PUBLIC NOTICE Federal Communications Commission 445 12th St., S.W. Washington, D.C. 20554 News Media Information 202 / 418-0500 Internet: http://www.fcc.gov TTY: 1-888-835-5322 DA 08-1847 Released: August 5, 2008 DEADLINE FOR ANNUAL LIFELINE VERIFICATION SURVEYS AND CERTIFICATIONS WC Docket No. 03-109 Each year, eligible telecommunications carriers (ETCs) are required to verify the continued eligibility of a statistically valid sample of their Lifeline subscribers.1 Under the terms of the Lifeline Order, states that have their own state-based Low-Income programs are required to establish state- specific verification procedures.2 These state procedures should include how ETCs should verify continued eligibility and to whom the results should be submitted.3 States that do not have state-based low-income programs are designated “federal default states.” ETCs in federal default states must follow the certification and verification procedures set out in the Lifeline Order.4 In a July 10, 2007 Public Notice, the Wireline Competition Bureau announced that an ETC in a state with its own state-based Low-Income program must submit a certification, signed by an officer of the company, to the Universal Service Administrative Company (USAC) by August 31, 2007, and on August 31 of each subsequent year thereafter, attesting that the ETC has complied with the state verification procedures.5 The July 10, 2007 Public Notice also announced that all ETCs in federal default states must submit their annual Lifeline verification survey results to USAC by August 31, 2007, and on August 31 of each subsequent year thereafter.6 Because August 31, 2008, falls on a Sunday and September 1, 2008, is a Federal holiday, this year the actual deadline will be September 2, 2008. Accordingly, this Public Notice serves as a reminder that by September 2, 2008, an ETC in a state with its own state-based Low-Income program must submit a certification, signed by an officer of the company, to USAC attesting that the ETC has complied with the state verification procedures, and all ETCs in federal default states must also submit their annual Lifeline verification survey results to USAC 1 Federal-State Joint Board on Universal Service Lifeline and Link-Up, WC Docket No. 03-109, Report and Order and Further Notice of Proposed Rulemaking, 18 FCC Rcd 8302 (2004) (Lifeline Order). 2 Id. at 8322, para. 33. 3 Id. at 8324, para. 37. 4 Id. 5 Deadline for Annual Lifeline Verification Surveys, Public Notice, 22 FCC Rcd 12753 (2007). 6 Id. See also 47 C.F.R. §§ 1.4(e)(2), (j). 2 by September 2, 2008.7 ETCs can refer to USAC’s web page at http://www.usac.org/li/telecom/step08/ for further details regarding the submission process. The full text of this document is available for public inspection and copying during regular business hours at the FCC Reference Information Center, Portals II, 445 12th Street, S.W., Room CY- A257, Washington, DC, 20554. This document may also be purchased from the Commission’s duplicating contractor, Best Copy and Printing, Inc., 445 12th Street, S.W., Room CY-B402, Washington, D.C. 20554, telephone (202) 488-5300, facsimile (202) 488-5563, or via e-mail at FCC@BCPIWEB.COM. People with Disabilities: To request materials in accessible formats for people with disabilities (braille, large print, electronic files, audio format), send an e-mail to fcc504@fcc.gov or call the Consumer & Governmental Affairs Bureau at 202-418-0530 (voice), 202-418-0432 (tty). For more information, contact Elizabeth Valinoti McCarthy, Telecommunications Access Policy Division, Wireline Competition Bureau at (202) 418-7400, TTY (202) 418-0484. - FCC - 7 See 47 C.F.R. § 1.4(j) (providing that, when the calculated filing date falls on a “holiday,” the document is due to be filed on the next business day). See also 47 C.F.R. § 1.4(e)(2) (defining the term “holiday” as “Saturday, Sunday, officially recognized Federal legal holidays and any other day on which the Commission's offices are closed and not reopened before 5:30 p.m.”).