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 11-474 Released: March 10, 2011 SCHEDULE ESTABLISHED FOR EX PARTE MEETINGS REGARDING USF/ICC REFORM CC Docket Nos. 96-45, 01-92, WC Docket Nos. 03-109, 05-337, 07-135, 10-90 and GN Docket No. 09-51 On February 9, 2011, the Commission released a Notice of Proposed Rulemaking and Further Notice of Proposed Rulemaking seeking comment on proposals to fundamentally modernize the Commission’s universal service fund and intercarrier compensation system.1 Comments on Section XV of the USF/ICC Transformation NPRM (“Reducing Inefficiencies and Waste By Curbing Arbitrage Opportunities”)2 are due on April 1, 2011, and reply comments are due on April 18, 2011.3 Comments on the remaining sections are due on April 18, 2011, and reply comments are due on May 23, 2011. Comments are due for the State Members of the Joint Board on Universal Service on May 2, 2011. Specific filing instructions are detailed in the USF/ICC Transformation NPRM.4 As described in the USF/ICC Transformation NPRM, this matter shall be treated as a “permit- but-disclose” proceeding in accordance with the Commission’s ex parte rules.5 Staff from the Wireline Competition Bureau's (WCB) Front Office, Telecommunications Access Policy Division, and Pricing Policy Division, as well as staff from the Wireless Telecommunications Bureau (WTB), including the Auctions and Spectrum Analysis Division will be available for meetings regarding parties’ comments March 21, 2011 through April 1, 2011. These meetings will be scheduled for thirty minutes each. Parties seeking a meeting should identify with specificity the issues they plan to address and indicate if they would also like to include staff from any Bureau in addition to WCB or WTB. 1 See Connect America Fund, WC Docket No. 10-90, A National Broadband Plan for Our Future, GN Docket No. 09-51, Establishing Just and Reasonable Rates for Local Exchange Carriers, WC Docket No. 07-135, High-Cost Universal Service Support, WC Docket No. 05-337, Developing an Unified Intercarrier Compensation Regime, CC Docket No. 01-92, Federal-State Joint Board on Universal Service, CC Docket No. 96-45, Lifeline and Link-Up, WC Docket No. 03-109, Notice of Proposed Rulemaking and Further Notice of Proposed Rulemaking, FCC 11-13 (rel. Feb. 9, 2011) (USF/ICC Transformation NPRM). 2 Id. at paras. 603-67. 3 See 76 Fed. Reg. 11632 (Mar. 2, 2011). 4 USF/ICC Transformation NPRM, at paras. 690-98. 5 See 47 C.F.R. § 1.1206; USF/ICC Transformation NPRM, at para. 690. 2 To schedule meetings pursuant to this Notice, please submit your request at http://www.fcc.gov/wcb/tapd/universal_service/reform_exparte-meeting-request. For any questions or additional assistance regarding a meeting request, please contact Tiffany Jamison, Wireline Competition Bureau, at wcbchief@fcc.gov or (202) 418-1581. For further information regarding universal service issues, please contact Patrick Halley, Wireline Competition Bureau, at (202) 418-7550, and for further information regarding intercarrier compensation issues, please contact Jennifer Prime, Wireline Competition Bureau, at (202) 418-2403. - FCC -