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 10-1692 Released: September 3, 2010 COMMENTS INVITED ON APPLICATION OF VERIZON CALIFORNIA INC., VERIZON FLORIDA LLC, GTE SOUTHWEST INCORPORATED (D/B/A VERIZON SOUTHWEST), VERIZON SOUTH INC. AND VERIZON NORTH RETAIN CO. TO DISCONTINUE DOMESTIC TELECOMMUNICATIONS SERVICES WC Docket No. 10-180 Comp. Pol. File No. 950 Comments Due: October 4, 2010 Section 214 Application Applicants: Verizon California Inc., Verizon Florida LLC, GTE Southwest Incorporated (d/b/a Verizon Southwest), Verizon South Inc. and Verizon North Retain Co. On August 5, 2010, Verizon California Inc., located at 112 Lakeview Canyon Road, Thousand Oaks, CA 91362; Verizon Florida LLC, located at 201 North Franklin Street, One Tampa City Center, Tampa, FL 33602; GTE Southwest Incorporated (d/b/a Verizon Southwest), located at 600 Hidden Ridge, Irving, TX 75038; Verizon South Inc., located at 703 East Grace Street, Richmond, VA 23219; and Verizon North Retain Co., located at 600 Hidden Ridge, HQE03H09, Irving, TX 75038 (collectively Verizon or Applicants), filed an application with the Federal Communications Commission (FCC or Commission) requesting authority, under section 214 of the Communications Act of 1934, as amended, 47 U.S.C. § 214, and section 63.71 of the Commission’s rules, 47 C.F.R. § 63.71, to discontinue the provision of certain domestic telecommunications services in California, Florida, Texas and the former Contel regions in North Carolina, Pennsylvania and Virginia (collectively Service Areas). Verizon indicates that it currently offers Federal Government Voice Grade and Wideband Secure Communications Services to agencies or branches of the Federal Government in the Service Areas. Verizon explains that its Voice Grade Secure Communications Service is a special access service that provides approximate bandwidths of 10-50,000 Hz in four different service types. Verizon further explains that its Wideband Secure Communications Service is a special access service for secured communications that accommodates the transmission of binary digital baseband signals in a random polar format and in three different service types. Verizon states that it plans to discontinue Federal Government Voice Grade and Wideband Secure Communications Services in the Service Areas on or after November 2, 2010, subject to regulatory approval. Verizon indicates that the parts needed to provide these services are not readily available because equipment manufacturers have ceased making the equipment Verizon requires to provide the services. Verizon, however, maintains that the public convenience and necessity will not be impaired by the proposed discontinuance because currently there are no customers for the services in the Service Areas. In addition, Verizon asserts that Verizon and other providers offer alternative services including voice grade, digital data, and high capacity digital access services, ISDN, 2 ADSL and VoIP. Verizon states that it is considered dominant with respect to the services to be discontinued. In accordance with section 63.71(c) of the Commission’s rules, Verizon’s application will be deemed to be granted automatically on the 60th day after the release date of this public notice, unless the Commission notifies Verizon that the grant will not be automatically effective. In its application, Verizon indicates that it anticipates discontinuing service on or after November 2, 2010, subject to regulatory approval. Accordingly, pursuant to section 63.71(c) and the terms of Verizon’s application, absent further Commission action, Verizon may terminate its Federal Government Voice Grade and Wideband Secure Communications Services in the Service Areas on or after November 2, 2010. The Commission normally will authorize proposed discontinuances of service unless it is shown that customers or other end users would be unable to receive service or a reasonable substitute from another carrier, or that the public convenience and necessity would be otherwise adversely affected. This proceeding is considered a “permit but disclose” proceeding for purposes of the Commission’s ex parte rules, 47 C.F.R. §§ 1.1200-1.1216. Comments objecting to this application must be filed with the Commission on or before October 4, 2010. Such comments should refer to WC Docket No. 10-180 and Comp. Pol. File No. 950. Comments should include specific information about the impact of this proposed discontinuance on the commenter, including any inability to acquire reasonable substitute service. Comments may be filed using the Commission’s Electronic Comment Filing System (ECFS) or by filing paper copies. See Electronic Filing of Documents in Rulemaking Proceedings, 63 FR 24121 (1998). Comments filed through the ECFS can be sent as an electronic file via the Internet to http://www.fcc.gov/cgb/ecfs/. Filers should follow the instructions provided on the Web site for submitting comments. Generally, only one copy of an electronic submission must be filed. 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 for e-mail comments, 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. Parties who choose to file by paper must send an original and four copies of the comments to the Office of the Secretary, Federal Communications Commission, 445 12th Street, S.W., Room TW-A325, Washington, D.C. 20554. 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. Effective December 28, 2009, the Commission’s contractor will only receive hand-delivered or messenger- delivered paper filings for the Commission’s Secretary at the FCC Headquarters building, located at 445 12th Street, S.W., Room TW-A325, Washington, D.C. 20554. The filing hours are Monday through Friday, 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 mail, Express, and Priority mail should be addressed to 445 12th Street, S.W., Washington, D.C. 20554. Two copies of the comments should also be sent to the Competition Policy Division, Wireline Competition Bureau, Federal Communications Commission, 445 12th Street, S.W., Room 5-C140, Washington, D.C. 20554, Attention: Carmell Weathers. In addition, comments should be served upon the Applicants. Commenters are also requested to fax their comments to the FCC at (202) 418-1413, Attention: Carmell Weathers. 3 The application will be available for public inspection and copying during regular business hours at the FCC Reference Center, Portals II, 445 12th Street, S.W., Room CY-A257, Washington, D.C. 20554, (202) 418-0270. A copy of the application may also be purchased from the Commission’s duplicating contractor, Best Copy and Printing, Inc., 445 12th Street, S.W., Room CY-B402, Washington, D.C. 20554, telephone (202) 488-5300, facsimile (202) 488-5563, or via e-mail at FCC@BCPIWEB.COM. 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). For further information, contact Carmell Weathers, (202) 418-2325 (voice), carmell.weathers@fcc.gov, or Rodney McDonald, (202) 418-7513 (voice), rodney.mcdonald@fcc.gov, of the Competition Policy Division, Wireline Competition Bureau. The tty number is (202) 418-0484. For further information on procedures regarding section 214 please visit http://www.fcc.gov/wcb/cpd/other_adjud. – FCC –