**DA 08-2064**

**Released: September 9, 2008**

**COMMENT SOUGHT ON CENTURYTEL PETITION FOR ELECTION OF PRICE CAP
REGULATION AND FOR LIMITED WAIVER OF PRICING AND UNIVERSAL SERVICE
RULES**

**WC Docket No. 08-191**

**COMMENTS DUE: October 9, 2008\
REPLY COMMENTS DUE: October 24, 2008**

On September 2, 2008, CenturyTel, Inc. (CenturyTel) filed a petition to
convert its rate-of-return study areas to price cap regulation on
January 1, 2009, and, to the extent necessary, requested limited waivers
of certain pricing and universal service high-cost support rules related
to CenturyTel's election.[^1] Specifically, CenturyTel proposes to
convert its switched access rates to the price cap access rate structure
established in the CALLS order. CenturyTel proposes to initialize
switched and special access rates for study areas where CenturyTel files
its own tariffs "at July 1, 2008 rates, using the same demand figures
used to compute those rates."[^2] CenturyTel would initialize its
switched and special access rates for its cost-based study areas
participating in the National Exchange Carrier Association access
tariffs "based on 2007 revenue requirements and 2007 demand."[^3]
CenturyTel would migrate its switched access rates to an average
traffic-sensitive (ATS) rate of \$0.0095 since it has less than 12
access lines per square mile at the holding company level.[^4]
CenturyTel proposes to continue to receive Interstate Common Line
Support (ICLS) frozen per line in the amount of ICLS that CenturyTel
received in 2008. CenturyTel also asks that "it be permitted to wait to
make its next annual access filing until July 1, 2010 as a one-time
transition waiver of the rules."[^5] Interested parties may file
comments on or before **October 9, 2008**, and reply comments on or
before **October 24, 2008**. 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.[^6]

-   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 websites 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 ecfs@fcc.gov, and include the following words in the body
    of the message, "get form." A sample form and directions will be
    sent in response.

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-   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, 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]{.underline} 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 12^th^ 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 fcc504@fcc.gov or call the Consumer &
Governmental Affairs Bureau at (202) 418-0530 (voice), (202) 418-0432
(tty).

All filings must be addressed to the Commission\'s Secretary, Marlene H.
Dortch, Office of the Secretary, Federal Communications Commission, 445
12^th^ Street, SW, Room TW-A325, Washington, DC 20554. Parties should
also send a copy of their filings to Douglas Slotten, Pricing Policy
Division, Wireline Competition Bureau, Federal Communications
Commission, Room 5-A233, 445 12^th^ Street, SW, Washington, DC 20554, or
by e-mail to Douglas.Slotten@fcc.gov. 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, (202) 488-5300, or via e-mail to fcc@bcpiweb.com.

Documents in WC Docket No. 08-191 are available for public inspection
and copying during business hours at the FCC Reference Information
Center, Portals II, 445 12^th^ St. SW, Room CY-A257, Washington, D.C.
20554. The documents may also be purchased from BCPI, telephone (202)
488-5300, facsimile (202) 488-5563, TTY (202) 488-5562, e-mail
fcc@bcpiweb.com. These documents may also be viewed on the Commission's
website at http://www.fcc.gov/cgb/ecfs.

For further information, contact Douglas Slotten of the Pricing Policy
Division, Wireline Competition Bureau at (202) 418-1572.

\- FCC -

[^1]: CenturyTel, Inc., Petition for Conversion to Price Cap Regulation
    and for Limited Waiver Relief, WC Docket No. 08-191 (filed Sept 2,
    2008).

[^2]: *Id*. at iii.

[^3]: *Id*.

[^4]: *Id*.

[^5]: *Id*. at iv.

[^6]: *See Electronic Filing of Documents in Rulemaking Proceedings*, GC
    Docket No. 97-113, Report and Order, 13 FCC Rcd 11322 (1998).