*Pages 1--3 from Microsoft Word - 29423* PUBLIC NOTICE Federal Communications Commission 445 12th St., S. W. Washington, D. C. 20554 DA 03- 2297 July 14, 2003 COMMENTS INVITED ON STRATOS OFFSHORE SERVICES COMPANY APPLICATION TO DISCONTINUE DOMESTIC TELECOMMUNICATIONS SERVICES Comp. Pol. File No. 654 Comments Due: July 28, 2003 Section 214 Application Applicant: Stratos Offshore Services Company On May 21, 2003, Stratos Offshore Services Company (Stratos or Applicant), located at 6903 Rockledge Drive, Ste. 500, West Bethesda, Maryland 20817, filed an application with the Federal Communications Commission (FCC or Commission), requesting authority under section 214( a) of the Communications Act of 1934, as amended, 47 U. S. C. § 214( a), and section 63.71 of the Commission's rules, 47 C. F. R. § 63.71, to discontinue its maritime public coast service. The application indicates that Stratos currently offers its maritime public coast service through the following public coast stations: Callsign File Number Group KEB611 0002147353 MC WHG845 0002147353 MC WHG955 0002147353 MC WHG956 0002147353 MC WHG957 0002147353 MC WHG958 0002147353 MC WHV617 0002147353 MC WHW741 0002147353 MC According to Stratos, this service provides VHF radio to telephone interconnection via manual means to an area in the Gulf of Mexico located 12 miles beyond the shore, from the outflow of the Mississippi River to Mexico. Stratos states that other technologies have made this type of service obsolete, and that Stratos and other carriers offer alternative automatic services. Stratos has provided the notice required by the Commission’s rules to send a copy of the application to News media information 202 / 418- 0500 Fax- On- Demand 202 / 418- 2830 Internet: http:// www. fcc. gov TTY 202 / 418- 2555 1 2 the Secretary of Defense, Attn. Special Assistant for Telecommunications. Stratos states that notice was not provided to the public utility commission or the governor of any state because the stations affected by this application are located in, and serve the area of the Gulf of Mexico, which is not a part of any state. Stratos also indicates in its application and a June 25, 2003 supplementary letter that its service is a casual calling service with no presubscribed customers, and that no calls have been made from any of the above stations in the Stratos system since August 11, 2002. Consequently, Stratos indicates that it does not have any customers to notify of the planned discontinuance. In accordance with 47 C. F. R. § 63.71( c), the application will be deemed to be automatically granted on the thirty- first (31st) day after the release date of this notice, unless the Commission has notified the Applicant that the grant will not be automatically effective. Accordingly, pursuant to section 63.71( c), absent further Commission action, Stratos may not terminate the service affected by this application until August 14, 2003. The Commission will normally authorize proposed discontinuances of service unless it is shown that customers or other end users would be unable to receive service or a reasonable substitute from another carrier, or that the public convenience and necessity would be otherwise adversely affected. This proceeding is considered a “permit but disclose” proceeding for purposes of the Commission's ex parte rules, 47 C. F. R. §§ 1.1200 - 1.1216. Comments objecting to this application must be filed with the Commission on or before July 28, 2003. Such comments should refer to Comp. Pol. File No. 654. Comments should include specific information about the impact of this proposed discontinuance on the commenter, including any inability to acquire reasonable substitute service. The original and four (4) copies of the comments should be sent to the Office of the Secretary, Federal Communications Commission, 445 12 th Street, S. W., Room TW- A325, Washington, D. C. 20554. Two (2) copies of the comments should also be sent to the Competition Policy Division, Wireline Competition Bureau, Federal Communications Commission, 445 12 th Street, S. W., Room 6- A207, Washington, D. C. 20554, Attention: Carmell Weathers. In addition, comments should be served upon the Applicant. Commenters are also requested to fax their comments to the FCC at (202) 418- 2345, Attention: Carmell Weathers. Filings can be sent by hand or messenger delivery, by commercial overnight courier, or by first- class or overnight U. S. Postal Service mail (although we continue to experience delays in receiving U. S. Postal Service mail). The Commission's contractor, Vistronix, Inc., will receive hand- delivered or messenger- delivered paper filings for the Commission's Secretary at 236 Massachusetts Avenue, N. E., Suite 110, Washington, D. C. 20002. The filing hours at this location are 8: 00 a. m. to 7: 00 p. m. All hand deliveries must be held together with rubber bands or fasteners. Any envelopes must be disposed of before entering the building. Commercial overnight mail (other than U. S. Postal Service Express Mail and Priority Mail) must be sent to 9300 East Hampton Drive, Capitol Heights, MD 20743. U. S. Postal Service first- class mail, Express Mail, and Priority Mail should be addressed to 445 12th Street, S. W., Washington, D. C. 20554. All filings must be addressed to the Commission's Secretary, Office of the Secretary, Federal Communications Commission. The application will be available for review and copying during regular business hours at the FCC Reference Center, Portals II, 445 12 th Street, S. W., Room CY- A257, Washington, D. C. 20554, (202) 418- 0270. A copy of the application may also be purchased from the Commission’s copy contractor, Qualex International, Portals II, 445 12 th Street, S. W., Room 2 3 CY- B402, Washington, D. C. 20554, telephone (202) 863- 2893, facsimile (202) 863- 2898, or via e- mail at qualexint@ aol. com. For further information, contact Carmell Weathers, (202) 418- 2325 (voice), cweather@ fcc. gov, or Rodney McDonald, (202) 418- 7513 (voice), rlmcdona@ fcc. gov, of the Competition Policy Division, Wireline Competition Bureau. The TTY number is (202) 418- 0484. For further information on procedures regarding Section 214 please visit http:// www. fcc. gov/ wcb/ cpd/ other_ adjud. -FEDERAL COMMUNICATIONS COMMISSION- 3