[Federal Register Volume 66, Number 126 (Friday, June 29, 2001)]
[Rules and Regulations]
[Page 34581]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 01-16421]


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FEDERAL COMMUNICATIONS COMMISSION

47 CFR Parts 36 and 54

[CC Docket Nos. 96-45 and 00-256; FCC 01-157]


Federal-State Joint Board on Universal Service; Multi-Association 
Group Plan for Regulation of Interstate Services of Non-Price Cap 
Incumbent Local Exchange Carriers and Interexchange Carriers.

AGENCY: Federal Communications Commission.

ACTION: Final rule; announcement of effective date.

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SUMMARY: This document announces the effective date of the amendments 
to our rules for providing high-cost universal service support to rural 
telephone companies for the next five years based upon the proposals 
made by the Rural Task Force. We believe these modifications will 
strike a fair and reasonable balance among the universal service 
principles and goals enumerated in the Telecommunications Act. The 
Fourteenth Report and Order and Twenty-Second Order on Reconsideration 
in CC Docket No. 96-45, and the Report and Order in CC Docket No. 00-
256 was published in the Federal Register on June 5, 2001. Some of the 
rules contained information collection requirements.

DATES: Sections 36.605(c)(2), 36.611, 54.305(f), the amendments to 
Secs. 54.307(b), 54.313(b) and (c), 54.314, and 54.315 published at 66 
FR 30080, June 5, 2001, were approved by the Office of Management and 
Budget (OMB) on June 19, 2001 and became effective on June 19, 2001.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Genaro Fullano, Paul Garnett, or Greg 
Guice, Attorney, Accounting Policy Division, Common Carrier Bureau, 
(202) 418-7400, TTY: (202) 418-0484.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: On May 23, 2001, the Commission released a 
Fourteenth Report and Order, Twenty-Second Order on Reconsideration in 
CC Docket No. 96-45, and Report and order in CC Docket No. 00-256 
(Order), 66 FR 30080, June 5, 2001, that took action in response to the 
Rural Task Force's recommended reforms to rural high-cost universal 
service support and the proposals made by the Multi-Association Group 
relating to this universal service support mechanism. Specifically, the 
revised rules will provide certainty and stability for rural carriers 
for the next five years, enabling them to continue to provide supported 
services at affordable rates to American consumers. The Commission 
believes these modifications will preserve and advance universal 
service, consistent with the goals and principles set forth in section 
254 of the Communications Act of 1934, as amended by the 
Telecommunications Act of 1996, and encourage competition in high-cost 
areas, consistent with the competitive goal of the 1996 Act. A summary 
of the Order was published in the Federal Register. See 66 FR 30080, 
June 5, 2001. Some of the rules contained information collection 
requirements that required OMB approval. On June 19, 2001, OMB approved 
the information collections. See OMB No. 3060-0986. The rule amendments 
adopted by the Commission in the Order took effect on June 19, 2001. 
This publication satisfies the statement in the Order that the 
Commission would publish a document in the Federal Register announcing 
the effective date of the rules.

List of Subjects

47 CFR Part 36

    Jurisdictional separations, Reporting and recordkeeping 
requirements, Telecommunications, Telephone.

47 CFR Part 54

    Reporting and recordkeeping requirements, Telecommunications, 
Telephone.

Federal Communications Commission.
Magalie Roman Salas,
Secretary.
[FR Doc. 01-16421 Filed 6-28-01; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6712-01-P