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PUBLIC NOTICE

Federal Communications Commission

News Media Information 202 / 418-0500

445 12th St., S.W.

Internet: http://www.fcc.gov

TTY: 1-888-835-5322

Washington, D.C. 20554

DA 09-2558

Released: December 8, 2009

COMMENT SOUGHT ON THE NATIONAL CABLE & TELECOMMUNICATIONS

ASSOCIATION PETITION FOR RULEMAKING TO REDUCE UNIVERSAL SERVICE HIGH-

COST SUPPORT PROVIDED TO CARRIERS IN AREAS WHERE THERE IS EXTENSIVE

UNSUBSIDIZED FACILITIES-BASED VOICE COMPETITION

GN Docket No. 09-51

WC Docket No. 05-337

RM-11584

Comment Date: January 7, 2010
Reply Comment Date: January 22, 2010

On November 5, 2009, the National Cable and Telecommunications Association (NCTA) filed a
petition for rulemaking proposing new rules for universal service high-cost support.1 Specifically, NCTA
proposes that the Commission establish procedures to reduce the amount of universal service high-cost
support provided to carriers in those areas of the country where there is extensive, unsubsidized facilities-
based voice competition and where government subsidies no longer are needed to ensure that service will
be made available to consumers.2 The Wireline Competition Bureau seeks comment on NCTA’s petition.
Pursuant to sections 1.415 and 1.419 of the Commission’s rules, 47 CFR §§ 1.415, 1.419,
interested parties may file comments on or before January 7, 2010 and reply comments on or before
January 22, 2010. All pleadings are to reference

WC Docket No. 05-337, GN Docket No. 09-51, and
RM-11584

. Comments may be filed using: (1) the Commission’s Electronic Comment Filing System
(ECFS), (2) the Federal Government’s eRulemaking Portal, or (3) by filing paper copies. See Electronic
Filing of Documents in Rulemaking Proceedings, 63 FR 24121 (1998).
§
Electronic Filers: Comments may be filed electronically using the Internet by accessing the
ECFS: http://fjallfoss.fcc.gov/ecfs2/ or the Federal eRulemaking Portal:
http://www.regulations.gov.


1 See 47 C.F.R § 1.401; National Cable & Telecommunications Association, Reducing Universal Service Support in
Geographic Areas that are Experiencing Unsupported Facilities-Based Competition, Petition for Rulemaking, GN
Docket No. 09-51 and WC Docket No. 05-337 (filed Nov. 5, 2009) (Petition).
2 See Petition at 1.

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§
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.
§
Effective December 28, 2009, 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, DC 20554. All hand deliveries must be held together
with rubber bands or fasteners. Any envelopes must be disposed of before entering the
building.

PLEASE NOTE

: Through December 24, 2009, the Commission’s contractor
will receive hand-delivered or messenger-delivered paper filings for the Commission’s
Secretary at 236 Massachusetts Avenue, NE, Suite 110, Washington, DC 20002. This
filing location will be permanently closed after December 24, 2009. The filing hours at
both locations 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, SW, Washington DC 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) Gary Seigel, Telecommunications Access Policy Division, Wireline Competition Bureau, 445 12th
Street, S.W., Room 5-C408, Washington, D.C. 20554; e-mail: Gary.Seigel@fcc.gov;
(3) Katie King, Telecommunications Access Policy Division, Wireline Competition Bureau, 445 12th
Street, S.W., Room 5-B544, Washington, D.C. 20554; e-mail: Katie.King@fcc.gov;
(4) Theodore Burmeister, Telecommunications Access Policy Division, Wireline Competition Bureau,
445 12th Street, S.W., Room 5-B438, Washington, D.C. 20554; e-mail:
Theodore.Burmeister@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.
2

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This matter shall be treated as a “permit-but-disclose” proceeding in accordance with the
Commission’s ex parte rules.3 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.4 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.5
For further information, please contact Gary Seigel, Telecommunications Access Policy Division,
Wireline Competition Bureau at 202-418-7400 or TTY 202-418-0484.
- FCC -


3 47 C.F.R. §§ 1.1200 et seq.
4 See 47 C.F.R. § 1.1206(b)(2).
5 47 C.F.R. § 1.1206(b).
3

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