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: 09-2362 Release Date: November 2, 2009 COMMENT SOUGHT ON NORTH CAROLINA TELEHEALTH NETWORK REQUEST FOR EXTENSION OF THE JUNE 30, 2010 DEADLINE FOR FUNDING COMMITMENT REQUESTS UNDER THE RURAL HEALTH CARE PILOT PROGRAM WC Docket No. 02-60 Comment Date: December 2, 2009 Reply Comment Date: December 17, 2009 The Wireline Competition Bureau seeks comment on a request filed by the North Carolina TeleHealth Network (NCTN) for an extension of the June 30, 2010 deadline to file funding commitment requests under the universal service Rural Health Care Pilot Program (Pilot Program).1 To request funding under the Pilot Program, participants must first file with the Universal Service Administrative Company (USAC) an FCC Form 465 (Description of Services Requested and Certification Form), describing the services for which they are seeking funding. After a participant selects a vendor, the participant must file with USAC an FCC Form 466-A (Internet Service Funding Request and Certification Form) and related attachments.2 Funding year 2009 is the final funding year of the three-year Pilot Program and participants must file all of their funding commitment requests with USAC by the end of the funding year, which is June 30, 2010.3 NCTN has requested a one-year extension of the funding commitment request deadline, to June 30, 2011. Interested parties may file comments on or before December 2, 2009 and reply comments on or before December 17, 2009. All pleadings are to reference WC Docket No. 02-60. Comments may be filed using the Commission’s Electronic Comment Filing System (ECFS) or by filing paper copies.4 1 Letter from Dr. William Pilkington, Director Cabarrus Health Alliance (Program Coordinator for NCTN), to Thomas Buckley, Wireline Competition Bureau, WC Docket No. 02-60 (dated Oct. 2, 2009). 2 Rural Health Care Support Mechanism, WC Docket No. 02-60, Order, 22 FCC Rcd 20360, 20403-05; 20409, paras. 83-85, 93 (2007) (2007 Pilot Program Selection Order). 3 Id. at 20373, para. 33. Although Pilot Program participants must file their funding commitment requests by June 30, 2010, they may receive funding under the Pilot Program for five years from the date of their initial funding commitment from USAC. Id. at 20362, 20374, 20409, paras. 4, 35, 94. 4 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/. Filers should follow the instructions provided on the website 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, N.E., 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, S.W., Washington D.C. 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). In addition, one copy of each pleading must be sent to each of the following: (1) The Commission’s duplicating contractor, Best Copy and Printing, Inc., 445 12th Street, S.W., Room CY-B402, Washington, D.C. 20554, www.bcpiweb.com; phone: (202) 488-5300, fax: (202) 488- 5563; (2) Ernesto Beckford, Telecommunications Access Policy Division, Wireline Competition Bureau, 445 12th Street, S.W., Room 5-A317, Washington, D.C. 20554; e-mail: Ernesto.Beckford@fcc.gov; and (3) Antoinette Stevens, Telecommunications Access Policy Division, Wireline Competition Bureau, 445 12th Street, S.W., Room 5-B521, Washington, D.C. 20554; e-mail: Antoinette.Stevens@fcc.gov. Filings and comments are also 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, D.C. 20554. They may also be purchased from the Commission’s duplicating contractor, Best Copy and Printing, Inc., Portals II, 445 12th Street, S.W., Room CY-B402, Washington, D.C. 20554, telephone: (202) 488-5300, fax: (202) 488-5563, or via e-mail www.bcpiweb.com. 3 This matter shall be treated as a “permit-but-disclose” proceeding in accordance with the Commission’s ex parte rules.5 Persons making oral ex parte presentations are reminded that memoranda summarizing the presentations must contain summaries of the substance of the presentation 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.6 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.7 For further information, please contact Ernesto Beckford, Telecommunications Access Policy Division, Wireline Competition Bureau at (202) 418-7400 or TTY (202) 418-0484. - FCC - 5 47 C.F.R. §§ 1.1200 et seq. 6 See 47 C.F.R. § 1.1206(b)(2). 7 47 C.F.R. § 1.1206(b).