PUBLIC NOTICE Federal Communications CommissionNews m edia information 202 / 418-0500 1919 M Street, N.W. Fax-On-Demand 202 / 418-2830 Washington, DC 20554 Internet: http://www.fcc.gov ftp.fcc.gov DA 98-421 Released: March 19, 1998 COLORADO PUBLIC UTILITIES COMMISSION SEEKS RETROACTIVE UNIVERSAL SERVICE SUPPORT ON BEHALF OF GREAT PLAINS COMMUNICATIONS CC Docket No. 96-45 AAD/USB File No. 98-42 Comment Date: April 3, 1998 Reply Comment Date: April 15, 1998 In the Fourth Order on Reconsideration, the Commission concluded that a state commission that is unable to designate as an eligible telecommunications carrier, by January 1, 1998, a carrier that sought such designation before January 1, 1998, should be permitted, once it has designated such carrier, to file with the Commission a petition for waiver requesting that the carrier receive universal service support retroactive to January 1, 1998. A state commission filing such a petition must explain why it did not designate such carrier as eligible by January 1, 1998 and provide a justification for why providing support retroactive to January 1, 1998 serves the public interest. The Commission encouraged relevant carriers to file information demonstrating that they took reasonable steps to be designated as eligible telecommunications carriers by January 1, 1998. On February 19, 1998, the Colorado Public Utilities Commission sought universal service support retroactive to January 1, 1998 on behalf of Great Plains Communications. The Colorado petition states that Great Plains Communications filed its application for designation as an eligible telecommunications carrier with the Colorado Commission on December 19, 1997. Parties wishing to comment on this petition are directed to file comments on or before April 3, 1998, to file reply comments on or before April 15, 1998, in accordance with the procedures set forth below. Filing Requirements. All filings should reference: Colorado Public Utilities Commission Petition for Retroactive Support on behalf of Great Plains Communications, CC Docket No. 96-45, AAD/USB File No. 98-42. All interested parties should include the name of the filing party and the date of the filing on each page of their comments and reply comments. Parties should include a table of contents in all documents regardless of length and should indicate whether they are filing an electronic copy of a submission via the Internet or via diskette. Pleadings must comply with Commission rules. One original and five copies of all comments and reply comments must be sent to Magalie Roman Salas, Secretary, Federal Communications Commission, 1919 M Street, N.W., Washington, D.C. 20554. Three copies also should be sent to Sheryl Todd, Universal Service Branch, Accounting and Audits Division, Common Carrier Bureau, 2100 M Street, N.W., 8th Floor, Washington, D.C. 20554. Copies of documents filed with the Commission may be obtained from the International Transcription Service, 1231 20th Street, N.W., Washington, D.C. 20037, (202) 857-3800. Such documents are also available for review and copying at the FCC Reference Center, Room 239, 1919 M Street, N.W., Washington, D.C., from 9:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Parties may also file informal comments or an exact copy of formal comments electronically via the Internet at: . Only one copy of an electronic submission must be submitted. A party must note whether an electronic submission is an exact copy of formal comments on the subject line and should note in its paper submission that an electronic copy of its comments is being submitted via the Internet. A commenter also must include its full name and Postal Service mailing address in its submission. Parties not submitting an exact copy of their formal comments via the Internet are also asked to submit their comments on diskette. Parties submitting diskettes should submit them to Sheryl Todd, Universal Service Branch, 2100 M Street, N.W., Room 8611, Washington, D.C. 20554. Such a submission should be on a 3.5 inch diskette formatted in an IBM compatible format using WordPerfect 5.1 for Windows or compatible software. The diskette should be accompanied by a cover letter and should be submitted in "read only" mode. The diskette should be clearly labelled with the party's name, proceeding, type of pleading (comment or reply comment), date of submission, and the name of the electronic file on diskette. Each diskette should contain only one party's pleadings, preferably in a single electronic file. Electronic submissions are in addition to and not a substitute for the formal filing requirements addressed above. --Action by Chief, Universal Service Branch--