*Pages 1--1 from Microsoft Word - 34557* 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- 4071 December 24, 2003 WIRELINE COMPETITION BUREAU RELEASES ESTIMATED STATE- BY- STATE HIGH- COST UNIVERSAL SERVICE SUPPORT AMOUNTS FOR NON- RURAL CARRIERS FOR 2004 CC Docket No. 96- 45 Today the Wireline Competition Bureau (Bureau) released an order updating line counts and other input data used in the Commission’s forward- looking economic cost model for purposes of calculating and targeting non- rural high- cost support beginning January 1, 2004. 1 The spreadsheet attached to this Public Notice shows estimated state- by- state non- rural high- cost support amounts based on the revised cost estimates generated by the model using the input values adopted in the 2004 Line Counts Update Order. The version of the cost model used to generate these estimates is posted on the Commission’s web site at (www. fcc. gov/ ccb/ apd/ hcpm). The non- rural high- cost support estimates were adjusted to reflect the quarterly line counts filed by non- rural carriers on September 30, 2003. The attached spreadsheet also shows interim hold- harmless support, long term support, and interstate access support amounts for non- rural carriers, as well as high- cost support amounts for rural carriers, based on projections for the first quarter of the year 2004 filed by the Universal Service Administrative Company (USAC) on October 31, 2003. 2 For further information regarding this Public Notice, please contact Katie King or Tom Buckley at (202) 418- 7400. 1 Federal- State Joint Board on Universal Service, Order, CC Docket No. 96- 45, DA 03- 4070 (Wireline Comp. Bur. rel. December 24, 2003) (2004 Line Counts Update Order). Support amounts will continue to be adjusted each quarter based on the wire center line count data reported quarterly by non- rural carriers. Federal- State Joint Board on Universal Service, Order, CC Docket No. 96- 45, 16 FCC Rcd 22418, 22421, para. 9 (Com. Car. Bur. 2001); Federal- State Joint Board on Universal Service, CC Docket No. 96- 45, Order, 15 FCC Rcd 23960, 23964, para. 11 (Com. Car. Bur. 2000). 2 USAC files quarterly projections with the Commission for the high- cost and other universal service programs, which the Bureau then makes available on the Commission’s Web site at http:// www. fcc. gov/ ccb/ universal_ service/ quarter. html. 1