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Federal Communications Commission
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DA 97-2349
Released: November 6, 1997


Schools and Libraries Corporation and Health Care Corporation
Adopt Length of Filing Windows


1. On October 14, 1997 the Federal Communications Commission released the Universal Service Third Report and Order.(1) In the Third Report and Order the Commission adopted a filing window period and concluded that all schools, libraries, and health care providers that file a request for support during the window period will be treated as if such requests were simultaneously received. The Commission also concluded that the window will begin on the date that the Schools and Libraries Corporation and the Health Care Corporation begin to receive requests for support, but concluded that Schools and Libraries Corporation and the Health Care Corporation would determine the length of the window for their respective applicants. The Commission directed the Corporations to make a determination with respect to the initial window filing periods by October 31, 1997 and, to facilitate notification to the public, directed the Common Carrier Bureau to issue a public notice announcing the Corporations' decisions.

2. As of October 31, 1997 both the Schools and Libraries Corporation and the Health Care Corporation have adopted a filing window of 75 days. Therefore, consistent with sections 54.507(c) and 54.623(c) of the Commission's rules, all requests for support filed pursuant to a signed contract and received by the Schools and Libraries Corporation within 75 days of the day the Schools and Libraries Corporation begins to receive requests will be treated as if they were simultaneously received. Likewise, all such requests from health care providers received within 75 days of the day the Health Care Corporation begins to receive requests will be treated as if they were simultaneously received. The date on which the corporations will begin to receive requests is contingent upon when the Corporations will be ready to post requests on the websites. Requests must be posted on the websites for four weeks before applicants who are complying with the Commission's competitive bidding requirement may sign a contract that is eligible for universal service support.(2) The Corporations will announce the date on which the websites will be operational and the date on which the window filing period will end.

-- Action by the Acting Chief, Common Carrier Bureau --




1. Federal-State Joint Board on Universal Service, CC Docket 96-45, Third Report and Order, FCC 97-380 (rel. Oct. 14, 1997).

2. 47 C.F.R. §§ 54.504(b), 54.603(b).