/07. Word | Acrobat| Text
1/1/07
Order: In this Order, the Wireline Competition Bureau grants a request by NPCR, Inc. (NPCR), an eligible telecommunications carrier (ETC), for a waiver of section 54.802(a) of the Commission’s rules. 1/1/07. Word | Acrobat| Text
2006
12/28/06
Order: In this Order, we grant the request of North River Telephone Cooperative (North River), an eligible telecommunications carrier (ETC) in Virginia, for a waiver of the annual filing deadline set forth in section 54.904(d) of the Commission’s rules. We find that North River has demonstrated good cause that warrants this waiver. 12/28/06. Word | Acrobat| Text
Order: In this Order, we grant MCI's petition for waiver of sections 54.802(a) and 54.809(c) of the Commission's rules. MCI missed its annual certification and three quarterly line reports for interstate access support (IAS) during a time when it was transitioning from bankruptcy. We find that MCI has demonstrated good cause to grant this waiver: MCI's difficulties with emerging from bankruptcy and the impact of a loss of approximately $1.5 million in IAS funding. 12/28/06. Word | Acrobat| Text
Order: In this Order, we grant Mid-Tex's petition for waiver of section 54.314(d)(5) of the Commission's rules and deny Mid-Tex's petition for waiver of section 54.904 of the Commission's rules. We find that Mid-Tex's ETC designation date made it impossible for the state commission to file the high-cost use certification prior to the deadline in section 54.314(d)(5). We also find that Mid-Tex's confusion over the ICLS certification deadline in section 54.904 did not warrant a waiver. 12/28/06. Word | Acrobat| Text
Order: In this Order, we grant San Isabel's request for a waiver of various line count and certification filing deadline so that it may receive universal service support beginning immediately after its ETC designation date of December 30, 2002. We conclude that the missed deadlines were not the fault of San Isabel. We deny, however, San Isabel's request for waiver of the two line count filing deadlines that occurred after the date the state commission certified San Isabel (Sept 24, 2003). We find no reason why San Isabel could not have submitted those required filings. As a result, San Isabel will not be eligible for universal service support for the first and second quarters of 2004. In summary, the Order permits San Isabel to be eligible for universal service support from Jan 1, 2003 to Dec 31, 2003 and from July 1, 2004 and thereafter. 12/28/06. Word | Acrobat| Text
11/17/06
Public Notice: Wireline Competition Bureau Seeks Nominations for Seven Board Member Positions on the Universal Service Administrative Company Board of Directors Pursuant to section 54.703(c) of the Commission's rules. 11/17/06. Word | Acrobat
7/27/06
Public Notice: Wireline Competition Bureau Seeks Comment on NPCR, Inc., Petition for Waiver of Section 54.802(a) of the Commission's Rules. In its petition, NPCR requests a waiver of the June 30, 2006, line count filing deadline set forth in 47 C.F.R. section 54.802 to enable it to receive Interstate Access Support for the months of July, August, and September 2006. Comment Date: 11/20/06. Reply Comment Date: 11/27/06. Word | Acrobat
7/27/06
Public Notice: Wireline Competition Bureau Seeks Comment on Petitions Requesting Waiver of Various Filing Deadlines Related to the Universal Service Program. Comment Date: 9/8/06. Reply Comment Date: 9/15/06. Word | Acrobat
Report and Order: Biennial Regulatory Review of Regulations Administered by the Wireline Competition Bureau. Section 11 requires the Commission to review biennially its regulations that apply to the operations and activities of any provider of telecom service and to determine whether these regulations are "no longer necessary in the public interest as the result of meaningful economic competition between providers of such service." FCC 06-86 CC Docket No. 02-313 Word | Acrobat
Public Notice: Wireline Competition Bureau Streamlines Reporting Requirements for Interconnected VoIP Providers and Announces OMB Approval of New FCC Forms 499-A and 499-Q. Word | Acrobat
6/21/06
Report & Order & NPRM: FCC Updates Approach for Assessing Contributions to the Federal Universal Service Fund. Acrobat
News Release: Word | Acrobat
Martin Statement: Word | Acrobat
Copps Statement: Word | Acrobat
Adelstein Statement: Word | Acrobat
Tate Statement: Word | Acrobat
McDowell Statement: Word | Acrobat
Order: Federal-State Joint Board on Universal Service, Schools and Libraries Universal Service Support Mechanism, Rural Health Care Support Mechanism, Lifeline and Link-up. The Commission extend certain steps taken to assist victims of Hurricane Katrina through targeted Universal Service Fund support. Granted petitions. FCC 06-23. CC Docket No. 96-45 and 02-6; WC Docket No. 02-60 and 03-109. Word | Acrobat
Public Notice: Wireline Competition Bureau Seeks Nominations for Board Member Position on USAC Board of Directors. Nominations Due: 3/17/06. Word | Acrobat
Order: Federal-State Joint Board on Universal Service, Federal-State Joint Board on Jurisdictional Separations, The Commission appoints the Honorable Deborah Taylor Tate, Commissioner of the Federal Communications Commission, to serve on the Federal-State-Joint Board on Universal Service and Jurisdictional Separations. Commissioner Tate shall also serve as the Federal Chair of both the Universal Service Joint Board and th3 Separations Joint Board. FCC 06-3. CC Docket No. 96-45 and 80-286. Word | Acrobat
2005
- 11/29/05
Order: The Wireline Competition Bureau grants a joint request for waiver of the study area boundary freeze filed by Sully Telephone Association, Inc. (Sully) and Reasnor Telephone Company, LLC (Reasnor). This waiver permits Sully to remove one exchange from its Iowa study area, and permits Reasnor to create a new Iowa study area for the acquired exchange. Reasnor is also granted a waiver of section 69.605(c) of the Commission’s rules to allow it to operate its new study area in Iowa as an interstate average schedule company. DA 05-3106. CC Docket No. 96-45. Word | Acrobat - 11/29/05
Order: The Wireline Competition Bureau grants a joint request for waiver of the study area boundary freeze filed by Direct Communications Cedar Valley, LLC (Direct Communications) and Qwest Corporation (Qwest). This waiver allows the territory served by Eagle Mountain City’s municipal telephone system (EMC) to be removed from Qwest’s study area and will allow Direct Communications to establish a new study area in the state of Utah. Direct Communications is also granted waiver of certain of the Commission's rules to allow it to become a member of the National Exchange Carrier Association (NECA), to receive interstate access settlements and universal service support pursuant to NECA’s average schedule formulas, and to receive, to the extent it is eligible, federal universal service support on the date that it would otherwise be entitled to receive such support. DA 05-3105. CC Docket No. 96-45. Word | Acrobat - 11/29/05
Order: The Wireline Competition Bureau grants a joint request for waiver of the study area boundary freeze filed by Madison River Telephone Company, LLC, its wholly owned subsidiary MebTel, Inc. d/b/a MebTel Communications (Madison River) and BellSouth Telecommunications, Inc. (BellSouth). The waiver permits BellSouth to remove two exchanges from its North Carolina study area, and permits Madison River to add these exchanges to its MebTel study area in North Carolina. Madison River is also granted a waiver of section 69.3(e)(11) of the Commission’s rules to allow it to continue to use the National Exchange Carrier Association (NECA) as its tariff pool administrator. DA 05-3104. CC Docket No. 96-45. Word | Acrobat - 11/29/05
Order: The Wireline Competition Bureau grants a joint request for waiver of the study area boundary freeze filed by United Telephone Company of Kansas (United) and Blue Valley Telecommunications, Inc. (Blue Valley). The waiver permits United to remove two exchanges from its Kansas study area, and permits Blue Valley to add these exchanges to its existing Kansas study area. Blue Valley is also granted a waiver of section 69.3(e)(11) of the Commission’s rules to allow it to continue to use the National Exchange Carrier Association (NECA) as its tariff pool administrator. DA 05-3103. CC Docket No. 96-45. Word | Acrobat - 9/21/05
Hurricane Katrina Relief Order: We waived our procedural rules relating to the Universal Service Fund ("USF") on an emergency interim basis. FCC 05-178 CC Docket Nos. 96-45 and 02-6 WC Docket Nos. 02-60 and 03-109 Word | Acrobat - 9/21/05
Waived Commission's procedural rules relating to universal service fund submissions. We waived our procedural rules relating to the Universal Service Fund ("USF") on an emergency interim basis. DA 05-2484 CC Docket Nos. 02-6 and 96-45; WC Docket Nos. 02-60 and 03-109 Word | Acrobat - 6/14/05
News Release: The Federal Communications Commission launched a broad inquiry into the management, administration and oversight of the Universal Service Fund. 6/14/05. Word | Acrobat - 6/14/05
Notice of Proposed Rulemaking and Further Notice of Proposed Rulemaking: In this NPRM we initiated a broad inquiry into the management and administration of the Universal Service Fund (USF), as well as the Commission's oversight of the USF and the USF Administrator. We sought comment on ways to improve the management, administration, and oversight of the USF, including simplifying the process for applying for USF support, speeding the disbursement process, simplifying the billing and collection process, addressing issues relating to the Universal Service Administrative Company, and exploring performance measures suitable for assessing and managing the USF programs. We sought comment on ways to further deter waste, fraud, and abuse through audits of USF beneficiaries or other measures, and on various methods for recovering improperly disbursed funds. 6/14/05. Word | Acrobat| Text
2004
- 12/10/04
FEDERAL STATE JOINT BOARD ON UNIVERSAL SERVICE, 1998 BIENNIAL REGULATORY REVIEW, CHANGES TO THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS OF THE NATIONAL EXCHANGE CARRIER ASSOCIATIONS, INC. Order modified the deadline for filing revisions to annual Telecommunications Reporting Worksheet (Worksheet or Form) 499-A. Granted and Remanded the Requests for Review of decisions by the Universal Service Administrative Company listed in Appendix A. CC Docket Nos. 96-45, 98-171, 97-21. Word | Acrobat - 11/29/04
Order on Reconsideration: In this Order the Commission addresses 12 petitions for reconsideration of the Universal Service First Report and Order and the Fourth Order on Reconsideration. These petitions concerned, among other issues, contributions and schools. Word | Acrobat - 4/29/04
Order: In this Order the Commission modifies it's rules to improve the effectiveness of the low-income support mechanism, which ensures that quality telecommunications services are available to low income consumers at just, reasonable and affordable rates. Word | Acrobat - 3/11/04
Order: The Wireline Competition Bureau grants and dismisses Genuity Telecom. Inc.'s petition to withdraw it's petition filed on November 13, 2003 which sought filing provisions of FCC Form 499-Q. Word | Acrobat - 2/27/04 Federal State Joint Board ("Joint Board") on Universal Service: Joint Board provides its recommendations concerning the process for designation of eligible telecommunications carriers and the Commission's rules regarding high-cost universal service support. Docket No. 96-45
Recommended Decision: Word | Acrobat
Abernathy Statement: Word | Acrobat
Jaber (Florida PSC) Statement: Word | Acrobat
Dunleavy (NY State PSC) Statement: Word | Acrobat
Gregg (West Virginia PSC) Statement: Word | Acrobat
Martin Statement: Word | Acrobat
Joint Separate Statement of Adelstein, Thompson (Regulatory Commission of Alaska), and Rowe (Montana PSC): Word | Acrobat - 2/26/04 Public Notice: The Wireline Competition Bureau released a draft of the revised Telecommunications Reporting Worksheet (FCC Form 499-A) for 2003 revenues. Word | Acrobat
Appendix A in Acrobat
Instructions in Acrobat - 1/22/04 Order: The Commission grants in part and denies in part, subject to enumerated conditions, the petition of Virginia Cellular, LLC to be designated as an eligible telecommunications carrier throughout its licensed service area in the Commonwealth of Virginia pursuant to section 214(e)(6) of the Communications Act of 1934, as amended. Word | Acrobat
2003
12/24/03
Public Notice: The Wireline Competition Bureau Released Estimated State-By-State High-Cost Universal Service Support Amount for Non-Rural Carriers for 2004. Word | Acrobat | Erratum | Excel Erratum
12/24/03
Line Counts Order: The Wireline Competition Bureau update line counts and other input data used in the Commission’s forward-looking economic cost model for purposes of calculating and targeting non-rural high-cost support beginning January 1, 2004. We deny a petition filed by the Maine Public Utilities Commission and the Vermont Public Service Board seeking reconsideration of the Wireline Competition Bureau’s (Bureau) 2002 Line Counts Update Order. Word | Word | Acrobat | Excel
12/24/03
NECA Proposed 2004 Modification of Average Schedule Formulas: On October 1, 2003, the National Exchange Carrier Association, Inc. (NECA) filed proposed modifications to the current universal service formulas for average schedule companies, requesting that they take effect on January 1, 2004, and remain in effect through December 31, 2004 These formulas include a local switching support formula and a Part 36 high-cost support formula. On October 17, 2003, a public notice was issued soliciting comments on NECA’s filing.For the reasons discussed below, we approve NECA's modified local switching support formula and, with respect to Part 36 high-cost support, we adopt NECA’s cost per loop formula (CPL formula). Word | Acrobat
12/22/03
Monitoring Report: News Release RE: The Federal-State Joint Board Staff Releases Monitoring Report. The Comprehensive Report Tracks Trends Related to Universal Service. Word | Acrobat
12/8/03
FCC-03-314, Released 12/8/03, CC DKT 96-45 and 97-21 Order RE: The Commission finds that the facts presented by the application of the Winston-Salem / Forsyth County School District for discounts under the schools and libraries universal service support mechanism do not justify a denial of funding based on the Commission’s Ysleta decision (FCC 03-313). Word | Acrobat
12/8/03
FCC-03-313, Released 12/8/03, CC DKT 96-45 and 97-21 Order RE: The Commission finds that Yselta Independent School District and other similarly-situated schools that contracted with International Business Machines, Inc. (IBM) as their service provider in Funding Year 2002 engaged in various practices that violated its competitive bidding rules under the schools and libraries universal service support mechanism. The Commission also concluded, however, that the circumstances of these applicants justified a waiver of the filing window requirements so that the applicants could re-bid on the requested services. Word | Acrobat
| November 2003 |
11/25/03
DA-03-3740, CC DKT 96-45 Order RE: BellSouth Corporation Petition for Clarification of Request for Immediate Relief by the State of Tennessee: Order clarifies that in the event it becomes necessary to initiate COMAD procedures with respect to the Tennessee FY 2002 application for discounts under the schools and libraries universal service support mechanism, that USAC should seek repayment directly from the subcontractors, or service providers, that receive funding from the Good Samaritan under the Tennessee Order. Word | Acrobat
11/10/03
DA-03-3601, CC DKT 96-45 Public Notice RE: The Public Notice announces the release of the revised Form 498 and accompanying instructions to be used to collect, contact, remittance and payment information from Service Providers that receive support from the Federal Universal Service Support Mechanisms. Word | Acrobat
| October 2003 |
10/6/03
DA-03-3056, CC DKT 96-45 Public Notice RE: The Public Notice initiates a proceeding to consider RCC Minnesota's Petition to Redefine Rural Telephone Company Service Areas in the State of Maine. Word | Acrobat
10/3/03
FCC-03-232, CC DKT 96-45 and CG 03-123 Order RE: The Order amends the Commission's rules governing certain financial reporting and auditing requirements applicable to the Universal Service Fund and the Telecommunications Relay Services (TRS) Fund. Word | Acrobat
| September 2003 |
9/9/03
DA-03-2859, CC DKT 96-45 Public Notice RE: The Public Notice indicates that it is initiating a proceeding to consider a service area redefinition petition filed by the Colorado Public Utilities Commission (CPUC). The CPUC is requesting the Commission’s agreement with the CPUC's proposed service area definition for areas served by the Wiggins Telephone Association within Colorado. Word | Acrobat
| July 2003 |
7/14/03
FCC-03-170, CC DKT 96-45 Order and Order on Reconsideration RE: The Order retains the existing list of services supported by universal service. With regard to equal access the Commission held that several of the arguments were within the scope of the Portability Proceeding and the Commission declined to make a decision with regard to equal access at this time.
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7/11/03
DA-03-2294, CC DKT 96-45 Public Notice RE: The Federal-State Joint Board on Universal to hold En Banc hearing on the Portability of the High-Cost Universal Service Support and the ETC designation process. Word | Acrobat
7/10/03
FCC-03-164, CC DKT 96-45 Remand Order RE: The Order on Remand which addresses two issues on remand from the United States Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit. This Order on Remand concludes that the $650 million IAS amount adopted in the CALLS Order represents a reasonable estimate of the implicit support in access charges to be replaced with explicit support and is supported by the record in this proceeding. The Order on Remand also concludes that the record supports the adoption of a 6.5 percent X-factor to achieve the Commission's target rate levels for price cap carriers. Word | Acrobat
7/3/03
FCC-03-151, CC DKT 96-45 Order RE: The Commission’s biennial regulatory review under section 11 of the Act. The order eliminates the requirement that NECA hold annual elections for its board of directors and that its directors serve one-year terms. The order also modifies the contested election requirement for NECA’s non-telecommunications industry directors (Outside Directors) so that no Outside Director may serve for more than six consecutive calendar years without standing for an election in which that director is opposed by at least one other qualified candidate.
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| June 2003 |
6/30/03
DA-03-1958, CC DKT 96-45 Order RE: Status of CIPA Filtering Rules for Libraries Following Supreme Court Decision
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6/16/03
DA-03-1958, CC DKT 96-45 Order RE: WESTERN WIRELESS CORPORATION: Granted Western Wireless' Request to Withdraw and Dismissed the Petition.
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6/13/03
DA-03-1937, CC DKT 96-45 Order RE: Palau National Communications Corporation: Granted the request to hold the petition in abeyance.
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| May 2003 |
5/21/03
FCC-03-115, CC DKT 96-45 Order on Reconsideration and Order RE: Addresses petitions for reconsideration of the Twelfth Report and Order, which adopted rules to provide additional targeted support to low-income consumers on tribal lands, and clarifies rules regarding the qualification criteria for enhanced Lifeline and Link-Up service.
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5/8/03
FCC-03-106, CC DKT 96-45; 00-256 Third Order on Reconsideration RE: Federal-State Joint Board on Universal Service, Mulit-Association Group Plan for Regulation of Interstate Services of Non-Price Cap Uncumbent Local Exchange Carriers and Interexchange Carriers and Interexchange Carriers . Addressed Administrative issues related to the Interstate Common Line Support Mechanism. Adopted 3rdOrder on Recon. Amended Part 54 of the Commission's Rules.
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| March 2003 |
3/14/03
FCC 03-58, CC DKT 96-45; 98-171; 90-571; 92-237; 99-200; 95-116; NSD File No. L-00-72 and 98-170 Order and Second Order on Reconsideration RE: Federal-State Joint Board on Universal Service addresses petitions for interim waiver and several petitions for reconsideration of rules recently adopted in the Interim Contribution Methodology Order regarding the assessment and recovery of contributions to the federal universal service support mechanisms.
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3/12/03
DA 03-754, CC DKT 96-45 Memorandum Opinion and Order RE: Grants the petition of Farmers to be designated as an ETC for its requested, non-rural service area in the state of Alabama.
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| February 2003 |
2/28/03
Order: DA 03-614, CC DKTS 96-45 and 97-21 Federal-State Joint Board on Universal Service RE: Petition for Limited Waiver of 47 C.F.R. Section 54.717(f) Regarding Audit Report Deadline Extended the filing deadline by which the independent auditor hired by the Universal Service Administrative Company (USAC) must submit its draft audit reoprt to the Wireline Competition Bureau for this year until 4/15/03.
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2/26/03
Order: FCC 03-31, CC DKTS 96-45; 98-171; 90-571; 92-237; 99-200; 95-116; 98-170 and NSD File # L-00-72 Staff Study RE: Staff study relating to alternative methodologies for calculating contributions to federal universal service.
Word | Acrobat | Text | Staff Study Cover Sheet | Staff Study
2/21/03
Public Notice: DA 03-486, CC DKT 96-45 Federal-State Joint Board on Universal Service RE: BellSouth, SBC, and Verizon Joint Petition for Waiver of Section 54.712 of the rules is Permit-But-Disclose Proceeding.
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| January 2003 |
1/30/03
Order and Order on Reconsideration: FCC 03-20, CC DKTS 96-45; 98-171; 90-571; 92-237; NSD File No. L-00-72; 99-200; 95-116 and 98-170 Federal-State Joint Board on Universal Service RE: The Commission reconsidered its definition of affiliate for purposes of CMRS providers making the single election whether to report actual interstate telecommunications revenues or use the applicable interim safe harbor.
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2002
December 2002
12/17/02
Order: DA 02-3474, CC DKT 96-45 and 97-21 ABC Cellular Corp. Page Now, Inc. ABC Paging, Inc. RE: Grants ABC Cellular's petition requesting that USAC accept its late-filed, revised Form 499-Q.
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12/4/02
Memorandum Opinion and Order: DA 02-3317, CC DKT 96-45 Cellular South License, Inc. RE: Grants the Petition of Cellular to be designated as an ETC throughtout its licensed service area under section 214(e)(6) of the Act.
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| November 2002 |
11/27/02
Memorandum Opinion and Order, DA 02-3181, CC DKT 96-45 RCC Holdings, Inc. RE: Grants the Petition of RCC to be designated as an ETC throughtout its licensed service area in the state of Alabama.
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11/8/02
Order, FCC 02-307, CC DKT 96-45 Federal-State Joint Board on Universal Service RE: The Commission asks the Joint Board to review the Commission's rules relating to high-cost universal service support in study areas in which a competitive ETC is providing service and support.
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| October 2002 |
10/4/02
Public Notice, DA 02-2551, CC DKT 96-45 Rural Health Care RE: New Universal Service Deadline for Completing Funding Year 2001 Rural Healthcare Appplication Process.
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| July 2002 |
7/10/02
Recommended Decision, FCC 02J-1, CC DKT 96-45 Federal-State Joint Board on Universal Service RE: The Joint Board recommends that the Commission retain the existing list of services supported by universal service by Recommended Decision.
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| June 2002 |
6/28/02
Order, FCC 02-196, CC DKT 96-45 Federal-State Joint Board on Universal Service Children's Internet Proctection Act (CIPA) RE: The Commission adopted interim measures to ensure that our implementation of the CIPA compiles with the recent decision issued by a 3-judge panel in the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania.
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6/13/02
Order, DA 02-1419, CC DKT 96-45 AT&T Corp. RE: Denied petition for waiver filed on 12/13/01, to access its contributions to universal service on projected, rather than historical, revenies.
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| May 2002 |
5/6/02
Order, DA 02-1027, CC DKTS 96-262, 94-1, 99-249 and 96-45 National Association of State Utility Consumer Advocates RE: Granted in part the request for limited modifications of Interim Protective Order to permit limited access to certain carrier-filed line count information.
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| April 2002 |
4/8/02
Order, DA 02-774, CC DKT 96-45 Roseville Telephone Company RE: Granted the request to withdraw the petition for limited waiver, and dismissed without prejudice for limited waiver of section 54.309.
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4/8/02
Order, DA 02-775, CC DKT 96-45 WJG Maritel Corporation RE: Granted the request to withdraw petition for waiver, and dismissed withut prejudice the petition for waiver of section 54.706.
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4/8/02
Order, DA 02-776, CC DKT 96-45 Cellular South License, Inc. RE: Granted the request to withdraw the petition for waiver, and dismissed without prejudice the petition for waiver of section 54.313.
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| March 2002 |
3/28/02
FCC 02-97, Order, CC DKT 96-45 Federal-State Joint Board on Universal Service RE: The Commission appoints the Honorable Billy Jack Gregg, West Virginia Consumer Advocate, to serve on the Federal-State Joint Board on Universal Service.
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3/22/02
FIRST ORDER ON RECONSIDERATION IN CC DOCKET NO. 00-256, TWENTY-FOURTH ORDER ON RECONSIDERATION IN CC DOCKET NO. 96-45 Re Multi-Association Group (MAG) Plan for Regulation of Non-Price Cap Incumbent Local Exchange Carriers. Federal-State Joint Board on Universal Service. Modifying the Commission's procedures with respect to the initial filing by rate-of-return carriers of data necessary for the Universal Service Administrative Company to calculate Interstate Common Line Support. (FCC 02-89, CC Dockets 00-256 & 96-45).
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3/8/02
Public Notice. Proposed Second Quarter 2002 Universal Service Contribution Factor. (CC Docket No. 96-45, DA 02-562).
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| February 2002 |
2/26/02
FNPRM and Report and Order. The Commission released a Further Notice of Proposed Rulemaking and Report and Order seeking comment on Connection-Based System to Provide Certainty, Reduce Administrative Costs and Avoid Marketplace Distortions. The FCC took further steps toward reform of the sytem for assessment and recovery of USF contributions. Comments are due on April 12, 2002, and Reply Comments are due on April 29, 2002. (Dkt No. 96-45,98-171, 90-571, 92-237, 99-200, FCC No. 02-43).
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2/15/02
NPRM. The Commission released a Notice of Proposed Rulemaking seeking comment on the regulatory classification of telephone-based broadband Internet access services. The Commission tentatively concluded that wireline broadband Internet access service is an information service with a telecommunications component. The Notice also seeks comment on whether providers of broadband Internet access should be required to contribute to universal service. (Dkt. No. CC 02-33, 95-20, 98-10) FCC 02-42.
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2/15/02
NPRM and Order. The Commision released a Notice of Proposed Rulemaking seeking comment on The NPRM seeks comment on: (1) how the Commission should define the key statutory terms "reasonably comparable" and "sufficient"; (2) whether, in light of the interpretation of those key statutory terms, the Commission can and should maintain the previously established benchmark or, in the alternative, should adopt a new benchmark or benchmarks; and (3) how the Commission should induce states to implement state universal service policies. the Commission released an NPRM and Order seeking comment on the issues in the Ninth Report and Order remanded by the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Tenth Circuit and referring the record to the Joint Board on Universal Service for a recommended decision by August 15, 2002. Comments Due: 30 days after publication in Federal Register. Reply Comments Due: 45 days after publication in Federal Register. (Dkt No. CC 96-45, 95-116, 98-170) FCC No. 02-41
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2/6/02
Order. The Commission released an Order concerning the "Deployment of Advanced Telecommunications Capability to All Americans in a Reasonable and Timely Fashion." (Dkt. No. CC 98-146) FCC 02-33.
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| January 2002 |
1/29/02
Order. The Commission released an Order dismissing approximately 100 petitions for reconsideration in the Universal Service and Local Competition Dockets (Dkt Nos. CC 96-45, 96-98.
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1/25/02
NPRM and Order. The Commission released an NPRM and Order seeking comment on a variety of ways to streamline the administrative and procedural processes of the schools and libraries program, and denies certains petitions for reconsideration. Comments are due April 5, 2002, and reply comments are due May 6, 2002. ( Dkt No. 02-6, FCC 02-8) Text | Word 1/25/02 Commissioner Copps' Statement 1/25/02
1/25/02
Order. The Common Carrier Bureau released an Order that grants the petition of Guam Cellular and Paging for designation as an eligible telecommunications carrier in Guam under section 214(e)(6). (Dkt No. CC-96-45, Released 1/25/01) DA 02-174 Text | Word
2001
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- 12/18/01
Public Notice. Common Carrier Bureau announces estimated state-by-state high-cost Universal Service support amounts for non-rural carriers for 2002. (Dkt No. CC-96-45, DA 01-2927.
Text | Word | Attached Spreadsheet - 12/18/01
Order. Common Carrier Bureau released an Order that updates line count input values for the high-cost universal service support mechanism for non-rural carriers for purposes of calculating and targeting support amounts for the year 2002. The Bureau also updates the company-specific data used in the model to calculate investment in general support facilities and switching costs. Finally, the Bureau denies a petition for reconsideration filed by Sprint Corporation of the Bureau's 2001 Line Counts Update Order. (Dkt No. CC-96-45, DA 01-2928.
Text | Word - 11/14/01
Public Notice. The Commission released a Public Notice that provides parties that filed petitions for reconsideration of the Universal Service First Report and Order and Local Competition First and Second Report and Order with a final opportunity to indicate an intent to pursue their respective petitions. Comment Date: December 20, 2001. (Dkt No. CC-96-45, 96-98, DA 01-2636
Acrobat | Text - 11/8/01
Order. The Commission released a Report and Order in the Multi-Association Group (MAG) proceeding that reforms the interstate access charge structure for rate-of-return carriers, and creates a new universal service support mechanism, Interstate Common Line Support, to replace implicit support for universal service in their access charges. The companion Further Notice seeks additional comment on the MAG incentive plan and on the MAG's proposed changes to the Commission's "all-or-nothing" rule. It also seeks comment on pricing flexibility measures for rate-of-return carriers, and on merging the Long Term Support mechanism into the new support mechanism as of July 1, 2003. (Dkt Nos. CC-96-45, 00-256, 98-77, 98-166, FCC 01-304 Comment date: February 15, 2002, Reply Comment date: March 18, 2002.
Text | Word | Acrobat - 11/2/01
Public Notice. Federal-State Joint Board on Universal Service Seeks Nominations for Board Member Position on the Universal Service Administrative Company Board of Directors. (Dkt No. CC-96-45, 97-21) DA 01-2515
Acrobat | Text - 10/11/01
Public Notice. Federal-State Joint Board on Universal Service Seeks Comment on Review of Lifeline and Link-Up Service For All Low-Income Consumers. (Dkt No. CC-96-45) FCC 01J-2
Acrobat | Text - 10/5/01
Order. The Commission released an Order appointing the Honorable Michael J. Copps, Commissioner of the Federal Communications Commission, to serve as Commissioner on the Federal-State Joint Board on Universal Service. (Dkt No. 96-45, Released 10/5/01). FCC 01-281.
Text | Word - 10/5/01
Order. The Federal Communications Commission released an Order that finds that the FCC, not the South Dakota PUC, has jurisdiction to designate Western Wireless an ETC for service to tribal members on the Pine Ridge Reservation. (Dkt No. CC-96-45, Released 10/5/01) FCC 01-284
Acrobat | Text - 10/5/01
Order. The Federal Communications Commission released an Order that designates Western Wireless as an ETC for service to tribal members on the Pine Ridge Reservation in South Dakota. (Dkt No. CC-96-45, Released 10/5/01) FCC 01-283
Acrobat | Text - 9/11/01
Public Notice. The Common Carrier Bureau released a Public Notice seeking comment on updating line counts and other limited information used in calculating high-cost universal service support for non-rural carriers for 2002. Comment Date: 15 days from publication in the Federal Register. Reply Comment Date: 21 days from publication in the Federal Register (Dkt No. CC-96-45, Released 9/11/01) DA 01-2107
Text | Word - 9/4/01
Public Notice. The Common Carrier Bureau released a Public Notice seeking nominations for seven Board member positions on the Board of Directors of the Universal Service Administrative Company. All nominations must be filed with the the Federal Communications Commission's Office of the Secretary by October 4, 2001. (Dkt No. CC-96-45, 97-21, Released 9/4/01) DA No. 01-2078. - 8/10/01
Notice: The Federal Communications Commission initiated its third inquiry under section 706 of the Telecommunications Act of 1996 into whether "advanced telecommunications capability" is being deployed to all Americans in a reasonable and timely fashion. Comments Due: 30 days after publication in Federal Register. Reply Comments Due: 45 days after publication in Federal Register. (Dkt No 96-45, FCC No. 01-223)
Text | Word - 7/12/01
Order. The Commission released an Order appointing the Honorable Kathleen Q. Abernathy, the Honorable Kevin J. Martin, the Honorable Lila A. Jaber, Commissioner of the Florida Public Service Commission, and the Honorable Thomas J. Dunleavy to serve on the Joint Board on Universal Service. ( Dkt No. 96-45) FCC 01-202
Text | Word - 7/12/01
Order. The Commission released an Order appointing the Honorable Kevin J. Martin and the Honorable Michael J. Copps, Commissioners of the Federal Communications Commission, to serve on the Federal-State Joint Board on Separations. ( Dkt No. 96-45) FCC 01-203
Text | Word - 7/11/01
Public Notice. The Common Carrier Bureau released a Public Notice asking parties to refresh the record regarding Reconsideration of Rules adopted in the 1997 Universal Service Report and Order. (Dkt No. CC-96-45) DA No. 01-1647.
Text | Word - 6/29/01
Order. The Commission released the attached Report and Order that will provide additional time for recipients under the schools and libraries universal service support mechanism to implement contracts with service providers for non-recurring services. Also, the Commission decided to not revise the Commission's rules of priority for Funding Year 4 of the schools and libraries program. Federal-State Joint Board on Universal Service, ( Dkt No. 96-45) FCC 01-195
Text | Word - 6/20/01
Public Notice. The Common Carrier Bureau released Public Notice seeking comment on translation of the cost model from Turbo-Pascal computer language to Delphi computer language and announces posting of updated Turbo-Pascal version of the cost model. Comments Due: 45 days from publication in Federal Register. Reply Comments Due: 60 days from publication in Federal Register. (Dkt No. CC-96-45) DA No. 01-1458.
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