[Federal Register Volume 78, Number 36 (Friday, February 22, 2013)]
[Proposed Rules]
[Pages 12271-12273]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2013-03890]


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FEDERAL COMMUNICATIONS COMMISSION

47 CFR Part 54

[WC Docket Nos. 10-90 and 05-337; DA 13-156]


Wireline Competition Bureau Seeks Additional Comment In Connect 
America Cost Model Virtual Workshop

AGENCY: Federal Communications Commission.

ACTION: Proposed rule.

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SUMMARY: In this document, the Wireline Competition Bureau seeks public 
input on additional questions relating to modeling voice capability and 
Annual Charge Factors.

DATES: Comments are due on or before March 14, 2013 and reply comments 
are due on or before March 25, 2013. If you anticipate that you will be 
submitting comments, but find it difficult to do so within the period 
of time allowed by this notice, you should advise the contact listed 
below as soon as possible.

ADDRESSES: You may submit comments, identified by WC Docket Nos. 10-90 
and 05-337, by any of the following methods:
    [ssquf] Federal eRulemaking Portal: http://www.regulations.gov. 
Follow the instructions for submitting comments.
    [ssquf] Federal Communications Commission's Web Site: http://fjallfoss.fcc.gov/ecfs2/. Follow the instructions for submitting 
comments.
    [ssquf] Virtual Workshop: In addition to the usual methods for 
filing electronic comments, the Commission is allowing comments, reply 
comments, and ex parte comments in this proceeding to be filed by 
posting comments at http://www.fcc.gov/blog/wcb-cost-model-virtual-workshop-2012.
    [ssquf] People with Disabilities: Contact the FCC to request 
reasonable accommodations (accessible format documents, sign language 
interpreters, CART, etc.) by email: [email protected] or phone: (202) 418-
0530 or TTY: (202) 418-0432.
    For detailed instructions for submitting comments and additional 
information on the rulemaking process, see the SUPPLEMENTARY 
INFORMATION section of this document.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Katie King, Wireline Competition 
Bureau at (202) 418-7491 or TTY (202) 418-0484.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: This is a synopsis of the Wireline 
Competition Bureau's Public Notice in WC Docket Nos. 10-90, 05-337; DA 
13-156 released February 5, 2013, as well as information posted online 
in the Wireline Competition Bureau's Virtual Workshop. The complete 
text of the Public Notice is available for inspection and copying 
during normal business hours in the FCC Reference Information Center, 
Portals II, 445 12th Street, SW., Room CY-A257, Washington, DC 20554. 
These documents may also be purchased from the Commission's duplicating 
contractor, Best Copy and Printing, Inc. (BCPI), 445 12th Street SW., 
Room CY-B402, Washington, DC 20554, telephone (800) 378-3160 or (202) 
863-2893, facsimile (202) 863-2898, or via the Internet at http://www.bcpiweb.com. In addition, the Virtual Workshop may be accessed via 
the Internet at http://www.fcc.gov/blog/wcb-cost-model-virtual-workshop-2012.
    1. On Tuesday, October 9, 2012, the Wireline Competition Bureau 
(Bureau) announced the commencement of the Connect America Cost Model 
(CACM) virtual workshop to solicit input and facilitate discussion on 
topics related to the development and adoption of the forward-looking 
cost model for Connect America Phase II.
    2. In addition, the Bureau has continued to develop CACM. The 
Bureau notes that while CACM shares common components with the CQBAT 
model, there are a number of differences between the CQBAT model and 
versions 1 and 2 of CACM. Specifically, version 1 of CACM uses updated 
input data, adds voice costs assuming carrier grade VoIP technology, 
enhances the Brownfield capability of the model, and includes fixed 
wireless broadband

[[Page 12272]]

providers using State Broadband Initiative data and a more accurate 
reflection of which areas are served by price cap carriers. Similarly, 
version 2 improves on version 1 by using updated residential, business, 
coverage, network topology, and study area data, as well as increasing 
reporting capabilities, modifying the hosting and processing 
environment, and expanding documentation and support files.
    3. To date, parties have commented on 18 different topics in the 
virtual workshop, including whether any modifications to 
functionalities, capabilities, or data sets, not included in the 
versions of CACM released to date, should be addressed in or added to 
subsequent versions of the model.
    4. The Bureau now seeks public input on additional questions 
relating to modeling voice capability and Annual Charge Factors (ACFs). 
The follow-up questions, which appear in the comment sections of the 
``Voice Capability'' and ``Determining the Annualized Cost of Capital 
Investments'' topics, ask:
     Is it reasonable to model voice capability based on a per 
subscriber basis? Are there any alternative ways to model the cost?
     Are the specific inputs that CACM version two uses for the 
cost of voice capability reasonable? If proposing an alternative 
method, what specific sources and values should be used?
     Is the specific approach in CACM version two of 
calculating ACFs by taking into account the economic life of the assets 
using Gompertz-Makeham curves reasonable?
     Are the ACFs used in CACM version two reasonable?
    5. Commenters should address these new questions focusing 
specifically on CACM version two. We encourage commenters to submit 
responses in the virtual workshop.
    6. The Bureau may continue to add discussion topics or follow-up 
questions, which will be announced by Public Notice. Parties can 
participate in the virtual workshop by visiting the Connect America 
Fund Web page, http://www.fcc.gov/encyclopedia/connecting-america, and 
following the link to the virtual workshop.
    7. The virtual workshop will take place over a period of weeks 
sufficient to allow public input on all material issues. Discussion of 
additional topics or follow-up questions may start and end at specific 
times that will be announced in advance. Comments from the virtual 
workshop will be included in the official public record of this 
proceeding. The Bureau will not rely on anonymous comments posted 
during the workshop in reaching decisions regarding the model. 
Participants should be aware that identifying information from parties 
that post material in the virtual workshop will be publicly available 
for inspection upon request, even though such information may not be 
posted in the workshop forums.

I. Procedural Matters

A. Initial Regulatory Flexibility Act Analysis

    8. As required by the Regulatory Flexibility Act of 1980, as 
amended (RFA), the Bureau prepared an Initial Regulatory Flexibility 
Analysis (IRFA), included as part of the Model Design PN, 77 FR 38804, 
June 29, 2012, of the possible significant economic impact on a 
substantial number of small entities by the policies and rules proposed 
in these Public Notices and the information posted online in the 
Virtual Workshops. We have reviewed the IRFA and have determined that 
is does not need to be supplemented.

B. Paperwork Reduction Act

    9. This document does not contain proposed information 
collection(s) subject to the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 (PRA), 
Public Law 104-13. In addition, therefore, it does not contain any new 
or modified information collection burden for small business concerns 
with fewer than 25 employees, pursuant to the Small Business Paperwork 
Relief Act of 2002, Public Law 107-198, see 44 U.S.C. 3506(c)(4).

 C. Filing Requirements

    10. Comments and Replies. Pursuant to sections 1.415 and 1.419 of 
the Commission's rules, 47 CFR 1.415 and 1.419, interested parties may 
file comments and reply comments on or before the dates indicated on 
the first page of this document. Comments may be filed using the 
Commission's Electronic Comment Filing System (ECFS). See Electronic 
Filing of Documents in Rulemaking Proceedings, 63 FR 24121, May 1, 
1998.
    [ssquf] Electronic Filers: Comments may be filed electronically 
using the Internet by accessing the ECFS: http://fjallfoss.fcc.gov/ecfs2/.
    [ssquf] Paper Filers: Parties who choose to file by paper must file 
an original and one copy 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. All filings must be addressed to the Commission's 
Secretary, Office of the Secretary, Federal Communications Commission.
    [ssquf] All hand-delivered or messenger-delivered paper filings for 
the Commission's Secretary must be delivered to FCC Headquarters at 445 
12th Street SW., Room TW-A325, Washington, DC 20554. The filing hours 
are 8:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m. All hand deliveries must be held together 
with rubber bands or fasteners. Any envelopes and boxes must be 
disposed of before entering the building.
    [ssquf] 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.
    [ssquf] U.S. Postal Service first-class, Express, and Priority mail 
must be addressed to 445 12th Street SW., Washington DC 20554.
    11. Virtual Workshop. In addition to the usual methods for filing 
electronic comments, the Commission is allowing comments in this 
proceeding to be filed by posting comments at http://www.fcc.gov/blog/wcb-cost-model-virtual-workshop-2012. Persons wishing to examine the 
record in this proceeding are encouraged to examine the record on ECFS 
and the Virtual Workshop. Although Virtual Workshop commenters may 
choose to provide identifying information or may comment anonymously, 
anonymous comments will not be part of the record in this proceeding 
and accordingly will not be relied on by the Commission in reaching its 
conclusions in this rulemaking. The Commission will not rely on 
anonymous postings in reaching conclusions in this matter because of 
the difficulty in verifying the accuracy of information in anonymous 
postings. Should posters provide identifying information, they should 
be aware that although such information will not be posted on the blog, 
it will be publicly available for inspection upon request.
    12. People with Disabilities. To request materials in accessible 
formats for people with disabilities (braille, large print, electronic 
files, audio format), send an email to [email protected] or call the 
Consumer & Governmental Affairs Bureau at 202-418-0530 (voice), 202-
418-0432 (tty).
    13. Availability of Documents. Comments, reply comments, and ex 
parte submissions will be publicly available online via ECFS. These 
documents will also be available for public inspection during regular 
business hours in the FCC Reference Information Center, which is 
located in

[[Page 12273]]

Room CY-A257 at FCC Headquarters, 445 12th Street SW., Washington, DC 
20554. The Reference Information Center is open to the public Monday 
through Thursday from 8:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. and Friday from 8:00 a.m. 
to 11:30 a.m.

Federal Communications Commission.
Kimberly A. Scardino,
Acting Division Chief, Telecommunications Access Policy Division, 
Wireline Competition Bureau.
[FR Doc. 2013-03890 Filed 2-21-13; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6712-01-P