E7-5455. Missoula Intercarrier Compensation Reform Plan Federal Benchmark Mechanism Proposal

AGENCY:

Federal Communications Commission.

ACTION:

Proposed rule.

SUMMARY:

This document seeks comment on a proposed federal benchmark mechanism addressing issues faced by “early adopter” states, i.e. states that have already taken steps to substantially reduce intrastate access rates. This proposal is intended to be incorporated as an amendment to the Missoula Plan, an intercarrier compensation reform plan filed July 24, 2006 by the National Association of Regulatory Utility Commissioners' Task Force on Intercarrier Compensation (the NARUC Task Force).

DATES:

Comments due on or before March 28, 2007, reply comments due on or before April 12, 2007.

ADDRESSES:

All filings must be addressed to the Commission's Secretary, Marlene H. Dortch, Office of the Secretary, Federal Communications Commission, Room 5-A266, 445 12th Street, SW., Washington, DC. Comments may be submitted, identified by CC Docket No. 01-92, by any of the following methods:

• Federal eRulemaking Portal: http://www.regulations.gov. Follow the instructions for submitting comments.
• Agency Web Site: http://www.fcc.gov. Follow the instructions for submitting comments on the Electronic Comment Filing System (ECFS) / http://www.fcc.gov/​cgb/​ecfs/​.
• E-mail: To [e-mail]. Include CC Docket No. 01-92 in the subject line of the message.
• Fax: To the attention of Randy Clarke at 202-418-1567. Include CC Docket No. 01-92 on the cover page.
• Mail: Parties should send a copy of their filings to Randy Clarke, Pricing Policy Division, Wireline Competition Bureau, Federal Communications Commission, Room 5-A360, 445 12th Street, SW., Washington, DC 20554.
• Public inspection, purchase, or download: The full text of the document summarized here is available for inspection and copying during normal business hours in the FCC Reference Center, Portals II, 225 12th Street, SW., Room CY-A257, Washington, DC 20504. The complete text of this document also may be purchased from the Commission's copy contractor, Best Copy and Printing, Inc., 445 12th Street, SW., Room, CY-B402, Washington, DC 20554, and may also be downloaded at: http://www.fcc.gov.

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 [e-mail] or call the Consumer & Governmental Affairs Bureau at 202-418-0530 (voice), 202-418-0432 (tty).

Instructions: All submissions received must include the agency name and docket number. All comments received will be posted without change to http://www.fcc.gov/​cgb/​ecfs/​, including any personal information provided. For detailed instructions on submitting comments and additional information on the rulemaking process, see the “Comment Filing Procedures” heading of the SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION section of this document.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:

Jennifer McKee, Wireline Competition Bureau, Pricing Policy Division, [phone], or Randy Clarke, Wireline Competition Bureau, Pricing Policy Division, [phone].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

This is a summary of the Commission's document in, CC Docket No. 01-92, DA No. 07-1337, released March 16, 2007. The full text of this document is available for inspection and copying during normal business hours in the FCC Reference Center, Portals II, 445 12th St., SW., Room CY-A257, Washington, DC 20554. The complete text of this document also may be purchased from the Commission's copy contractor, Best Copy and Printing, Inc., 445 12th Street, SW., Room CY-B402, Washington, DC 20554. The full text may also be downloaded at: http://www.fcc.gov. By this document, the Commission establishes comment and reply comment filing dates for receiving comment on a proposed federal benchmark mechanism addressing issues faced by “early adopter” states, i.e. states that have already taken steps to substantially reduce intrastate access rates. The filing dates established replace filing dates previously established in Public Notice DA 03-738, released by the Commission on February 16, 2007. The proposal on which the Commission seeks comment is intended to be incorporated as an amendment to the Missoula Plan, an intercarrier compensation reform plan filed July 24, 2006 by the NARUC Task Force. The proposal was described in a written ex parte filed January 30, 2007 by the Chairman of the Wyoming Public Service Commission, staff members from the Indiana, Maine, Nebraska, and Vermont Commissions, and the Supporters of the Missoula Plan, including AT&T, Global Crossing, Level 3 Communications, and 336 members of the Rural Alliance, among others. The Supporters of the Missoula Plan filed corrections to the proposal on February 5, 2007.

Interested parties may file comments on or before March 28, 2007 and reply comments on or before April 12, 2007. Comments may be filed using the Commission's Electronic Comment Filing System (ECFS) or by filing paper copies. Comments filed through the ECFS can be sent as an electronic file via the Internet to http://www.fcc.gov/​cgb/​ecfs/​. Generally, only one copy of an electronic submission must be filed. If multiple docket or rulemaking numbers appear in the caption of the proceeding, 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, in this case, CC Docket No. 01-92. 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 [e-mail], and should include the following words in the body of the message, “get form.” A sample form and directions will be sent in response. 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.

Paper 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). Parties are strongly encouraged to file comments electronically using the Commission's ECFS.

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 mail, Express Mail, and Priority Mail should be addressed to 445 12th Street, SW., Washington, DC 20554.

All filings must be addressed to the Commission's Secretary, Marlene H. Dortch, Office of the Secretary, Federal Communications Commission, 445 12th Street, SW., Washington, DC 20554. Parties should also send a copy of their filings to Randy Clarke, Pricing Policy Division, Wireline Competition Bureau, Federal Communications Commission, Room 5-A266, 445 12th Street, SW., Washington, DC 20554, or by e-mail to [e-mail]. Parties shall also serve one copy with the Commission's copy contractor, Best Copy and Printing, Inc. (BCPI), Portals II, 445 12th Street, SW., Room CY-B402, Washington, DC 20554, [phone], or via e-mail to [e-mail].

Documents in CC Docket No. 01-92 will be available for public inspection and copying during business hours at the FCC Reference Information Center, Portals II, 445 12th St, SW., Room CY-A257, Washington, DC 20554. The documents may also be purchased from BCPI, telephone [phone], facsimile [phone], TTY [phone], e-mail [e-mail].

To request materials in accessible formats for people with disabilities (braille, large print, electronic files, audio format), send an e-mail to [e-mail] or call the Consumer & Governmental Affairs Bureau at 202-418-0530 (voice), 202-418-0432 (tty).

This matter shall be treated as a “permit-but-disclose” proceeding in accordance with the Commission's ex parte rules. 47 CFR 1.1200 et seq. Persons making oral ex parte presentations are reminded that memoranda summarizing the presentations must contain summaries of the substance of the presentations 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. 47 CFR 1.1206(b)(2). Other requirements pertaining to oral and written presentations are set forth in § 1.1206(b) of the Commission's rules. 47 CFR 1.1206(b).

Authority: 47 U.S.C. 152, 153, 154, 155.

Federal Communications Commission.

Kirk S. Burgee,

Chief of Staff, Wireline Competition Bureau.