[Federal Register Volume 69, Number 140 (Thursday, July 22, 2004)]
[Rules and Regulations]
[Page 43771]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 04-16740]


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FEDERAL COMMUNICATIONS COMMISSION

47 CFR Part 54

[CC Docket No. 96-45; FCC 03-249]


Federal-State Joint Board on Universal Service

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 modifying the high-cost universal service support 
mechanism for non-rural carriers and adopting measures to induce states 
to ensure reasonable comparability of rural and urban rates in areas 
served by non-rural carriers that contained information collection 
requirements.

DATES: Sections 54.316(a) and 54.316(c) published at 68 FR 69622, 
December 15, 2003, were approved by the Office of Management and Budget 
(OMB) and became effective on June 7, 2004. The OMB approval of the 
information collection requirements contained in these rules was 
announced in the Federal Register on June 24, 2004.

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

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: On October 27, 2003, the Commission released 
an Order on Remand and Memorandum Opinion and Order in CC Docket No. 
96-45 (Order). In this document, in response to the decision of the 
United States Court of Appeals for the Tenth Circuit and the 
recommendations of the Federal-State Joint Board on Universal Service, 
the Commission modified the high-cost universal service support 
mechanism for non-rural carriers and adopts measures to induce states 
to ensure reasonable comparability of rural and urban rates in areas 
served by non-rural carriers. A summary of the Order was published in 
the Federal Register. See 68 FR 69622, December 15, 2003. In that 
summary, the Commission stated that the modified rules would become 
effective 30 days after publication in the Federal Register except for 
Sec.  54.316(a) and Sec.  54.316(c) which would become effective upon 
approval by OMB of the associated information collection requirements. 
The rule amendments other than Sec.  54.316(a) and Sec.  54.316(c) 
became effective on January 14, 2004. On June 7, 2004, OMB approved the 
information collections associated with Sec.  54.316(a) and Sec.  
54.316(c), and those sections, pursuant to the Order, became effective. 
See OMB No. 3060-0894. The OMB approval of the information collection 
requirements was announced in the Federal Register on June 24, 2004. 
See 69 FR 35345.

List of Subjects in 47 CFR Part 54

    Reporting and recordkeeping requirements, Telecommunications, 
Telephone.

Federal Communications Commission.
Marlene H. Dortch,
Secretary.
[FR Doc. 04-16740 Filed 7-21-04; 8:45 am]
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