PUBLIC NOTICE Federal Communications Commission 445 12th St., SW Washington, DC 20554 News Media Information 202 / 418-0500 Internet: http://www.fcc.gov TTY: 1-888-835-5322 DA 08-2064 Released: September 9, 2008 COMMENT SOUGHT ON CENTURYTEL PETITION FOR ELECTION OF PRICE CAP REGULATION AND FOR LIMITED WAIVER OF PRICING AND UNIVERSAL SERVICE RULES WC Docket No. 08-191 COMMENTS DUE: October 9, 2008 REPLY COMMENTS DUE: October 24, 2008 On September 2, 2008, CenturyTel, Inc. (CenturyTel) filed a petition to convert its rate-of-return study areas to price cap regulation on January 1, 2009, and, to the extent necessary, requested limited waivers of certain pricing and universal service high-cost support rules related to CenturyTel’s election.1 Specifically, CenturyTel proposes to convert its switched access rates to the price cap access rate structure established in the CALLS order. CenturyTel proposes to initialize switched and special access rates for study areas where CenturyTel files its own tariffs “at July 1, 2008 rates, using the same demand figures used to compute those rates.”2 CenturyTel would initialize its switched and special access rates for its cost-based study areas participating in the National Exchange Carrier Association access tariffs “based on 2007 revenue requirements and 2007 demand.”3 CenturyTel would migrate its switched access rates to an average traffic-sensitive (ATS) rate of $0.0095 since it has less than 12 access lines per square mile at the holding company level.4 CenturyTel proposes to continue to receive Interstate Common Line Support (ICLS) frozen per line in the amount of ICLS that CenturyTel received in 2008. CenturyTel also asks that “it be permitted to wait to make its next annual access filing until July 1, 2010 as a one-time transition waiver of the rules.”5 Interested parties may file comments on or before October 9, 2008, and reply comments on or before October 24, 2008. Comments may be filed using: (1) the Commission’s Electronic Comment Filing System (ECFS), (2) the Federal Government’s eRulemaking Portal, or (3) by filing paper copies.6 1 CenturyTel, Inc., Petition for Conversion to Price Cap Regulation and for Limited Waiver Relief, WC Docket No. 08-191 (filed Sept 2, 2008). 2 Id. at iii. 3 Id. 4 Id. 5 Id. at iv. 6 See Electronic Filing of Documents in Rulemaking Proceedings, GC Docket No. 97-113, Report and Order, 13 FCC Rcd 11322 (1998). 2 § Electronic Filers: Comments may be filed electronically using the Internet by accessing the ECFS: http://www.fcc.gov/cgb/ecfs/ or the Federal eRulemaking Portal: http://www.regulations.gov. Filers should follow the instructions provided on the websites for submitting comments. For ECFS filers, if multiple docket or rulemaking numbers appear in the caption of this proceeding, filers must transmit one electronic copy of the comments for each docket or rulemaking number referenced in the caption. In completing the transmittal screen, filers 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, filers should send an e-mail to ecfs@fcc.gov, and include the following words in the body of the message, “get form.” A sample form and directions will be sent in response. § Paper Filers: 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, filers 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). All filings must be addressed to the Commission’s Secretary, Office of the Secretary, Federal Communications Commission. § The Commission’s contractor will receive hand-delivered or messenger-delivered paper filings for the Commission’s Secretary at 236 Massachusetts Avenue, NE, Suite 110, Washington, D.C. 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 than 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, Express, and Priority mail should be addressed to 445 12th Street, SW, Washington DC 20554. 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). All filings must be addressed to the Commission's Secretary, Marlene H. Dortch, Office of the Secretary, Federal Communications Commission, 445 12th Street, SW, Room TW-A325, Washington, DC 20554. Parties should also send a copy of their filings to Douglas Slotten, Pricing Policy Division, Wireline Competition Bureau, Federal Communications Commission, Room 5-A233, 445 12th Street, SW, Washington, DC 20554, or by e-mail to Douglas.Slotten@fcc.gov. Parties shall also serve one copy with the Commission’s copy contractor, Best Copy and Printing, Inc. (BCPI), Portals II, 445 12th Street, SW, Room CY-B402, Washington, DC 20554, (202) 488-5300, or via e-mail to fcc@bcpiweb.com. Documents in WC Docket No. 08-191 are available for public inspection and copying during business hours at the FCC Reference Information Center, Portals II, 445 12th St. SW, Room CY-A257, Washington, D.C. 20554. The documents may also be purchased from BCPI, telephone (202) 488-5300, 3 facsimile (202) 488-5563, TTY (202) 488-5562, e-mail fcc@bcpiweb.com. These documents may also be viewed on the Commission’s website at http://www.fcc.gov/cgb/ecfs. For further information, contact Douglas Slotten of the Pricing Policy Division, Wireline Competition Bureau at (202) 418-1572. - FCC -