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 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  04-  3503 
 FEDERAL-  STATE  JOINT  BOARD  ON  UNIVERSAL  SERVICE  TO  HOLD  EN  BANC  HEARING  ON  HIGH-  COST  UNIVERSAL  SERVICE  SUPPORT  IN  AREAS  SERVED 
 BY  RURAL  CARRIERS 
 CC  Docket  No.  96-  45 
 Release  Date:  November  2,  2004 


 The  Federal-  State  Joint  Board  on  Universal  Service  (Joint  Board)  will  hold  an  en  banc  hearing  on  Wednesday,  November  17,  2004,  in  Nashville,  Tennessee.  The  Joint  Board  will 
 discuss  the  Commission’s  rules  relating  to  the  basis  of  high-  cost  universal  service  support  in  areas  served  by  rural  carriers,  the  definition  of  rural  telephone  company,  the  basis  of  support  for 
 competitive  eligible  telecommunications  carriers,  and  high-  cost  universal  service  support  for  transferred  exchanges.  1  Panelists  representing  a  broad  range  of  interests  will  discuss  their 
 positions  and  respond  to  questions  from  the  Joint  Board  members. 
 The  hearing  will  be  held  from  1:  00  p.  m.  to  5:  00  p.  m.  at  the  Gaylord  Opryland  Resort,  2800  Opryland  Drive,  Nashville,  TN  37214.  The  agenda  for  the  hearing  and  a  list  of  panelists 


 are  attached.  The  hearing  is  open  to  the  public  and  seating  will  be  available  on  a  first-  come,  first-  served  basis. 


 For  further  information,  contact  Ted  Burmeister,  Telecommunications  Access  Policy  Division,  Wireline  Competition  Bureau  at  (202)  418-  7400,  TTY  (202)  418-  0484. 


 1  See  Federal-  State  Joint  Board  on  Universal  Service,  CC  Docket  No.  96-  45,  Order,  19  FCC  Rcd  11538  (2004) 
 (Referral  Order);  Federal-  State  Joint  Board  on  Universal  Service  Seeks  Comment  on  Certain  of  the  Commission’s  Rules  Relating  to  High-  Cost  Universal  Service  Support,  CC  Docket  No.  96-  45,  Public  Notice,  FCC 


 04J-  2  (rel.  Aug.  16,  2004). 
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