*Pages 1--3 from Microsoft Word - 15477* 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 02- 510 COMMON CARRIER BUREAU SEEKS COMMENT ON GUAM CELLULAR AND PAGING, INC. d/ b/ a SAIPANCELL PETITION FOR DESIGNATION AS AN ELIGIBLE TELECOMMUNICATIONS CARRIER ON THE ISLAND OF SAIPAN IN THE COMMONWEALTH OF THE NORTHERN MARIANA ISLANDS PLEADING CYCLE ESTABLISHED CC Docket No. 96- 45 Release Date: March 4, 2002 Comment Date: 30 days after publication in Federal Register Reply Comment Date: 45 days after publication in Federal Register On February 19, 2002, Guam Cellular and Paging, Inc. d/ b/ a Saipancell (Saipancell) 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 service offered on the island of Saipan in the Northern Mariana Islands. 1 Specifically, Saipancell contends that: 1) the Commonwealth Utilities Corporation, which is the public utility commission of the Northern Mariana Islands, has provided an affirmative statement that it does not regulate commercial mobile radio service (CMRS) carriers, 2) Saipancell meets all the statutory and regulatory prerequisites for ETC designation, and 3) designating Saipancell as an ETC will serve the public interest. 2 Pursuant to section 54.207( c) of the Commission’s rules, 3 Saipancell also requests that the Commission redefine the service area of the incumbent rural local exchange carrier, 1 See Guam Cellular and Paging, Inc. d/ b/ a Saipancell Petition for Designation as an Eligible Telecommunications Carrier on the Island of Saipan in the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands, filed February 19, 2002 (Saipancell Petition). 2 Saipancell Petition at 1- 4. 3 See 47 C. F. R. § 54.207( c) (outlining the requirements for petitions seeking to redefine a service area of a rural telephone company). 1 2 Micronesian Telephone Corporation (MTC). 4 MTC serves three islands in the Northern Mariana Islands - Saipan, Tinian, and Rota. 5 Saipancell seeks redefinition of the MTC service area to enable Saipancell to be designated as an ETC only for the island of Saipan. 6 The Common Carrier Bureau seeks comment on the Saipancell petition, including the requested service area redefinition. The petitioner must provide copies of its petition to the Commonwealth Utilities Corporation at the time of filing with the Commission. The Commission will also send a copy of this Public Notice to the Commonwealth Utilities Corporation by overnight express mail to ensure that the Commonwealth Utilities Corporation is notified of the notice and comment period. 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