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 13-456 Released: March 18, 2013 WIRELINE COMPETITION BUREAU ANNOUNCES PROCEDURES AND DEADLINES FOR SUBMISSIONS OF STUDY AREA BOUNDARIES WC Docket No. 10-90 WC Docket No. 05-337 On November 6, 2012, the Wireline Competition Bureau (Bureau) released a Report and Order that established requirements for the collection of study area boundary data from incumbent local exchange carriers (ILECs) or state entities on their behalf.1 On February 26, 2013, the Bureau released a subsequent Order on Reconsideration that adopted certain modifications and clarifications to the requirements for that data collection.2 As set forth in the orders, each ILEC must submit data on the boundary(ies) of the area(s) it serves in a state (study area boundary), unless a state commission voluntarily submits these data for the ILECs in its state.3 Deadlines for Submissions by State Commissions We encourage state commissions to submit data on the study area boundaries of the ILECs operating in their respective states. State commissions planning to submit study area boundary data should file a notice of their intent to do so no later than April 12, 2013. The notification should be filed in WC Docket No. 10-90 using the Federal Communications Commission’s Electronic Comment Filing System (ECFS),4 and a copy of the notification should be emailed to StudyAreaBoundaries@fcc.gov. The notification should include the contact information for the individual who will be primarily responsible for submitting the data and who should therefore receive the login information. The notification should also indicate which ILECs and their respective study area codes the state commission plans to include in its submission. Once the Bureau receives such a notice, it will provide the state commission with a password to use when logging into the study area boundary data collection web interface described below. The Bureau will also publish a list of the states and study area codes for which state commissions plan to submit boundary data. State commissions filing study area boundary data can begin submitting data at https://sab.fcc.gov/state/login/ on April 29, 2013, and are required to submit and certify the data no later than June 28, 2013. As stated in the Reconsideration Order, we expect that the boundary data submitted 1 Connect America Fund; High-Cost Universal Service Support, WC Docket Nos. 10-90, 05-337, Report and Order, 27 FCC Rcd 13528 (Wireline Comp. Bur. 2012) (Order). The Order was published in the Federal Register on January 28, 2013, with an effective date for the rules of February 27, 2013. See 78 FR 5750. 2 Connect America Fund; High-Cost Universal Service Support, WC Docket Nos. 10-90, 05-337, Order on Reconsideration, DA 13-282 (Wireline Comp. Bur. rel. Feb. 26, 2013) (Reconsideration Order). 3 See Reconsideration Order, DA 13-282, at para. 6. 4 ECFS is available at . 2and certified by state commissions will have been verified and reconciled at the state level, and that minimal further reconciliation will need to be done by Commission staff.5 Deadline for Submissions by ILECs In cases where a state commission does not submit a notification of its intent to file study area boundary data or a state commission plans to submit for some but not all of its state’s study areas, individual ILECs serving study areas for which a boundary will not be submitted by a state must submit the required data on the study area(s) they serve. ILECs may begin submitting data on April 29, 2013 at https://sab.fcc.gov/ilec/login/, and are required to submit and certify the data no later than May 23, 2013. The filing deadline for ILECs is earlier than the deadline for state commissions because the Bureau anticipates needing additional time to reconcile the ILEC-submitted data, which may require input from state commissions, state telecommunications associations, and/or ILECs to resolve any voids or overlap areas in the submitted data. Data Submission Format ILECs or state commissions must submit study area boundary data in an esri shapefile format in accordance with the data specification provided in the Appendix of the Reconsideration Order and the template attached to this Public Notice.6 Data on the study areas served by rate-of-return carriers must be submitted at the exchange level, while data on the study areas served by price cap carriers can be submitted at either the exchange level or wire center level.7 In cases where a filer submits price cap study area data at the wire center level, it should provide – in the shapefile format specified in the Appendix of the Reconsideration Order – the name of the exchange or exchanges associated with each wire center. The shapefile also should include both a polygon of the exterior boundary of the price cap study area as well as the polygons of the individual interior wire center boundaries. As discussed in the Appendix of the Reconsideration Order, filers should submit data on the CLLI codes of the switches in each exchange (or wire center if submitting wire center data for price cap study areas) in a separate .csv file.8 This file should list each 11-digit CLLI code in a study area and the exchange(s)/wire center associated with that CLLI code, with a new CLLI code or exchange/wire center requiring a new row or record in the table. This .csv file should be included in the zip file for the study area, along with the study area shapefile, but does not need to be mapped. Data Submission and Certification Procedures The Bureau is developing a web-based interface for both ILECs and state commissions to use to submit study area boundary data. As noted above, the ILEC website will be accessible at https://sab.fcc.gov/ilec/login/, and the state website will be accessible at https://sab.fcc.gov/state/login/. Both sites will begin accepting submissions on April 29, 2013. Shortly before this date, the Bureau will post at 5 Reconsideration Order, DA 13-282, at para. 5. State commissions may contact Commission staff if they wish to discuss issues that may arise during the reconciliation process and on which Commission staff can be helpful. 6 The attached template provides the field names that filers should use in their submitted shapefiles. 7 See Reconsideration Order, DA 13-282, at para. 11. 8 Id. at Appendix. If a filer is submitting a separate polygon for the external study area boundary as well as the internal exchange or wire center boundaries, associated CLLI code data does not need to be submitted for the external study area boundary. 3http://www.fcc.gov/encyclopedia/study-area-boundary-data-collection detailed, step-by-step instructions for filers on how to upload data to these sites. After logging into the site, ILECs or state commissions will enter basic contact information on a cover page and will then be able to submit data by uploading zipped shapefiles to the site. Shortly after uploading data to the site, filers will be able to view the submitted data in an embedded map on the interface. Once submission of the data is completed, filers will be able to certify, using the website, that the boundaries are accurate to the best of their knowledge, information, and belief.9 An official of the ILEC or state commission can certify by providing his/her name, title, contact information, and electronic signature on the site. If filers discover errors or inaccuracies after viewing the submitted map data, they can resubmit updated data to the website before certifying. Filers can also contact Commission staff at StudyAreaBoundaries@fcc.gov with any questions. Paperwork Reduction Act In accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 (PRA), in December 2012, the Bureau requested emergency approval by the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) of the information collection requirements associated with the Order. OMB approved the Bureau’s request on January 23, 2013, and a notice of that approval was published in the Federal Register on February 13, 2013.10 The emergency PRA preapproval is in effect until July 31, 2013. The Bureau will submit shortly its regular PRA request to extend its approval of the study area boundary data collection for three years. This regular PRA submission will incorporate the modifications and clarifications adopted in the Reconsideration Order and will include comment periods. Additional Information Additional information on the study area boundary data collection, including the orders referenced in this Public Notice, can be found on the Commission’s study area boundary webpage at http://www.fcc.gov/encyclopedia/study-area-boundary-data-collection. Specific questions about the requirements may be sent to StudyAreaBoundaries@fcc.gov. You can also contact the study area boundary staff at the Industry Analysis and Technology Division, Wireline Competition Bureau, FCC by calling (202) 418-0940, (202) 418-0484 (tty). For additional information about this Public Notice, please contact Chelsea Fallon at (202) 418-7991 or Chelsea.Fallon@fcc.gov; Suzanne Mendez at (202) 418- 0941 or Suzanne.Mendez@fcc.gov; or John Emmett at (202) 418-0386 or John.Emmett@fcc.gov. - FCC - 9 See Reconsideration Order, DA 13-282, at para. 15 (“certifications should be based on the information before the official making the certification and on a reasonable, good faith effort to confirm the accuracy of the submitted boundaries”). 10 78 FR 10100.