PUBLIC NOTICE FEDERAL COMMUNICATIONS COMMISSION 445 TWELFTH STREET, S.W. WASHINGTON, D.C. 20554 DA 11-1012 News media information 202/418-0500 Fax-On-Demand 202/418-2830 Internet: http://www.fcc.gov ftp.fcc.gov Released: June 7, 2011 VERIZON WIRELESS AND UNITED STATES CELLULAR CORPORATION SEEK FCC CONSENT TO THE EXCHANGE OF BROADBAND PERSONAL COMMUNICATIONS SERVICE AND LOWER 700 MHZ BAND B AND C BLOCK LICENSES ULS File Nos. 0004697471, 0004697504, 0004698676, and 50004CWAA11 PLEADING CYCLE ESTABLISHED Petitions to Deny Due: June 21, 2011 Oppositions Due: July 1, 2011 Replies Due: July 11, 2011 I. INTRODUCTION Cellco Partnership, directly and through its indirect wholly owned-subsidiary Alltel Communications, LLC (together, “Verizon Wireless”), and United States Cellular Corporation (“USCC”), through its wholly-owned subsidiary USCOC of Central Illinois, LLC (“USCOC-CI”), have filed four applications pursuant to Section 310(d) of the Communications Act of 1934, as amended,1 seeking to exchange certain Broadband Personal Communications Service (“PCS”) and Lower 700 MHz Band B and C Block licenses. In particular, USCOC-CI will assign to Verizon Wireless two 10 megahertz PCS licenses in Illinois and Indiana, and Verizon Wireless will assign to USCOC-CI 13 Lower 700 MHz Band B Block licenses and five Lower 700 MHz C Block licenses in Idaho, Illinois, Indiana, Kansas, Nebraska, Oklahoma, Oregon, and Washington. The proposed assignment of licenses from USCOC-CI to Verizon Wireless involves licenses covering 14 counties in five Cellular Market Areas (“CMAs”), and the proposed assignment of licenses from Verizon Wireless to USCOC-CI involves licenses covering 95 counties in 18 CMAs. The Applicants state that the PCS spectrum to be assigned to Verizon Wireless will allow Verizon Wireless to expand capacity and improve its services offerings in the relevant markets, and the Lower 700 MHz Band spectrum to be assigned to USCC will allow USCC to expand into new markets, and improve network capacity and upgrade voice and data services in its existing markets. Preliminary review of the application indicates that in a number of the CMAs, USCC would hold, post transaction, up to 61 megahertz of spectrum below 1 GHz. II. SECTION 310(d) APPLICATIONS The following applications for consent to the assignment of PCS and Lower 700 MHz B and C Block licenses have been assigned the following file numbers: 1 47 U.S.C. § 310(d). 2 File No. Licensee Assignee Lead Call Sign 00046974712 Cellco Partnership USCOC of Central Illinois, LLC WQJQ736 0004697504 Alltel Communications, LLC USCOC of Central Illinois, LLC WPWV467 0004698676 USCOC of Central Illinois, LLC Alltel Communications, LLC WPOK676 50004CWAA113 USCOC of Central Illinois, LLC Cellco Partnership WQEE474 III. EX PARTE STATUS OF THIS PROCEEDING Pursuant to Section 1.1200(a) of the Commission’s rules,4 the Commission may adopt modified or more stringent ex parte procedures in particular proceedings if the public interest so requires.5 We announce that this proceeding will be governed by permit-but-disclose ex parte procedures that are applicable to non-restricted proceedings under Section 1.1206 of the Commission’s rules.6 Parties making oral ex parte presentations are directed to the Commission’s revised ex parte rules. Parties are reminded that memoranda summarizing the presentation must contain the presentation’s substance and not merely list the subjects discussed.7 More than a one- or two-sentence description of the views and arguments presented is generally required.8 Other rules pertaining to oral and written presentations are set forth in Section 1.1206(b) as well.9 IV. GENERAL INFORMATION The assignment applications referenced herein have been found, upon initial review, to be acceptable for filing. The Commission reserves the right to return any application if, upon further examination, it is determined to be defective and not in conformance with the Commission’s rules or policies. Interested parties must file petitions to deny no later than June 21, 2011. Persons and entities that file petitions to deny become parties to the proceeding. They may participate fully in the proceeding, including seeking access to any confidential information that may be filed under a protective order, seeking reconsideration of decisions, and filing appeals of a final decision to the courts. Oppositions to such pleadings must be filed no later than July 1, 2011. Replies to such pleadings must be filed no later than July 11, 2011. All filings concerning matters referenced in this Public Notice should refer to ULS File No. 0004697471, 0004697504, 0004698676, and/or 50004CWAA11, as appropriate. 2 This application is the lead application. 3 This application was filed manually, and is attached to ULS File No. 0004677426. The Applicants request a waiver of section 1.913(b) to permit the filing of this manual application. We hereby grant the requested waiver. 4 47 C.F.R. § 1.1200(a). 5 On February 1, 2011, the Commission adopted a Report and Order amending and revising the Commission’s rules on ex parte presentations. Amendment of the Commission’s Ex Parte Rules and Other Procedural Rules, GC Docket No. 10-43, Report and Order and Further Notice of Proposed Rulemaking, FCC 11-11 (rel. Feb. 2, 2011). The revised rules were published in the Federal Register on May 2, 2011, and the revised rules went into effect June 1, 2011. See 76 Fed. Reg. 24376 (May 2, 2011). 6 47 C.F.R. § 1.1206. 7 See 47 C.F.R. § 1.1206(b)(1). 8 See id. 9 Id. § 1.1206(b). 3 Under the Commission’s current procedures for the submission of filings and other documents,10 submissions in this matter may be filed electronically (i.e., though the Commission’s Universal Licensing System (“ULS”)) or by hand delivery to the Commission. · If filed by ULS, pleadings may be filed via https://wireless2.fcc.gov/UlsEntry/pleadings/pleadingsType.jsp. · If filed by paper, the original and four copies of each filing must be filed by hand or messenger delivery, by commercial overnight courier, or by first-class or overnight U.S. Postal Service mail. 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. 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. All filings must be addressed to the Commission’s Secretary, Office of the Secretary, Federal Communications Commission. One copy of each pleading must be delivered electronically, by e-mail or facsimile, or if delivered as paper copy, by hand or messenger delivery, by commercial overnight courier, or by first-class or overnight U.S. Postal Service mail (according to the procedures set forth above for paper filings), to: (1) the Commission’s duplicating contractor, Best Copy and Printing, Inc., at FCC@BCPIWEB.COM or (202) 488-5563 (facsimile); (2) Kathy Harris, Mobility Division, Wireless Telecommunications Bureau, at kathy.harris@fcc.gov or (202) 418-7447 (facsimile); (3) Kate Matraves, Spectrum and Competition Policy Division, Wireless Telecommunications Bureau, at catherine.matraves@fcc.gov or (202) 418-7447 (facsimile); and (4) Jim Bird, Office of General Counsel, at jim.bird@fcc.gov or (202) 418-1234 (facsimile). Copies of the applications and any subsequently-filed documents in this matter may be obtained from Best Copy and Printing, Inc. in person at 445 12th Street, S.W., Room CY-B402, Washington, D.C. 20554, via telephone at (202) 488-5300, via facsimile at (202) 488-5563, or via e-mail at FCC@BCPIWEB.COM. The applications and any associated documents are also available for public inspection and copying during normal reference room hours at the following Commission office: FCC Reference Information Center, 445 12th Street, S.W., Room CY-A257, Washington, D.C. 20554. The applications are also available electronically through ULS, which may be accessed on the Commission’s Internet website. 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 and Governmental Affairs Bureau at (202) 418-0530 (voice) or (202) 418-0432 (TTY). Contact the FCC to request reasonable accommodations for filing comments (accessible format documents, sign language interpreters, CART, etc.) by e-mail: FCC504@fcc.gov; phone: (202) 418-0530 or TTY: (202) 418- 0432. For further information, contact Kathy Harris, Mobility Division, Wireless Telecommunications Bureau, at (202) 418-0609, or Kate Matraves, Spectrum and Competition Policy Division, Wireless Telecommunications Bureau, at (202) 418-7878. -FCC- 10 See FCC Announces Change in Filing Location for Paper Documents, Public Notice, 24 FCC Rcd 14312 (2009).