[Federal Register Volume 72, Number 137 (Wednesday, July 18, 2007)]
[Notices]
[Pages 39421-39422]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E7-13722]


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FEDERAL COMMUNICATIONS COMMISSION

[CC Docket No. 96-45; DA 07-1327]


Additional Comment Sought on Petition of Genesis Communications 
International, Inc. for Declaratory Rulings Regarding Lifeline 
Assistance Revenues

AGENCY: Federal Communications Commission.

ACTION: Notice; solicitation of comments.

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SUMMARY: In this document, the Wireline Competition Bureau (Bureau) 
seeks to refresh the record on issues raised in the Petition of Genesis 
Communications International, Inc. (Genesis) for Declaratory Rulings 
Regarding Lifeline Assistance Revenues (Petition). Because comments and 
reply comments on the issue were filed several years ago, the passage 
of time and intervening developments have rendered the records 
developed by those commenters stale. Moreover, some issues raised by 
commenters may have become moot or irrelevant in light of intervening 
events. For these reasons, the Bureau requests that parties refresh the 
record with any new information or arguments they believe to be 
relevant to deciding the issues still pending.

DATES: Comments are due on or before August 17, 2007. Reply comments 
are due on or before September 4, 2007.

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

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Dana Bradford, Telecommunications 
Access Policy Division, Wireline Competition Bureau, (202) 418-7400 or 
TTY: 202-418-0432.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: This is a summary of Additional Comment 
Sought on Petition of Genesis Communications International, Inc. for 
Declaratory Rulings Regarding Lifeline Assistance Revenues, CC Docket 
No. 96-45, DA 07-1327, released March 16, 2007.
    1. In 2000, the Commission denied a complaint filed by Genesis 
against Pacific Bell (Pacific) seeking reimbursement of certain End 
User Common Line (EUCL) charges. Genesis then sought to recover the 
funds in a suit against the National Exchange Carrier Association, Inc. 
(NECA). Genesis and NECA subsequently agreed to stay the action pending 
referral to the Commission of Genesis's claim for retroactive 
reimbursement via its petition in the above captioned docket.
    2. On November 16, 2000, Genesis filed the current Petition seeking 
a declaratory ruling from the Commission regarding: (1) Whether 
Commission certification of Genesis's eligibility was a prerequisite to 
obtaining reimbursement from NECA for Lifeline discounts given to 
eligible end users under California's Universal Lifeline Telephone 
Service program; and (2) whether Genesis was entitled to submit claims 
and receive reimbursement from NECA on a retroactive basis. The 
Petition was put on Public Notice for comment on March 27, 2001. In 
response, NECA and Genesis both asserted that, should reimbursement be 
warranted, the Universal Service Administrative Company (USAC) should 
disburse the funds.
    3. Since the dispute arose, the Commission has amended the Lifeline 
rules, and transferred responsibility for the program's administration 
from NECA to USAC. The Bureau issues this Public Notice to update 
several issues contained in the current record, as well as any 
additional information that may have become relevant to the proceeding.
    4. 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 that 
are due on or before August 17, 2007 and reply comments that are due on 
or before September 4, 2007. Interested parties may file comments and 
reply comments on or before the date indicated on the first page of 
this document. Comments may be filed using: (1) The Commission's 
Electronic Comment Filing System (ECFS), (2) the Federal Government's 
eRulemaking Portal, or (3) by filing paper copies. See Electronic 
Filing of Documents in Rulemaking Proceedings, 63 FR 24121, April 6, 
1998.
     Electronic Filers: Comments may be filed electronically 
using the Internet by accessing the ECFS: http://www.fcc.gov/cgb/ecfs/ 
or the Federal eRulemaking Portal http://www.regulations.gov. Filers 
should follow the instructions provided on the Web site for submitting 
comments.
     For ECFS Filers: If multiple docket or rulemaking numbers 
appear in the caption of this proceeding, filers must transmit one 
electronic copy of the comments for each docket or rulemaking number 
referenced in the caption. In completing the transmittal screen, filers 
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, 
filers should send an e-mail to: [email protected], and include the 
following words in the body of the message, ``get form.'' A sample form 
and directions will be sent in response.
     Paper Filers: 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, 
filers 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). All filings must be addressed to 
the Commission's Secretary, Office of the Secretary, Federal 
Communications Commission.
    The Commission's contractor 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, Express, and Priority mail should be addressed to 
445 12th Street, SW., Washington, DC 20554.
    People with Disabilities: To request materials in accessible 
formats for people with disabilities (braille, large print, electronic 
files, audio format), send an e-mail to: [email protected], or call the 
Consumer & Governmental Affairs Bureau at 202-418-0530 (voice), 202-
418-0432 (tty).
    You may submit comments, identified by the above noted docket 
number, by any of the following methods:

[[Page 39422]]

     Federal eRulemaking Portal: http://www.regulations.gov. 
Follow the instructions for submitting comments.
     Federal Communications Commission's Web Site: http://www.fcc.gov/cgb/ecfs/. Follow the instructions for submitting comments.
     People with Disabilities: Contact the FCC to request 
reasonable accommodations (accessible format documents, sign language 
interpreters, CART, etc.) by e-mail: [email protected] or phone: 202-418-
0530 or TTY: 202-418-0432.
    In addition, one copy of each pleading must be sent to each of the 
following:
    (1) The Commission's duplicating contractor, Best Copy and 
Printing, Inc., 445 12th Street, SW., Room CY-B402, Washington, DC 
20554, http://www.bcpiweb.com; phone: 202-488-5300; fax: 202-488-5563; 
and
    (2) Antoinette Stevens, Telecommunications Access Policy Division, 
Wireline Competition Bureau, 445 12th Street, SW., Room 5B-521, 
Washington, DC 20554; e-mail: [email protected]; and
    (3) Dana Walton-Bradford, Telecommunications Access Policy 
Division, Wireline Competition Bureau, 445 12th Street, SW., Room 5A-
423, Washington, DC 20554; e-mail: [email protected].
    5. Filings and comments are also available for public inspection 
and copying during regular business hours at the FCC Reference 
Information Center, Portals II, 445 12th Street, SW., Room CY-A257, 
Washington, DC 20554. They may also be purchased from the Commission's 
duplicating contractor, Best Copy and Printing, Inc., Portals II, 445 
12th Street, SW., Room CYB402, Washington, DC 20554, telephone: 202-
488-5300, fax: 202-488-5563, or via e-mail at: http://www.bcpiweb.com.
    6. This matter shall be treated as a ``permit-but-disclose'' 
proceeding in accordance with the Commission's ex parte rules. Persons 
making oral ex parte presentations are reminded that memoranda 
summarizing the presentations must contain summaries of the substance 
of the presentation and not merely a listing of the subjects discussed. 
More than a one or two sentence description of the views and arguments 
presented generally is required. Other rules pertaining to oral and 
written ex parte presentations in permit-but-disclose proceedings are 
set forth in Sec.  1.1206(b) of the Commission's rules.

Federal Communications Commission.
Jeremy D. Marcus,
Division Chief, Telecommunications Access Policy Division, Wireline 
Competition Bureau.
 [FR Doc. E7-13722 Filed 7-17-07; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6712-01-P