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 11-503 Release Date: March 16, 2011 WIRELINE COMPETITION BUREAU SEEKS COMMENT ON NTCH, INC. PETITION FOR LIMITED DESIGNATION AS AN ELIGIBLE TELECOMMUNICATIONS CARRIER IN NORTH CAROLINA WC Docket No. 09-197 Comment Date: April 15, 2011 Reply Comment Date: May 2, 2011 The Wireline Competition Bureau seeks comment on a petition filed by NTCH, Inc. on behalf of itself and its affiliate WGH Communications, Inc. (collectively, NTCH).1 NTCH seeks designation as an eligible telecommunications carrier (ETC) in North Carolina for the limited purpose of participating in the universal service Lifeline program.2 In a separate pending proceeding, NTCH seeks forbearance from the definition of service area contained in section 214(e)(5) of the Communications Act of 1934, as amended, and section 54.207(b) of the Commission’s rules so that it can be designated an ETC for the limited purposes of participating in the universal service Lifeline program.3 Interested parties may file comments on or before April 15 2011, and reply comments on or before May 2, 2011. All pleadings are to reference WC Docket No. 09-197. Comments may be filed using the Commission’s Electronic Comment Filing System (ECFS) or by filing paper copies.4 § Electronic Filers: Comments may be filed electronically using the Internet by accessing the ECFS: http://fjallfoss.fcc.gov/ecfs2/. § Paper Filers: Parties who choose to file by paper must file an original and four copies of each filing. If more than one docket or rulemaking number appears in the caption of this proceeding, filers must submit two additional copies for each additional docket or rulemaking number. 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. 1 NTCH, Inc. Petition for Limited Designation as an Eligible Telecommunications Carrier in the State of North Carolina, WC Docket No. 09-197 (filed Mar. 3, 2011) (NTCH ETC Petition). 2 NTCH ETC Petition at 11. 3 See Comment Sought on NTCH Inc.’s Petition for Limited Designation as an Eligible Telecommunications Carrier in Alabama and Tennessee and Petition for Forbearance from Eligible Telecommunications Carrier Service Area Requirements, WC Docket No. 09-197, Public Notice, 25 FCC Rcd 2569 (Wireline Comp. Bur. 2010). 4 See Electronic Filing of Documents in Rulemaking Proceedings, GC Docket No. 97-113, Report and Order, 13 FCC Rcd 11322 (1998). 2 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. All hand deliveries must be held together with rubber bands or fasteners. Any envelopes must be disposed of before entering the building. The filing hours are 8:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m. 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. 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). In addition, one copy of each pleading must be sent to each of the following: (1) The Commission’s duplicating contractor, Best Copy and Printing, Inc., 445 12th Street, S.W., Room CY-B402, Washington, D.C. 20554, www.bcpiweb.com; phone: (202) 488-5300 fax: (202) 488- 5563; (2) Divya S. Shenoy, Telecommunications Access Policy Division, Wireline Competition Bureau, 445 12th Street, S.W., Room 5-B442, Washington, D.C. 20554; e-mail: divya.shenoy@fcc.gov; and (3) Charles Tyler, Telecommunications Access Policy Division, Wireline Competition Bureau, 445 12th Street, S.W., Room 5-A452, Washington, D.C. 20554; e-mail: charles.tyler@fcc.gov. Filings and comments are also available for public inspection and copying during regular business hours at the FCC Reference Information Center, Portals II, 445 12th Street, S.W., Room CY- A257, Washington, D.C. 20554. They may also be purchased from the Commission’s duplicating contractor, Best Copy and Printing, Inc., Portals II, 445 12th Street, S.W., Room CY-B402, Washington, D.C. 20554, telephone: (202) 488-5300, fax: (202) 488-5563, or via e-mail www.bcpiweb.com. This matter shall be treated as a “permit-but-disclose” proceeding in accordance with the Commission’s ex parte rules.5 Persons making oral ex parte presentations are reminded that memoranda summarizing the presentations must contain summaries of the substance of the presentation and not merely a listing of the subjects discussed. More than a one or two sentence description of the views and arguments presented generally is required.6 Other rules pertaining to oral and written ex parte presentations in permit-but-disclose proceedings are set forth in section 1.1206(b) of the Commission’s rules.7 For further information, please contact Divya S. Shenoy, Telecommunications Access Policy Division, Wireline Competition Bureau at (202) 418-7400 or TTY (202) 418-0484. - FCC - 5 47 C.F.R. §§ 1.1200 et seq. 6 See 47 C.F.R. § 1.1206(b)(2). 7 47 C.F.R. § 1.1206(b).