[Federal Register Volume 68, Number 161 (Wednesday, August 20, 2003)]
[Rules and Regulations]
[Page 50077]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 03-21247]


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FEDERAL COMMUNICATIONS COMMISSION

47 CFR Parts 54 and 61

[CC Docket Nos. 96-262, 94-1, 99-249 and 96-45; FCC 03-164]


Access Charge Reform; Price Cap Performance Review for LECs; Low-
Volume Long Distance Users; and Federal-State Joint Board on Universal 
Service

AGENCY: Federal Communications Commission.

ACTION: Final rule.

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SUMMARY: In this document, the Commission addresses two issues before 
the Commission on remand from the United States Court of Appeals for 
the Fifth Circuit. In the CALLS Order, 65 FR 57739, May 31, 2000, the 
Commission adopted comprehensive reforms to the interstate access 
charge regime and universal service support for price cap carriers, 
based in part on a proposal submitted by the Coalition for Affordable 
Local and Long-Distance Service. The Court affirmed the CALL Order in 
most respects, but remanded for further explanation and analysis the 
Commission's decisions to size the Interstate Access Support Mechanism 
at $650 million and to set the X-factor at 6.5 percent.

DATES: Effective September 19, 2003.

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

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: This is a summary of the Commission's Order 
in CC Docket Nos. 96-262, 94-1, 99-249 and 96-45; FCC 03-164, released 
on July 10, 2003. The full text of this document is available for 
public inspection during regular business hours in the FCC Reference 
Center, Room CY-A257, 445 Twelfth Street, SW., Washington, DC 20554.

I. Introduction

    1. In this Order, the Commission addresses two issues on remand 
from the United States Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit. In the 
CALLS Order, the Commission adopted comprehensive reforms to the 
interstate access charge regime and universal service support for price 
cap carriers, based in part on a proposal submitted by the Coalition 
for Affordable Local and Long-Distance Service. On September 10, 2001, 
the Fifth Circuit affirmed the CALLS Order in most respects, but 
remanded for further analysis and explanation the decisions to size the 
Interstate Access Support (UIAS) mechanism at $650 million and to adopt 
the 6.5 percent X-factor. The Commission concludes that the $650 
million IAS amount included in the integrated CALLS plan represents a 
reasonable estimate of the implicit support in access charges to be 
replaced with explicit support and is supported by the record in this 
proceeding. The Commission also concludes that the record supports the 
adoption of a 6.5 percent X-factor to achieve the Commission's target 
rate levels for price cap carriers.
    2. It is ordered, pursuant to sections 1, 4(i) and (j), 201-209, 
218-222, 254, and 403 of the Communications Act, as amended, 47 U.S.C. 
151, 154(i), 154(j), 201-209, 218-222, 254, and 403, that this Order is 
hereby adopted and shall become effective September 19, 2003.

Federal Communications Commission.
Marlene H. Dortch,
Secretary.
[FR Doc. 03-21247 Filed 8-19-03; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6712-01-P