Federal Communications Commission
Washington, D.C. 20554
November 28, 2008
DA 08-2578
Scott Barash
Universal Service Administrative Company
2000 L Street, NW
Suite 200
Washington, DC 20036
Dear Mr. Barash:
This letter directs the Universal Service Administrative Company (USAC) to hold in abeyance 
until February 28, 2009, any adjustments in universal service fund high-cost loop support for the Virgin 
Islands Telephone Corporation (Vitelco).  
On November 19, 2008, Vitelco filed an emergency petition for waiver of sections 
32.2000(g)(2)(ii) and 36.621 of the Commission’s rules to address, among other things, financial strain 
resulting from the devastation inflicted by Hurricane Omar on Vitelco’s telecommunications network, and 
the negative impact of these rules on Vitelco’s universal service high-cost loop support. Vitelco also 
requests that, while its waiver request remains pending, the Commission instruct USAC to hold in 
abeyance until February 28, 2009, any adjustments to Vitelco’s universal service high-cost loop support 
payments.  In its petition, Vitelco states that Hurricane Omar, which struck the United States Virgin 
Islands on October 16, 2008, caused massive damage to Vitelco’s telecommunications infrastructure, and 
has resulted in unprecedented financial strain on Vitelco.  Vitelco, therefore, requests that the 
Commission direct USAC to hold in abeyance until February 28, 2009, adjustments to Vitelco’s high-cost 
loop support payments while the Commission considers Vitelco’s emergency petition for waiver.  In light 
of the issues raised in this proceeding and the potential for harm to Vitelco’s customers absent grant of 
Vitelco’s abeyance request, we instruct USAC to hold in abeyance until February 28, 2009, any 
adjustments in Vitelco’s universal service high-cost loop support payments, pending further Commission 
action.  
This instruction to hold in abeyance is limited to any adjustments in Vitelco’s high-cost loop 
support payments related to the impact of the Commission’s rules addressed in Vitelco’s November 19, 
2008 emergency petition for waiver.
Sincerely,
Dana R. Shaffer
Chief
Wireline Competition Bureau
Cc:   Thomas J. Navin
Nicholas M. Holland