*Pages 1--2 from Microsoft Word - 61498.doc* PUBLIC NOTICE Federal Communications Commission 445 12 th Street, 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 06- 2483 December 8, 2006 WIRELINE COMPETITION BUREAU GRANTS EXTENSION OF TIME TO FILE COMMENTS ON VERIZON’S PETITIONS FOR FORBEARANCE IN THE BOSTON, NEW YORK, PHILADELPHIA, PITTSBURGH, PROVIDENCE, AND VIRGINIA BEACH METROPOLITAN STATISTICAL AREAS WC Docket No. 06- 172 Comments Due: February 2, 2007 Reply Comments Due: March 19, 2007 On December 6, 2005, COMPTEL filed a Motion for Extension of Time (Motion). 1 In this Motion, COMPTEL asks for an extension of time to file comments on the Verizon Telephone Companies’ (Verizon) petitions for forbearance in the Boston, New York, Philadelphia, Pittsburgh, Providence, and Virginia Beach metropolitan statistical areas. 2 The current deadline for filing comments is December 15, 2006, and the deadline for filing reply comments is January 29, 2007. 3 1 See Letter from Mary C. Albert, Counsel for COMPTEL, to Marlene H. Dortch, Secretary, FCC, WC Docket No. 06- 172 Attach. (filed Dec. 6, 2006). 2 Petition of the Verizon Telephone Companies for Forbearance Pursuant to 47 U. S. C. § 160( c) in the Boston Metropolitan Statistical Area, WC Docket No. 06- 172 (filed Sept. 6, 2006) (Verizon Boston Petition); Petition of the Verizon Telephone Companies for Forbearance Pursuant to 47 U. S. C. § 160( c) in the New York Metropolitan Statistical Area, WC Docket No. 06- 172 (filed Sept. 6, 2006) (Verizon New York Petition); Petition of the Verizon Telephone Companies for Forbearance Pursuant to 47 U. S. C. § 160( c) in the Philadelphia Metropolitan Statistical Area, WC Docket No. 06- 172 (filed Sept. 6, 2006) (Verizon Philadelphia Petition); Petition of the Verizon Telephone Companies for Forbearance Pursuant to 47 U. S. C. § 160( c) in the Pittsburgh Metropolitan Statistical Area, WC Docket No. 06- 172 (filed Sept. 6, 2006) (Verizon Pittsburgh Petition); Petition of the Verizon Telephone Companies for Forbearance Pursuant to 47 U. S. C. § 160( c) in the Providence Metropolitan Statistical Area, WC Docket No. 06- 172 (filed Sept. 6, 2006) (Verizon Providence Petition); Petition of the Verizon Telephone Companies for Forbearance Pursuant to 47 U. S. C. § 160( c) in the Virginia Beach Metropolitan Statistical Area, WC Docket No. 06- 172 (filed Sept. 6, 2006) (Verizon Virginia Beach Petition) (collectively, Verizon Petitions). 3 On September 14, 2006, the Wireline Competition Bureau issued a public notice indicating that the comments would be due on October 30, 2006 and the reply comments would be due on November 29, 2006. See Pleading Cycle Established for Comments on Verizon’s Petitions for Forbearance in the Boston, New York, Philadelphia, Pittsburgh, Providence, and Virginia Beach Metropolitan Statistical Areas, WC Docket No. 06- 172, Public Notice, DA 06- 1869 (WCB rel. Sept. 14, 2006). On October 18, 2006, in the interests of developing a thorough and complete record in this proceeding, the Wireline Competition Bureau, on its own motion, extended the deadlines 1 DA 06- 2483 2 Although requests for extensions of time are not routinely granted, 4 we do occasionally grant limited extensions of time when we find that the public interest would be served by doing so. In this case, we believe that granting COMPTEL’s request, in part, is in the public interest. COMPTEL asks for an additional 30 and 45 days, respectively, after the Commission rules on the pending Motion to Dismiss filed by ACN Communications Services, Inc., et. al., and Motion to Compel Disclosure of Confidential Information Pursuant to Protective Order filed by Broadview Networks, Inc. et. al. 5 Although the Bureau does not establish a date certain as to when the pending motions will be resolved, we do believe that extending the deadlines will provide the Commission additional time to resolve some difficult issues regarding the data in this proceeding and to allow a more complete and well- developed record in this proceeding. Parties therefore have until February 2, 2007 to file comments on the Verizon Petitions in this docket, and until March 19, 2007 to file reply comments. For further information regarding this proceeding, contact Tim Stelzig, Wireline Competition Bureau, (202) 418- 0942. allowing parties until December 15, 2006 to file comments and until January 29, 2007 to file reply comments. See Wireline Competition Bureau Grants Extension of Time to File Comments on Verizon’s Petitions for Forbearance in the Boston, New York, Philadelphia, Pittsburgh, Providence, and Virginia Beach Metropolitan Statistical Areas, WC Docket No. 06- 172, Public Notice, DA 06- 1869 (WCB rel. Oct. 18, 2006). 4 See 47 C. F. R. § 1.46( a). 5 See Pleading Cycle Established for Comments on Motion to Compel Disclosure of Confidential Information Pursuant to Protective Order and Motion to Dismiss, WC Docket No. 06- 172, Public Notice, DA 06- 2056 (WCB rel. Oct. 18, 2006); Letter from Brett Heather Freedson, Counsel for CLEC Parties, to Marlene H. Dortch, Secretary, FCC, WC Docket No. 06- 172 Attach. (filed Oct. 11, 2006), amended by Letter from Brett Heather Freedson, Counsel for CLEC Parties, to Marlene H. Dortch, Secretary, FCC, WC Docket No. 06- 172 Attach. (filed Oct. 13, 2006) (jointly, Motion to Compel); Letter from Andrew D. Lipman et al., Counsel for ACN Communications Services, Inc. et al., to Marlene H. Dortch, Secretary, FCC, WC Docket No. 06- 172 (filed Oct. 16, 2006) (Motion to Dismiss). 2