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 11-1829 Released: October 31, 2011 COMMENTS INVITED ON APPLICATION OF VERIZON DELAWARE LLC, VERIZON MARYLAND INC., VERIZON NEW ENGLAND INC., VERIZON NEW JERSEY INC., VERIZON NEW YORK INC., VERIZON PENNSYLVANIA INC., VERIZON VIRGINIA INC., AND VERIZON WASHINGTON, D.C. INC. TO DISCONTINUE DOMESTIC TELECOMMUNICATIONS SERVICES WC Docket No. 11-180 Comp. Pol. File No. 1015 Comments Due: November 30, 2011 Section 214 Application Applicants: Verizon Delaware LLC, Verizon Maryland Inc., Verizon New England Inc., Verizon New Jersey Inc., Verizon New York Inc., Verizon Pennsylvania Inc., Verizon Virginia Inc., and Verizon Washington, D.C. Inc. On September 29, 2011, Verizon Delaware LLC, located at 901 Tatnall Street, Wilmington, Delaware 19801; Verizon Maryland Inc., located at 1 East Pratt Street, Baltimore, Maryland 21202; Verizon New England Inc., located at 125 High Street - Oliver Tower, 7th Floor, Boston, Massachusetts 02110; Verizon New Jersey Inc., located at 540 Broad Street, Newark, New Jersey 07102; Verizon New York Inc., located at 140 West Street, New York, New York 10007; Verizon Pennsylvania Inc., located at 1717 Arch Street, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania 19103; Verizon Virginia Inc., located at 703 East Grace Street, Richmond, Virginia 23219; and Verizon Washington, D.C. Inc., located at 1300 I Street, N.W., Suite 400 West, Washington, D.C. 20005 (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 a certain domestic telecommunications service in Connecticut, Delaware, Maryland, Massachusetts, New Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Virginia, and Washington, D.C. (collectively Service Areas). Verizon indicates that it currently offers Customer Service Management (CSM) as an optional feature of Frame Relay Service in the Service Areas.1 Verizon describes CSM as a web-based reporting tool, which permits enterprise, government, and medium business customers to view switch-based utilization statistics and status information relating to their Frame Relay network circuits. Verizon states, however, that it plans to discontinue CSM in the Service Areas on or after December 30, 2011. Verizon maintains that the public convenience and necessity will not be impaired by the proposed discontinuance because there are currently no customers subscribed to the service and there are comparable alternative 1 Verizon specifies that CSM is tariffed as an optional feature of Frame Relay Service in FCC 1 and 20. 2 services available. For example, Verizon indicates that customers may review the same utilization statistics using available Customer Premises Equipment devices including products provided by Digilog software (Digilog Network Access and Monitoring System (NAMS)), the Network Supervisory System II test access hardware, and the HP J2300 protocol analyzer, which allow central site technicians to test and perform remote protocol analysis throughout the Frame Relay network. Verizon adds that other alternatives include Cisco’s Traffic Monitor, which is a real-time graphical application that retrieves and displays traffic conditions for products including Frame Relay. Verizon states that it is considered dominant with respect to the service 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 December 30, 2011, subject to regulatory approval. Accordingly, pursuant to section 63.71(c) and the terms of Verizon’s application, absent further Commission action, Verizon may discontinue CSM in the Service Areas on or after December 30, 2011. 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 November 30, 2011. Such comments should refer to WC Docket No. 11-180 and Comp. Pol. File No. 1015. 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://fjallfoss.fcc.gov/ecfs2/. 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 who choose to file by paper must file an original and one copy of each filing. 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. All hand-delivered or messenger-delivered paper filings for the Commission’s Secretary must be delivered to FCC Headquarters 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 and boxes 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 must 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 Kimberly Jackson, (202) 418-7393 (voice), kimberly.jackson@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 –