DA 18-505
May 17, 2018
WIRELINE COMPETITION BUREAU ANNOUNCES COMMENT DATES
FOR NPRM ON REGULATION OF BUSINESS DATA SERVICES FOR RATE-OF-RETURN LOCAL EXCHANGE CARRIERS 
WC Docket No. 17-144
Comment Date: June 18, 2018
Reply Comment Date: July 2, 2018
	On April 17, 2018, the Commission adopted the Regulation of Business Data Services for Rate-of-Return Local Exchange Carriers Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (NPRM). Regulation of Business Data Services for Rate-of-Return Local Exchange Carriers, WC Docket No. 17-144, Notice of Proposed Rulemaking, FCC 18-46 (rel. April 18, 2018).  The document is available on the Commission’s website at https://transition.fcc.gov/Daily_Releases/Daily_Business/2018/db0418/FCC-18-46A1.pdf. The document is also available electronically via the Commission’s Electronic Document Management System (EDOCS) website at https://apps.fcc.gov/edocs_public/ (by FCC document number, FCC 18-46) or via the Commission’s Electronic Comment Filing System (ECFS) website at https://www.fcc.gov/ecfs/ (by docket number, WC Docket No. 17-144).
  In the NPRM, the Commission proposes to allow rate-of-return carriers receiving universal service support under the Alternative Connect America Cost Model (A-CAM) to voluntarily migrate their lower speed circuit-based business data service (BDS) offerings to incentive regulation and seeks comment on whether to reduce pricing regulation of these carriers’ BDS offerings.  The NPRM sets deadlines for filing comments and reply comments at 30 and 45 days, respectively, following publication in the Federal Register. NPRM at 1.  

The Federal Register published a summary of the NPRM on May 17, 2018. Regulation of Business Data Services for Rate-of-Return Local Exchange Carriers, Proposed Rule, 83 Fed. Reg. 22923 (May 17, 2018), https://www.federalregister.gov/documents/2018/05/17/2018-10338/regulation-of-business-data-services-for-rate-of-return-local-exchange-carriers (Notice).
  Accordingly, comments will be due on or before June 18, 2018, and reply comments will be due on or before July 2, 2018.  Complete filing instructions are provided in the NPRM See NPRM at 24-25, paras. 64-65.  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).
 and the Federal Register. See Notice at 22923-24.  

For additional information, contact Belinda E. Nixon, Belinda.Nixon@fcc.gov, at (202) 418-1382.