**DA 04-2610**

**Release Date: August 23, 2004**

WIRELINE COMPETITION BUREAU SEEKS COMMENT ON

**PETITIONS REQUESTING WAIVER OF VARIOUS FILING DEADLINES RELATED TO THE
UNIVERSAL SERVICE PROGRAM**

**CC Docket No. 96-45**

**Comment Date: September 7, 2004**

**Reply Comment Date: September 14, 2004**

Interested parties are invited to comment on petitions recently filed by
the following telecommunications carriers seeking waivers of various
filing deadlines associated with the receipt of universal service
support pursuant to the Commission's rules.

  -----------------------------------------------------------------------
  **Petitioner**                          **Rule**             **Date
                                                               Filed**
  --------------------------------------- -------------------- ----------
  Qwest Corporation                       47 C.F.R. § 54.313   3/29/04

  Benton/Linn Wireless, LLC               47 C.F.R. §          6/9/04
                                          54.307(c)            

  American Cellular Corporation           47 C.F.R. §§ 54.313  7/16/04
                                          and 54.314           

  MCI, Inc.                               47 C.F.R. §          7/21/04
                                          54.809(c)            

  Northeast Iowa Telephone Company        47 C.F.R. §          7/27/04
                                          54.307(c)            
  -----------------------------------------------------------------------

Pursuant to Sections 1.415 and 1.419 of the Commission\'s rules, 47
C.F.R. §§ 1.415, 1.419, interested parties may file comments on or
before September 7, 2004, and reply comments on or before September 14,
2004. Comments may be filed using the Commission\'s Electronic Comment
Filing System (ECFS) or by filing paper copies.[^1]

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 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 <ecfs@fcc.gov>, 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 appear 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, N.E., Suite 110, Washington, D.C. 20002.

-   -The filing hours at this location are 8:00 a.m. to 7:00 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, D.C. 20554.

-All filings must be addressed to the Commission\'s Secretary, Office of
the Secretary, Federal Communications Commission.

Parties also must send three paper copies of their filing to Sheryl
Todd, Telecommunications Access Policy Division, Wireline Competition
Bureau, Federal Communications Commission, 445 12^th^ Street, S.W., Room
5-B540, Washington, D.C. 20554. **Parties are also requested to send a
courtesy copy of their comments via email to**:
[gina.spade@fcc.gov]{.underline} and
[thomas.buckley@fcc.gov]{.underline}. In addition, commenters must send
diskette copies to the Commission's copy contractor, Best Copy and
Printing, Inc, Portals II, 445 12^th^ Street, S.W., Room CY-B402,
Washington, D.C. 20054.

Pursuant to section 1.1206 of the Commission's rules, 47 C.F.R. §
1.1206, this proceeding will be conducted as a permit-but-disclose
proceeding in which *ex parte* communications are permitted subject to
disclosure. A copy of this Public Notice will be sent by the Wireline
Competition Bureau to the relevant state commissions.

For further information, contact Thomas Buckley, Telecommunications
Access Policy Division, Wireline Competition Bureau at (202) 418-7400,
TTY (202) 418-0484.

[^1]: *See Electronic Filing of Documents in Rulemaking Proceedings*, 63
    Fed. Reg. 24121 (1998).