PUBLIC NOTICE![](media/image1.png){width="0.95in"
height="0.9055555555555556in"}

FEDERAL COMMUNICATIONS COMMISSION

445 12th STREET, S.W.

WASHINGTON, D.C. 20554 **DA 00-1536**

News media information 202/418-0500 Fax-On-Demand 202/418-2830 Internet:
http://www.fcc.gov ftp.fcc.gov

**COMMON CARRIER BUREAU SEEKS COMMENT ON**

**FEDERAL-STATE JOINT BOARD ON UNIVERSAL SERVICE RECOMMENDATIONS FOR
PHASING DOWN INTERIM**

**HOLD-HARMLESS PROVISION**

**PLEADING CYCLE ESTABLISHED**

#  CC Docket No. 96-45

**Release Date: July 11, 2000**

**Comment Date: August 14, 2000**

**Reply Comment Date: August 28, 2000**

On June 30, 2000, the Federal-State Joint Board on Universal Service
(Joint Board) released a Recommended Decision for phasing down the
interim hold-harmless provision of the new, forward-looking high-cost
universal service support mechanism for non-rural carriers.[^1] The
Joint Board recommended that Long Term Support (LTS) be maintained under
the Commission's current rules until the Commission considers
appropriate reforms for the LTS program in connection with the pending
proceedings for high-cost reform for rural carriers and/or interstate
access charge reform for rate-of-return carriers. The Joint Board
further recommended that the Commission phase down the balance of
interim hold-harmless support, excluding LTS, through \$1.00 reductions
in average monthly, per-line support beginning January 1, 2001, and
every year thereafter. Finally, the Joint Board recommended against
phasing down any interim hold-harmless support that is transferred to a
rural carrier when it acquires exchanges from a non-rural carrier.
Instead, the Joint Board recommended that such transferred interim
hold-harmless support should be maintained until the Commission
completes a review of the rule governing the transfer of universal
service support or until rural high-cost reform is complete. In this
Public Notice, the Common Carrier Bureau seeks comment on the Joint
Board's recommendations.

[Procedures for Filing Comments]{.underline}

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 the
Recommended Decision on or before **August 14, 2000**, and reply
comments on or before **August 28, 2000**. Comments may be filed using
the Commission\'s Electronic Comment Filing System (ECFS) or by filing
paper copies. *See Electronic Filing of Documents in Rulemaking
Proceedings*, 63 Fed. Reg. 24,121 (1998).

Comments filed through the ECFS can be sent as an electronic file via
the Internet to \<http://www.fcc.gov/e-file/ecfs.html\>. Generally, only
one copy of an electronic submission must be filed. In completing the
transmittal screen, commenters should include their full name, Postal
Service mailing address, and the applicable docket or rulemaking number.
Parties may also submit electronic comments by Internet e-mail. To
receive 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 \<your e-mail address.\" 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. All filings must be sent to the Commission\'s
Secretary, Magalie Roman Salas, Office of the Secretary, Federal
Communications Commission, 445 12th Street, S.W., Washington, D.C.
20554. Parties also must send three paper copies of their filing to
Sheryl Todd, Accounting Policy Division, Common Carrier Bureau, Federal
Communications Commission, 445 Twelfth Street S.W., Room 5-B540,
Washington, D.C. 20554. In addition, commenters must send diskette
copies to the Commission\'s copy contractor, International Transcription
Service, Inc., 1231 20th Street, N.W., Washington, D.C. 20037.

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.

For further information, contact Bill Scher, Accounting Policy Division,
Common Carrier Bureau at (202) 418-7400, TTY (202) 418-0484.

[^1]: *See Federal-State Joint Board on Universal Service*, CC Docket
    No. 96-45, Recommended Decision, FCC 00J-1 (rel. June 30, 2000)
    (*Recommended Decision*).