*Pages 1--2 from Microsoft Word - 33816* PUBLIC NOTICE Federal Communications Commission 445 12 th St., S. W. Washington, D. C. 20554 News Media Information 202 / 418- 0500 Internet: http:// www. fcc. gov TTY: 1- 888- 835- 5322 DA 03- 3822 Release Date: November 26, 2003 WIRELINE COMPETITION BUREAU SEEKS COMMENT ON PETITION OF MICHIANA METRONET INC., CENTENNIAL MICHIGAN RSA 6 CELLULAR CORP., AND CENTENNIAL MICHIGAN RSA 7 CELLULAR CORP. FOR WAIVER OF SECTION 54. 313( D) OF THE COMMISSION’S RULES CC Docket No. 96- 45 Comment Date: December 10, 2003 Reply Comment Date: December 17, 2003 On November 4, 2003, Michiana Metronet Inc., Centennial Michigan RSA 6 Cellular Corp., and Centennial Michigan RSA 7 Cellular Corp. (Petitioners) filed a petition with the Commission seeking waiver of the April 1 deadline set forth in section 54.313( d), which requires states to file an annual certification with the Universal Service Administrative Company and the Commission stating that all universal service high- cost support received by such carrier will be used “only for the provision, maintenance, and upgrading of facilities and services for which support is intended.” 1 Petitioners are Commercial Mobile Radio Service carriers providing service in the State of Michigan and were designated as eligible telecommunications carriers (ETCs) by the Michigan Public Service Commission (Michigan Commission) on September 11, 2003. 2 Although the Michigan Commission met the October 1 filing deadline so that Petitioners can receive high- cost support as of first quarter 2004, Petitioners seek a waiver of the April 1 deadline so that they can receive support as of the date of their ETC designation, i. e., September 11, 2003, through fourth quarter 2003. 3 Petitioners state that granting a waiver of the filing deadline would be consistent with the Commission’s goals of competitive neutrality and of preserving and advancing universal service. 4 Petitioners therefore request 1 Michiana Metronet Inc., Centennial Michigan RSA 6 Cellular Corp., and Centennial Michigan RSA 6 Cellular Corp. Petition for Waiver of Section 54. 314( d) of the Commission’s Rules, filed November 4, 2003 (Petition). 47 C. F. R. § 54. 314( d)( 3) (states must certify by April 1 for rural carriers to receive high- cost support for the third and fourth quarters of that same year). 2 Petition at 1. 3 Id. at 2- 3. 4 Id. at 4- 5. 1 2 that the Commission grant the waiver request so that they can receive high- cost universal service support for the period of September 11, 2003 to December 31, 2003. 5 We invite comment on the Petitioners’ waiver request. Pursuant to applicable procedures set forth in sections 1.415 and 1.419 of the Commission’s rules, interested parties may file comments on or before December 10, 2003, and reply comments on or before December 17, 2003. All filings should refer to CC Docket No. 96- 45. Comments may be filed using the Commission’s Electronic Comment Filing System (ECFS) or by filing paper copies. 6 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. 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, U. S. Postal Service mailing address, and the applicable docket or rulemaking number. Parties may also submit an electronic comment by Internet e- mail. To get filing instructions for e- mail comments, commenters should send an e- mail to , and should include the following words in the body of the message, “get form .” A sample form and directions will be sent in reply. Parties who choose to file by paper must file an original and four copies of each filing. If more than one docket or rulemaking number appears in the caption of this proceeding, commenters must submit two additional copies for each additional docket or rulemaking number. 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, Natek, Inc., will receive hand- delivered or messenger- delivered paper filings for the Commission’s Secretary at 236 Massachusetts Avenue, NE, Suite 110, Washington, DC 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 then 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 12 th Street, SW, Washington, DC 20554. All filings must be addressed to the Commission’s Secretary, Marlene H. Dortch, Office of the Secretary, Federal Communications Commission. Parties also must send three paper copies of their filing to Sheryl Todd, Telecommunications Access Policy Division, Wireline Competition Bureau, Federal Communications Commission, 445 12 th Street, SW, Room 5- B540, Washington, DC 20554. In addition, commenters must send diskette copies to the Commission’s copy contractor, Qualex International, Portals II, 445 12 th Street, SW, Room CY- B402, Washington, DC 20054. Pursuant to section 1.1206 of the Commission’s rules, 47 C. F. R. § 1.1206, this proceeding will be conducted as a permit- but- disclose proceeding in which ex parte communications are permitted subject to disclosure. For further information, contact Scott A. Mackoul, Telecommunications Access Policy Division, Wireline Competition Bureau at 202- 418- 7498 or Scott. Mackoul@ fcc. gov. The TTY number is 202- 418-0484. 5 Id. at 6. 6 See Electronic Filing of Documents in Rulemaking Proceedings, 63 Fed. Reg. 24121 (1998). 2