*Pages 1--3 from Microsoft Word - 6579.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- 278 COMMON CARRIER BUREAU SEEKS COMMENT ON WESTERN WIRELESS’ PETITION FOR DESIGNATION AS AN ELIGIBLE TELECOMMUNICATIONS CARRIER FOR THE PINE RIDGE RESERVATION IN SOUTH DAKOTA PLEADING CYCLE ESTABLISHED CC Docket No. 96- 45 Release Date: February 2, 2001 Comment Date: 30 days after publication in Federal Register Reply Comment Date: 45 days after publication in Federal Register On January 19, 2001, Western Wireless Corporation (Western Wireless) filed with the Commission a petition under section 214( e)( 6) seeking designation as an eligible telecommunications carrier (ETC) to receive federal universal service support for the provision of service on the Pine Ridge Reservation in South Dakota. 1 Specifically, Western Wireless contends that: 1) telecommunications service offered on the Pine Ridge Reservation is not subject to the jurisdiction of the South Dakota Public Utilities Commission (South Dakota Commission), 2) Western Wireless meets all the statutory and regulatory requirements to be an ETC, and 3) designating Western Wireless as an ETC for the Reservation will advance the public interest. 2 The Common Carrier Bureau seeks comment on Western Wireless’ petition. In the Twelfth Report and Order, the Commission concluded that a carrier seeking a designation of eligibility to receive federal universal service support for telecommunications service provided on tribal lands may petition the Commission for designation under section 214( e)( 6), without first seeking designation from the appropriate state commission. 3 The 1 See Western Wireless Corporation Petition for Designation as an Eligible Telecommunications Carrier for the Pine Ridge Reservation in South Dakota, filed January 19, 2001 (Western Wireless Petition). 2 Western Wireless Petition at 1- 2. 3 Federal- State Joint Board on Universal Service; Promoting Deployment and Subscribership in Unserved and Underserved Areas, Including Tribal and Insular Areas, Twelfth Report and Order, Memorandum Opinion and Order, and Further Notice of Proposed Rulemaking, CC Docket No. 96- 45, FCC 00- 208 (rel. June 30, 2000) (Twelfth Report and Order) at para. 115. The petitioner must set forth in its petition the basis for its assertion 1 2 petitioner must provide copies of its petition to the appropriate state commission at the time of filing with the Commission. Pursuant to the guidelines established in the Twelfth Report and Order, the Commission will publish a copy of this Public Notice, or a summary thereof, in the Federal Register. 4 The Commission will also send the Public Notice announcing the comment and reply comment dates to the South Dakota Commission by overnight express mail to ensure that the state commission is notified of the notice and comment period. To ensure that all interested parties are aware of the comment dates, the Bureau will issue a Public Notice following Federal Register publication specifying the exact comment and reply comment dates. 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 as follows: comments are due 30 days after publication of the Public Notice in the Federal Register and reply comments are due 45 days after publication of the Public Notice in the Federal Register. 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 . Generally, only one copy of an electronic submission must be filed. 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