[Federal Register Volume 68, Number 118 (Thursday, June 19, 2003)]
[Notices]
[Pages 36793-36794]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 03-15492]


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FEDERAL COMMUNICATIONS COMMISSION

[CC Docket No. 96-45; DA 03-1894]


Advantage Cellular Systems, Inc. Petition for Designation as an 
Eligible Telecommunications Carrier Throughout Its Licensed Service 
Area in the State of Tennessee

AGENCY: Federal Communications Commission.

ACTION: Notice; solicitation of comments.

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SUMMARY: In this document, the Wireline Competition Bureau sought 
comment on the Advantage Cellular petition. Advantage Cellular Systems, 
Inc. (Advantage Cellular) is seeking designation as an eligible 
telecommunications carrier (ETC) to receive federal universal service 
support for service offered throughout its licensed service area in the 
state of Tennessee.

DATES: Comments are due on or before June 30, 2003. Reply comments are 
due on or before July 7, 2003.

ADDRESSES: Federal Communications Commission, 445 Twelfth Street, SW., 
Washington, DC 20554. See SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION for further filing 
instructions.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Thomas Buckley, Attorney, Wireline 
Competition Bureau, Telecommunications Access Policy Division, (202) 
418-7400.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: This is a summary of the of the Commission's 
Public Notice, CC Docket No. 96-45, released June 5, 2003. On May 9, 
2003, Advantage Cellular filed with the Commission a petition pursuant 
to section 214(e)(6) of the Communications Act of 1934, as amended, 
seeking designation as an ETC to receive federal universal service 
support for service offered throughout its licensed service area in the 
state of Tennessee, including rural and non-rural areas. Specifically, 
Advantage Cellular contends that: the Tennessee Regulatory Authority 
has provided an affirmative statement that it does not regulate 
commercial mobile radio service (CMRS) carriers; Advantage Cellular 
meets all the statutory and regulatory prerequisites for ETC 
designation; and designating Advantage Cellular as an ETC will serve 
the public interest.
    Pursuant to section 54.207(c) of the Commission's rules, Advantage 
Cellular also requests that the Commission designate Advantage Cellular 
as an ETC in service areas defined along boundaries that differ from 
rural LEC study area boundaries. The service areas requested by 
Advantage Cellular for ETC designation only partially cover the rural 
study areas of Ben Lomand Rural Telephone Cooperative, Inc., Bledsoe 
Telephone Cooperative, Inc., Delkab Telephone Cooperative, Inc. d/b/a 
DTC Communications, Citizens Telecommunications Company of Tennessee d/
b/a Frontier Communications, North Central Telephone Cooperative, Inc., 
and Twin Lakes Telephone Cooperative Corporation. Advantage Cellular 
maintains that the proposed redefinition of these service areas is 
consistent with the factors to be considered when redefining a rural 
telephone company service area, as enumerated by the Federal-State 
Joint Board on Universal Service.
    The petitioner must provide copies of its petition to the Tennessee 
Regulatory Authority. The Commission will also send a copy of this 
Public Notice to the Tennessee Regulatory Authority by

[[Page 36794]]

overnight express mail to ensure that the Tennessee Regulatory 
Authority is notified of the notice and comment period.
    Pursuant to Sec. Sec.  1.415 and 1.419 of the Commission's rules, 
47 CFR 1.415, 1.419, interested parties may file comments as follows: 
comments are due on or before June 30, 2003, and reply comments are due 
on or before July 7, 2003. Comments may be filed using the Commission's 
Electronic Comment Filing System (ECFS) or by filing paper copies. See 
Electronic Filing of Documents 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. If multiple 
docket or rulemaking numbers appear in the caption of this proceeding, 
however, commenters must transmit one electronic copy of the comments 
to each docket or rulemaking number referenced in the caption. In 
completing the transmittal screen, commenters should include their full 
name, U.S. Postal Service mailing address, and the applicable docket or 
rulemaking number. Parties may also submit an electronic comment by 
Internet e-mail. To get filing instructions for e-mail comments, 
commenters should send an e-mail to [email protected], and should include 
the following words in the body of the message, ``get form .'' A sample form and directions will be sent in 
reply.
    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, commenters 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 (although we continue to experience delays in receiving U.S. 
Postal Service mail). The Commission's contractor, Vistronix, Inc., 
will receive hand-delivered or messenger-delivered paper filings for 
the Commission's Secretary at 236 Massachusetts Avenue, NE., Suite 110, 
Washington, DC 20002. The filing hours at this location are 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. 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 mail, 
Express Mail, and Priority Mail should be addressed to 445 12th Street, 
SW., Washington, DC 20554. All filings must be addressed to the 
Commission's Secretary, Marlene H. Dortch, Office of the Secretary, 
Federal Communications Commission.
    Parties also must send three paper copies of their filing to Sheryl 
Todd, Telecommunications Access Policy Division, Wireline Competition 
Bureau, Federal Communications Commission, 445 12th Street, SW., Room 
5-B540, Washington, DC 20554. In addition, commenters must send 
diskette copies to the Commission's copy contractor, Qualex 
International, Portals II, 445 12th Street, SW., Room CY-B402, 
Washington, DC 20054.
    Pursuant to Sec.  1.1206 of the Commission's rules, 47 CFR 1.1206, 
this proceeding will be conducted as a permit-but-disclose proceeding 
in which ex parte communications are permitted subject to disclosure.

Federal Communications Commission.
Paul Garnett,
Acting Assistant Division Chief, Wireline Competition Bureau 
Telecommunications Access Policy Division.
[FR Doc. 03-15492 Filed 6-18-03; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6712-01-P