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 10-1764 Release Date: September 17, 2010 FEDERAL-STATE JOINT BOARD ON JURISDICTIONAL SEPARATIONS ANNOUNCES SEPTEMBER 24, 2010 MEETING AND ROUNDTABLE DISCUSSION OF JURISDICTIONAL SEPARATIONS REFORM CC Docket No. 80-286 On September 24, 2010, from 9:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. (eastern daylight time), the Federal-State Joint Board on Jurisdictional Separations (the Joint Board) will meet and hold a roundtable discussion in the Commission Meeting Room regarding comprehensive reform of the jurisdictional separations process1 and interim reform pending comprehensive reform.2 In the 2001 Separations Freeze Order, the Commission imposed an interim freeze on jurisdictional separations category relationships and cost allocation factors in Part 36 of the Commission’s rules for a five-year period beginning July 1, 2001, or until the Commission completed comprehensive separations reform, whichever came first. The Commission extended the freeze several times, and the freeze is currently scheduled to expire on June 30, 2011.3 In the 2009 Separations Freeze Extension Order, the Commission also referred to the Federal-State Joint Board on Jurisdictional Separations specific issues regarding comprehensive and interim reform of the separations process. The format of the roundtable will be a facilitated discussion led by the Joint Board. During the roundtable, the Joint Board will solicit input from participants on issues relating to both interim and comprehensive reform, such as: 1 Jurisdictional separations is the process by which incumbent local exchange carriers apportion regulated costs between the intrastate and interstate jurisdictions. 47 C.F.R. §§ 64.901–04; Jurisdictional Separations and Referral to the Federal-State Joint Board, CC Docket No. 80-286, Report and Order, 16 FCC Rcd 11382, 11387–88, para. 9 (2001) (2001 Separations Freeze Order). Rate-of-return carriers were only required to freeze their allocation factors, but had the option to freeze their category relationships at the outset of the freeze. 2001 Separations Freeze Order, 16 FCC Rcd at 11388–89, para. 11. 2 See Federal-State Joint Board on Separations Seeks Comment n Proposal for Interim Adjustments to Jurisdictional Separations Allocation Factors and Category Relationships Pending Comprehensive Reform and Seeks Comment on Comprehensive Reform, CC Docket No. 80-286, Public Notice, 25 FCC Rcd 3336 (Fed.-State Jt. Bd. 2010). 3 Jurisdictional Separations and Referral to the Federal-State Joint Board, CC Docket No. 80-286, Order and Further Notice of Proposed Rulemaking, 21 FCC Rcd 5516 (2006); Jurisdictional Separations and Referral to the Federal-State Joint Board, CC Docket No. 80-286, Report and Order, 24 FCC Rcd 6162 (2009); Jurisdictional Separations and Referral to the Federal-State Joint Board, CC Docket No. 80-286, Report and Order, 25 FCC Rcd 6046 (2010). 2 · The nature of interim and comprehensive reform, and to whom any new rules would apply. · The relationship between separations reform and reform of universal service, intercarrier compensation, and special access. · The effect of changes in the separations process on the deployment and adoption of broadband internet access service. · Modification of fixed allocators. · Annual updating of direct assignment · Permitting states to set their own rules regarding the separations process. The roundtable can be viewed live or replayed later by visiting www.fcc.gov/live. During the event, the public can submit comments and questions by emailing livequestions@fcc.gov or via Twitter with hashtag #fcclive. Further details, background documents, and presentations will be made available at www.fcc.gov/workshops. Reasonable accommodations for people with disabilities are available upon request. Include a description of the accommodation you will need and a way we can contact you if more information is needed. Last-minute requests will be accepted, but may not be possible to fill. Send an e-mail to fcc504@fcc.gov or call the Consumer & Governmental Affairs Bureau at (202) 418-0530 (voice), or (202) 418-0432 (tty). For further information, please contact Dan Ball, Pricing Policy Division, Wireline Competition Bureau at (202) 418-7400 or TTY (202) 418-0484, or Lori Kenyon, Federal-State Joint Board Staff (Alaska Commission) at (907) 276-6222. - FCC -