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 09-2097 Released: September 23, 2009 PLEADING CYCLE ESTABLISHED FOR COMMENTS ON PETITION OF QWEST WIRELESS FOR WAIVER OF THE COMMISSION’S RULES ON CONTRIBUTIONS TO THE INTERSTATE TELECOMMUNICATIONS RELAY SERVICE FUND CG DOCKET NO. 03-123 Comments Due: October 14, 2009 Reply Comments Due: October 21, 2009 On June 26, 2009, Qwest Wireless filed a petition for waiver1 of the Interstate Telecommunications Relay Service (TRS) Fund contribution requirement contained in the Commission’s rules, 47 C.F.R. §64.604(c)(5)(iii).2 Specifically, Qwest Wireless seeks a waiver of the relevant contribution rule so that it would not contribute to the Interstate TRS Fund in the funding year beginning July 1, 2009.3 Qwest Wireless states that it is exiting the telecommunications business and will discontinue service on October 31, 2009.4 Qwest Wireless further states that it is seeking this waiver “so that its contributions to the TRS Fund in calendar year 2009 are better aligned with the recovery of TRS costs from its current customers.”5 Pursuant to sections 1.415 and 1.419 of the Commission’s rules, 47 C.F.R. §§ 1.415, 1.419, interested parties may file comments are due on or before October 14, 2009 and reply comments may be filed on or before October 21, 2009. When filing comments, please reference CG Docket No. 03-123. 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. See Electronic Filing of Documents in Rulemaking Proceedings, 63 Fed. Reg. 24,121 (1998). Comments filed through the ECFS can be sent as an electronic file via the Internet by accessing the ECFS: http://www.fcc.gov/cgb/ecfs/ or the Federal Rulemaking Portal: http://www.regulations.gov. Filers should follow the instructions provided on the website for submitting comments. If multiple docket or rulemaking numbers appear in the caption of this proceeding, commenters must transmit one electronic copy of the comment to each docket or rulemaking number referenced in the caption. In completing the transmittal screen, commenters 1 See Qwest Wireless, Petition for Waiver of the TRS Fund Contribution Rules, 47 C.F.R. § 64.604(c)(5)(iii), CG Docket No. 03-123, filed June 26, 2009 (Qwest Wireless Petition). 2 See 47 C.F.R. § 64.604(c)(5)(iii) (requiring every interstate telecommunications service carrier to contribute to the Interstate TRS Fund on the basis of interstate end-user telecommunications revenues). 3 Qwest Wireless Petition at 3. 4 Id. 5 Id. 2 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, commenters should send an e-mail to ecfs@fcc.gov, and should include the following words in the body of the message, "get form." A sample form and directions will be sent in reply. 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, commenters must submit two additional copies for each additional docket or rulemaking number. Filings can be sent by hand or messenger delivery, by electronic media, by commercial overnight courier, or by first-class or overnight U.S. Postal Services 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 or electronic media 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 and electronic media sent by 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 mail, Express Mail, and Priority Mail should be addressed to 445 12th Street, SW, Washington, D.C. 20554. Parties who choose to file by paper should also submit their comments on CD-Rom. The CD- Rom should be submitted, along with three paper copies, to: Dana Wilson, Consumer & Governmental Affairs Bureau, Disability Rights Office, 445 12th Street, SW, Room 3-C418, Washington, D.C. 20554. Such a submission should be on CD-Rom formatted in an IBM compatible format using Word 2003 or compatible software. The CD-Rom should be accompanied by a cover letter and should be submitted in "read only" mode. The CD-Rom should be clearly labeled with the commenter's name, proceeding (including the lead docket number) in this case, CG Docket No. 03-123, type of pleading (comment or reply comment), date of submission, and the name of the electronic file on the CD-Rom. The label should also include the following phrase "CD-Rom Copy - Not an Original." Each CD-Rom should contain only one party's pleadings, preferably in a single electronic file. In addition, commenters must send CD-Rom copies to the Commission's copy contractor, Portals II, 445 12th Street, SW, Room CY- B402, Washington, D.C. 20554. Pursuant to section 1.1206 of the Commission’s rules, 47 C.F.R. § 1.1206, this proceeding will be conducted as a permit-but-disclose proceeding in which ex parte communications are subject to disclosure. Persons making oral ex parte presentations are reminded that memoranda summarizing the presentations must contain summaries of the substance of the presentations and not merely a listing of the subjects discussed. More than a one- or two-sentence description of the views and arguments presented generally is required. See 47 C.F.R. § 1.1206(b). Other rules pertaining to oral and written ex parte presentations in permit-but-disclose proceedings are set forth in section 1.1206(b) of the Commission's rules, 47 C.F.R. § 1.1206(b). The full text of this document and copies of any subsequently filed documents in this matter will be available for public inspection and copying during regular business hours at the FCC Reference Information Center, Portals II, 445 12th Street, SW, Room CY-A257, Washington, D.C. 20554. This document and copies of subsequently filed documents in this matter may also be purchased from the Commission’s duplicating contractor at Portals II, 445 12th Street, SW, Room CY-B402, Washington, DC 20554. Customers may contact the Commission’s contractor at their web site www.bcpiweb.com, email at fcc@bcpiweb.com, or by calling 1-800-378-3160. A copy of the Petition for Waiver may also be found by searching ECFS at http://www.fcc.gov/cgb/ecfs (insert CG Docket No. 03-123 into the proceeding block). 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 3 Affairs Bureau at (202) 418-0530 (voice), (202) 418-0432 (TTY). This Public Notice can also be downloaded in Word or Portable Document Format (PDF) at: http://www.fcc.gov/cgb/dro/trs.html. For further information, please contact Dana Wilson, Consumer and Governmental Affairs Bureau, Disability Rights Office, at (202) 418-2247 (voice), (202) 418-7898 (TTY), or e-mail at Dana.Wilson@fcc.gov. -FCC-