*Pages 1--2 from Microsoft Word - 8873.doc* PUBLIC NOTICE Federal Communications Commission 445 12 th St., S. W. Washington, D. C. 20554 News Media Information 202 / 418- 0500 Fax- On- Demand 202 / 418- 2830 TTY 202 / 418- 2555 Internet: http:// www. fcc. gov ftp. fcc. gov DA 01- 1154 _____________________________________________________________________________________ OKLAHOMA TELEPHONE & TELEGRAPH INC. SEEK A WAIVER OF SECTION 36.621( A)( 4) IN PART 36 OF THE COMMISSION’S RULES PLEADING CYCLE ESTABLISHED CC Docket No. 96- 45 Release Date: May 8, 2001 Comment Date: May 30, 2001 Reply Comment Date: June 11, 2001 In its Fourth Order on Reconsideration, in the Universal Service proceeding, the Commission adopted a formula that limits the amount of corporate operations expense that a carrier can include in its high cost loop support mechanisms for the Universal Service Fund (USF). 1 On April 30, 2001, Oklahoma Telephone & Telegraph, Inc. (OT& T), pursuant to section 1.3 of the Commission’s rules, filed a letter seeking a waiver of the corporate operations expense limitation in section 36.621( a)( 4)( ii) of the Commission’s rules to allow it to include its actual corporate operations expense in the calculation of its federal USF expense adjustment. 2 OT& T contends that granting its request will serve the public interest by providing it with adequate cost recovery, thereby allowing it to maintain affordable rates in rural Oklahoma. Pursuant to sections 1.415 and 1.419 of the Commission’s rules, 47 C. F. R. §§ 1.415, 1.419, interested parties may file comments on or before May 30, 2001, and reply comments on or before June 11, 2001. Comments may be filed using the Commission’s Electronic comment Filing System (ECFS) or by filing paper copies. See Electronic Filing of Documents in Rulemaking Proceedings, 63 Fed. Reg. 24,121 (1998). Comments filed through the ECFS can be sent as an electronic file via the Internet to 1 In the Matter of Federal State Joint Board on Universal Service, Fourth Order on Reconsideration, CC Docket No. 96- 45, 13 FCC Rcd 5318 (1997). 2 Letter of Oklahoma Telephone & Telegraph, Inc. (OT& T) for a Waiver of Section 36.621( a)( 4) of the Commission’s Rules, CC Docket 96- 45, filed April 30, 2001. 1 2 http:// www. fcc. gov/ e- file/ ecfs. html. Generally, only one copy of an electronic submission must be filed. If multiple docket or rulemaking numbers appear in the caption of this proceeding, however, commenters must transmit one electronic copy of the comments to each docket or rulemaking number referenced in the caption. In completing the transmittal screen, commenters should include their full name, Postal Service mailing address, and the applicable docket or rulemaking number. Parties may also submit electronic comments by Internet e- mail. To receive filing instructions for e- mail comments, commenters should send an e- mail to ecfs@ fcc. gov, and should include the following words in the body of the message, “get form