*Pages 1--2 from Microsoft Word - 11942.doc* PUBLIC NOTICE Federal Communications Commission 445 12th 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- 2303 Released: October 4, 2001 WTB DENIES SPRINT PCS REQUEST TO ADVANCE REPLY COMMENT DATE ON WIRELESS LNP FORBEARANCE PETITION FILED BY VERIZON WIRELESS WT DOCKET NO. 01- 184 The Federal Communications Commission's (Commission's) rules require commercial mobile radio service (CMRS) providers to support service provider local number portability (LNP) in the top 100 Metropolitan Statistical Areas (MSAs) by November 24, 2002. 1 Service provider LNP is a service that provides residential and business telephone customers with the ability to retain, at the same location, their existing telephone numbers when switching from one local telephone service provider to another. On July 26, 2001, Verizon Wireless (Verizon) submitted a petition for forbearance from the LNP requirements. 2 On August 7, 2001, the Verizon petition was placed on public notice. 3 Comments on the Verizon petition were due on September 21, 2001 and reply comments are due on or before October 22, 2001. On September 17, 2001, Sprint PCS (Sprint) filed a petition to advance the reply comments deadline by ten days from October 22 to October 12, 2001. 4 Sprint argues that such action would give the Commission additional time to deliberate and would permit more prompt action in this matter. 5 We deny Sprint’s petition to advance the reply comment date. Advancing the reply comment date is not necessary to ensure that the Commission act promptly to address Verizon’s petition for forbearance. In fact, advancing the reply comment date might have an adverse effect on our ability to reach a decision on 1 47 C. F. R. § 52. 31. 2 Verizon Wireless Petition Pursuant to 47 U. S. C. § 160 for Partial Forbearance from the Commercial Mobile Radio Services Number Portability Obligation, WT Docket 01- 184 (filed July 26, 2001) (Verizon Petition). 3 Public Notice, “WTB Seeks Comments on Wireless LNP Forbearance Petition Filed By Verizon Wireless” DA 01- 1872, released August 7, 2001. 4 Sprint PCS Petition to Advance Reply Comment Date and to Adopt Expedited Decision- Making Processes, WT Docket 01- 184 (filed September 17, 2001) (Sprint Petition). 5 Sprint Petition at 7. 1 the issues raised in the petition by limiting the ability of interested parties to prepare thorough and thoughtful reply comments in response to complex issues concerning technological innovation. We note that Sprint also requests that the Commission adopt an expedited decision- making process to address the Verizon petition. 6 We have included Sprint’s request as part of the record in this proceeding and will consider it as part of our consideration of the Verizon petition. For further information concerning this proceeding, contact Jennifer Salhus, Policy Division, Wireless Telecommunications Bureau, at (202) 418- 1310. -FCC- 6 Sprint Petition at 8- 9. We note that, alternatively, Sprint requests that the Commission either (a) suspend the LNP deadline to a date one year after it enters an order in this forbearance proceeding or (b) act favorably on the pending reconsideration petitions that seek separation between the LNP and number pooling start dates by delaying the LNP compliance deadline until January 2004. Sprint Petition at 1. As indicated above, we will consider Sprint’s requests as part of the Verizon request. 2