[Federal Register Volume 67, Number 56 (Friday, March 22, 2002)]
[Notices]
[Pages 13332-13333]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 02-6931]


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FEDERAL COMMUNICATIONS COMMISSION

[CC Docket No. 96-45; DA 02-510]


Common Carrier Bureau Seeks Comment on Guam Cellular and Paging, 
Inc. d/b/a/ Saipancell Petition for Designation as an Eligible 
Telecommunications Carrier on the Island of Saipan in the Commonwealth 
of the Northern Mariana Islands

AGENCY: Federal Communications Commission.

ACTION: Notice; solicitation of comments.

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SUMMARY: This document seeks comments on the Guam Cellular and Paging, 
Inc. d/b/a Saipancell (Saipancell) petition seeking designation of 
eligibility to receive federal universal service support for service 
offered on the island of Saipan in the Commonwealth of the Northern 
Mariana Islands.

DATES: Comments are due on April 22, 2002. Reply comments are due on 
May 6, 2002.

ADDRESSES: See Supplementary Information section for where and how to 
file comments.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Anita Cheng, Assistant Chief, 
Accounting Policy Division, Common Carrier Bureau, (202) 418-7400, TTY: 
(202) 418-0484.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: On February 19, 2002, Saipancell filed with 
the Commission a petition under section 214(e)(6) seeking designation 
as an eligible telecommunications carrier (ETC) to receive federal 
universal service support for service offered on the island of Saipan 
in the Northern Mariana Islands. Specifically, Saipancell contends that 
the Commonwealth Utilities Corporation, which is the public utility 
commission of the Northern Mariana Islands, has provided an affirmative 
statement that it does not regulate commercial mobile

[[Page 13333]]

radio service carriers; Saipancell meets all the statutory and 
regulatory prerequisites for ETC designation; and designating 
Saipancell as an ETC will serve the public interest. Pursuant to 
Sec. 54.207(c) of the Commission's rules, Saipancell also requests that 
the Commission redefine the service area of the incumbent rural local 
exchange carrier, Micronesian Telephone Corporation (MTC). MTC serves 
three islands in the Northern Mariana Islands--Saipan, Tinian, and 
Rota. Saipancell seeks redefinition of the MTC service area to enable 
Saipancell to be designated as an ETC only for the island of Saipan.
    The petitioner must provide copies of its petition to the 
Commonwealth Utilities Corporation at the time of filing with the 
Commission. The Commission will also send a copy of the Public Notice 
to the Commonwealth Utilities Corporation by overnight express mail to 
ensure that the Commonwealth Utilities Corporation is notified of the 
notice and comment period.
    Pursuant to Secs. 1.415 and 1.419 of the Commission's rules, 
interested parties may file comments on or before April 12, 2002, and 
reply comments are due on or before April 22, 2002. An original and 
four copies of all comments must be filed with William F. Caton, Acting 
Secretary, Office of the Secretary, Federal Communications Commission, 
445 12th Street, SW., TW-B204, Washington DC 20554. In addition, four 
copies of each comment must be delivered to Sheryl Todd, Common Carrier 
Bureau, 445 12th Street, SW., Room 5-A520, Washington, DC, 20554, and 
one copy to Qualex International, Portals II, 445 12th Street, SW., 
Room CY-B402, Washington DC, 20554. In accordance with the Commission's 
earlier Public Notice announcing that hand-delivered or messenger-
delivered filings are no longer accepted at the Commission's 
headquarters, hand-delivered or messenger-delivered filings must be 
delivered to 236 Massachusetts Avenue, NE., Suite 110, Washington, DC 
20002. The filing hours at this location will be 8 a.m. to 7 p.m. All 
hand deliveries must be held together with rubber bands or fasteners. 
Any envelopes must be disposed of before entering the building.
    Other messenger-delivered documents, including documents sent by 
overnight mail (other than United States Postal Service (USPS) Express 
Mail and Priority Mail), must be addressed to 9300 East Hampton Drive, 
Capitol Heights, MD 20743. This location will be open 8 a.m. to 5:30 
p.m. The USPS first-class mail, Express Mail, and Priority Mail should 
continue to be addressed to the Commission's headquarters at 445 12th 
Street, SW., Washington, DC 20554. The USPS mail addressed to the 
Commission's headquarters actually goes to our Capitol Heights facility 
for screening prior to delivery at the Commission.

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 If you are sending this type of document    It should be addressed for
    or using this delivery method. . .            delivery to. . .
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Hand-delivered or messenger-delivered       236 Massachusetts Avenue,
 paper filings for the Commission's          NE., Suite 110, Washington,
 Secretary.                                  DC 20002 (8 a.m. to 7
                                             p.m.).
Other messenger-delivered documents,        9300 East Hampton Drive,
 including documents sent by overnight       Capitol Heights, MD 20743
 mail (other than United States Postal       (8 a.m. to 5:30 p.m.).
 Service Express Mail and Priority Mail).
United States Postal Service first-class    445 12th Street, SW.,
 mail, Express Mail, and Priority Mail.      Washington, DC 20554.
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    In addition to filing paper comments, parties are encouraged also 
to file comments electronically using the Commission's Electronic 
Comment Filing System (ECFS). See Electronic Filing of Document in 
Rulemaking Proceedings, 63 FR 24121, May 1, 1998. Comments filed 
through the ECFS can be sent as an electronic file via the Internet to 
http://www.fcc.gov/e-file/ecfs.html. Generally, only one copy of an 
electronic submission must be filed. In completing the transmittal 
screen, commenters should include their full name, postal mailing 
address, and the applicable docket or rulemaking number. Parties may 
also submit an electronic comment by the Internet e-mail. To receive 
instructions, send an email to [email protected] and include the following 
words in the body of the message, ``get form your e-mail address>.'' A 
sample form and directions will be sent in reply.
    Pursuant to Sec. 1.1206 of the Commission's rules, this proceeding 
will be conducted as a permit-but-disclose proceeding in which ex parte 
communications are permitted subject to disclosure.

Federal Communications Commission.
Anita Cheng,
Assistant Chief, Accounting Policy Division.
[FR Doc. 02-6931 Filed 3-21-02; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6712-01-P