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 10-1602 Release Date: August 24, 2010 COMMENT SOUGHT ON WHETHER STANDING ROCK TELECOMMUNICATIONS, INC. SHOULD BE DESIGNATED AN ELIGIBLE TELECOMMUNICATIONS CARRIER IN PARTIAL RURAL WIRE CENTERS SO THAT IT CAN SERVE THE ENTIRE STANDING ROCK SIOUX RESERVATION WC Docket No. 09-197 Comment Date: September 23, 2010 Reply Comment Date: October 25, 2010 Today, the Wireline Competition Bureau (Bureau) designates Standing Rock Telecommunications, Inc. (Standing Rock) as an eligible telecommunications carrier (ETC) in several wire centers within the Standing Rock Sioux Reservation’s boundaries.1 In so doing, the Bureau deferred action on Standing Rock’s petitions for ETC designation and redefinition to the extent these petitions seek to define Standing Rock’s service area to encompass partial wire centers served by rural telephone companies.2 Because the Commission has not previously considered whether a carrier—including a Tribally owned and operated carrier—may be designated below the wire-center level in order to serve an entire Tribal reservation (nor whether a rural telephone company’s service area may be redefined to allow such a designation), we seek further comment on these issues and on Standing Rock’s petitions. Interested parties may file comments on or before September 23, 2010, and reply comments on or before October 25, 2010. All pleadings are to reference WC Docket No. 09-197. Comments may be filed using the Commission’s Electronic Comment Filing System (ECFS) or by filing paper copies.3 § Electronic Filers: Comments may be filed electronically using the Internet by accessing the ECFS: http://fjallfoss.fcc.gov/ecfs2/. § 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. All filings must be addressed to the Commission’s Secretary, Office of the Secretary, Federal Communications Commission. 1 See Standing Rock Telecommunications, Inc. Petition for Designation as an Eligible Telecommunications Carrier; Standing Rock Telecommunications, Inc. Petition to Redefine Rural Service Areas, WC Docket No. 09-197, Memorandum and Order, DA 10-1601 (Wireline Comp. Bur. rel. Aug. 24, 2010). 2 Id. at 10, para. 29; Petition of Standing Rock Telecommunications, Inc. for Designation as an Eligible Telecommunications Carrier, WC Docket No. 09-197 (filed Dec. 18, 2009); Petition of Standing Rock Telecommunications, Inc. to Redefine Rural Service Areas, WC Docket No. 09-197 (filed Feb. 18, 2010); 47 U.S.C. § 214(e)(5). 3 See Electronic Filing of Documents in Rulemaking Proceedings, GC Docket No. 97-113, Report and Order, 13 FCC Rcd 11322 (1998). 2 All hand-delivered or messenger-delivered paper filings for the Commission’s Secretary must be delivered to FCC Headquarters at 445 12th St., SW, Room TW-A325, Washington, D.C. 20554. All hand deliveries must be held together with rubber bands or fasteners. Any envelopes must be disposed of before entering the building. The filing hours are 8:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m. 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 must 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) Divya Shenoy, Telecommunications Access Policy Division, Wireline Competition Bureau, 445 12th Street, S.W., Room 5-B510, Washington, D.C. 20554; e-mail: divya.shenoy@fcc.gov; and (3) Nicholas Degani, Telecommunications Access Policy Division, Wireline Competition Bureau, 445 12th Street, S.W., Room 5-B442, Washington, D.C. 20554; e-mail: nicholas.degani@fcc.gov; and (4) Charles Tyler, Telecommunications Access Policy Division, Wireline Competition Bureau, 445 12th Street, S.W., Room 5-A452, Washington, D.C. 20554; e-mail: charles.tyler@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. This matter shall be treated as a “permit-but-disclose” proceeding in accordance with the Commission’s ex parte rules.4 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.5 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.6 For further information, please contact Divya Shenoy, Telecommunications Access Policy Division, Wireline Competition Bureau at (202) 418-7400 or TTY (202) 418-0484. - FCC - 4 47 C.F.R. §§ 1.1200 et seq. 5 See 47 C.F.R. § 1.1206(b)(2). 6 47 C.F.R. § 1.1206(b).