[Federal Register Volume 68, Number 250 (Wednesday, December 31, 2003)]
[Notices]
[Pages 75563-75564]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 03-32117]


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FEDERAL COMMUNICATIONS COMMISSION

[CC Docket No. 96-45; DA 03-3825]


ALLTEL Communications, Inc. Petition for Designation as an 
Eligible Telecommunications Carrier and Rural Service Area Redefinition 
in Georgia

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 ALLTEL Communications, Inc. (ALLTEL) petition. ALLTEL 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 Georgia. ALLTEL 
also requests that the Commission redefine certain rural service areas.

DATES: Comments are due on or before January 12, 2004. Reply comments 
are due on or before January 26, 2004.

ADDRESSES: Federal Communications Commission, 445 12th Street, SW., 
Washington, DC 20554. See SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION for further filing 
instructions.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Karen Franklin, Attorney, Wireline 
Competition Bureau, Telecommunications Access Policy Division, (202) 
418-7400, TTY (202) 418-0484.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: This is a summary of the Commission's Public 
Notice, CC Docket No. 96-45, released November 26, 2003. On August 26, 
2003, ALLTEL filed with the Commission a petition pursuant to section 
214(e)(6) of the Communications Act of 1934, as amended, so that it can 
receive federal universal service support in the state of Georgia. 
ALLTEL also requests that the Commission redefine certain rural service 
areas pursuant to section 54.207 of the Commission's rules. ALLTEL 
provides commercial mobile radio services and seeks federal universal 
service support for its service offered in non-rural wire centers 
currently served by BellSouth Telecomm Inc., and for service offered in 
rural wire centers currently served by Quincy Telephone Co., 
Progressive Rural Telephone Cooperative, Planters Rural Telephone 
Cooperative, Plant Telephone Co., Pineland Telephone Cooperative, 
Pembroke Telephone Co., Inc., Hawkinsville Telephone Co., Glenwood 
Telephone Co., Georgia Telephone Corp., Frontier Communications of 
Georgia, Darien Telephone Co. Inc., Coastal Utilities, Inc., Camden 
Telephone & Telegraph Co., Bulloch County Rural Telephone Co., Brantley 
Telephone Co. Inc., Alma Telephone Co., Inc., ALLTEL Georgia 
Communication Corporation, ALLTEL Georgia, Inc., Georgia ALLTEL 
Telecomm Inc., and Accucomm Telecommunications, Inc. ALLTEL has 
requested that the Commission consider ALLTEL's request to become an 
ETC in non-rural service areas separately from its rural area ETC 
designation requests, if such bifurcation would expedite Commission 
action on ALLTEL's ETC petitions as they relate to the non-rural 
service areas.
    ALLTEL asserts that the Georgia Public Service Commission (Georgia 
Commission) does not regulate commercial mobile radio service providers 
for purposes of making determinations concerning eligibility for ETC 
designations and presents a letter from the Georgia Commission 
acknowledging its lack of such jurisdiction. Hence, according to 
ALLTEL, the Commission has jurisdiction under section 214(e)(6) to 
consider and grant its petition. ALLTEL also maintains that it 
satisfies all the statutory and regulatory prerequisites for ETC 
designation and that designating ALLTEL as an ETC in areas served by 
rural LECs will serve the public interest.
    In accordance with section 54.207 of the Commission's rules, ALLTEL 
requests that the Commission designate ALLTEL as an ETC in a service 
area defined along boundaries that differ from the incumbent rural 
local exchange carriers' study area boundaries. The service area 
requested by ALLTEL for ETC designation partially covers the study 
areas of ALLTEL Georgia, Inc., ALLTEL Georgia Communications 
Corporation, Frontier Communications of Fairmont, Georgia ALLTEL 
Telcomm Inc., and Plant Telephone Company. ALLTEL requests a 
redefinition of these

[[Page 75564]]

rural service areas so each wire center in each of the respective study 
areas is designated as a separate service area. ALLTEL limits its 
redefinition request to those wire centers that ALLTEL serves in its 
entirety and notes that where ALLTEL serves only a portion of a wire 
center, it does not request ETC status for that wire center. ALLTEL 
maintains that the proposed redefinition of service areas for ETC 
purposes 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 Wireline 
Competition Bureau seeks comment on the ALLTEL Petition.
    The petitioner must provide copies of its petition to the Georgia 
Commission. The Commission sent a copy of this Public Notice to the 
Georgia Commission by overnight express mail to ensure that the Georgia 
Commission 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 January 12, 2004, and reply comments are 
due on or before January 26, 2004. 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, Natek, 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 sent to the Commission's 
Secretary, Marlene H. Dortch, Office of the Secretary, Federal 
Communications Commission, 445 12th Street SW., Washington, DC 20554.
    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.
Sharon Webber,
Deputy Chief, Wireline Competition Bureau, Telecommunications Access 
Policy Division.
[FR Doc. 03-32117 Filed 12-30-03; 8:45 am]
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