PUBLIC NOTICE Federal Communications Commission 1919 M St., N.W. Washington, D.C. 20554 [DA 96-1094] Released July 10, 1996 COMMON CARRIER BUREAU SEEKS FURTHER COMMENT ON COST MODELS IN UNIVERSAL SERVICE NOTICE OF PROPOSED RULEMAKING CC DOCKET 96-45 Comment Date: August 9, 1996 On March 8, 1996, the Commission adopted a Notice of Proposed Rulemaking ("NPRM") that sought comment on the Congressional directives set out in Section 254 of the Telecommunications Act of 1996 ("1996 Act") and that established a Federal-State Joint Board to recommend changes to our regulations to implement Section 254 of the 1996 Act. Specifically, the NPRM asked for comment on: 1) goals and principles of universal support mechanisms; 2) support for rural, insular, and high-cost areas and low-income consumers; 3) support for schools, libraries, and health care providers; 4) enhancing access to advanced services for schools, libraries, and health care providers; 5) other universal service mechanisms; and, 6) administration of support mechanisms. Comments and Reply Comments in this proceeding were received on April 12, 1996, and May 7, 1996, respectively. Parties also submitted two cost models intended to identify high-cost areas and to produce benchmark cost ranges for supplying basic residential telephone service. Pacific Telesis submitted the Cost Proxy Model ("CPM"), and MCI Communications Inc., NYNEX Corporation, Sprint Corporation, and US West resubmitted the Benchmark Cost Model ("BCM") that they had prepared for CC Docket No. 80-286. Recently, two additional or revised models have been filed. On July 3, 1996, Sprint Corporation and US West submitted Benchmark Cost Model 2 ("BCM2"), and on July 5, 1996, MCI Communications Inc. and AT&T Corporation submitted the Hatfield 2.2, Release 1 ("Hatfield model"). These two new or updated models, along with the CPM and the earlier BCM, will be carefully considered by the Federal-State Joint Board as it formulates its recommendations concerning the provision of Universal Service. Copies of these models are available to the public. To obtain the CPM, interested parties should contact Nancy Woolf at Pacific Telesis at (415) 542-7657. Four components are required to run the Hatfield model. Those four components are: (1) the Hatfield 2.2, Release 1, as filed jointly by MCI and AT&T in CC Docket No. 96-45 on July 5, 1996; (2) software for running the Hatfield model provided by AT&T to the Commission on June 28, 1996; (3) the first BCM; and (4) the Local Exchange Routing Guide ("LERG"). The first three components may be purchased by calling Wilbur Thomas at International Transcription Services, Inc. ("ITS") at (202) 857-3819. The fourth component, the LERG, is available for a fee from the Bellcore Traffic Routing Administration at (908) 699-6700. The BCM2, like the first BCM, may be purchased by calling Wilbur Thomas at ITS at (202) 857-3819. Interested parties may wish to comment on these models. Commenters are requested to provide, as a preface to their comments, a brief summary not to exceed three single-spaced pages in total. The comments and comment summary should be filed on or before August 9, 1996. Commenters must file an original and four copies of their comments with the Office of the Secretary, Federal Communications Commission, Room 222, 1919 M Street, N.W., Washington, D.C. 20554. Comments should reference CC Docket No. 96-45. Parties must also serve comments on the Federal-State Joint Board and Joint Board staff in accordance with the attached service list. Parties should send one copy of their comments to the Commission's copy contractor, International Transcription Service, Room 140, 2100 M Street, N.W., Washington, D.C. 20037. Comments will be available for public inspection during regular business hours in the FCC Reference Center, Room 239, 1919 M Street, N.W., Washington, D.C. 20554. Parties are also asked to submit comments on diskette. Such diskette submissions would be in addition to and not a substitute for the formal filing requirements addressed above. Parties submitting diskettes should submit them to Ernestine Creech, Common Carrier Bureau, Accounting and Audits Division, 2000 L Street, N.W., Suite 257, Washington, D.C. 20554. Such a submission should be on a 3.5 inch diskette in an IBM compatible format using WordPerfect 5.1 for Windows software in a "read only" mode. The diskette should be clearly labelled with the party's name, proceeding, and date of submission. The diskette should be accompanied by a cover letter. For further information contact Jon Reel, 202 418-0834, or Gary Seigel, 202 418- 0879. Attachment: Service List The Honorable Reed E. Hundt, Chairman Federal Communications Commission 1919 M Street, N.W. -- Room 814 Washington, D.C. 20554 The Honorable Rachelle B. Chong, Commissioner Federal Communications Commission 1919 M Street, N.W. -- Room 844 Washington, D.C. 20554 The Honorable Susan Ness, Commissioner Federal Communications Commission 1919 M Street, N.W. -- Room 832 Washington, D.C. 20554 The Honorable Julia Johnson, Commissioner Florida Public Service Commission Capital Circle Office Center 2540 Shumard Oak Blvd. Tallahassee, FL 32399-0850 The Honorable Kenneth McClure, Vice Chairman Missouri Public Service Commission 301 W. High Street, Suite 530 Jefferson City, MO 65102 The Honorable Sharon L. Nelson, Chairman Washington Utilities and Transportation Commission P.O. Box 47250 Olympia, WA 98504-7250 The Honorable Laska Schoenfelder, Commissioner South Dakota Public Utilities Commission 500 E. Capital Avenue Pierre, SD 57501 Martha S. Hogerty Public Counsel for the State of Missouri P.O. Box 7800 Harry S. Truman Building, Room 250 Jefferson City, MO 65102 Deborah Dupont, Federal Staff Chair Federal Communications Commission 2000 L Street, N.W., Suite 257 Washington, D.C. 20036 Paul E. Pederson, State Staff Chair Missouri Public Service Commission P.O. Box 360 Truman State Office Building Jefferson City, MO 65102 Eileen Benner Idaho Public Utilities Commission P.O. Box 83720 Boise, ID 83720-0074 Charles Bolle South Dakota Public Utilities Commission State Capital, 500 E. Capital Avenue Pierre, SD 57501-5070 Lorraine Kenyon Alaska Public Utilities Commission 1016 West Sixth Avenue, Suite 400 Anchorage, AK 99501 Debra M. Kriete Pennsylvania Public Utilities Commission P.O. Box 3265 Harrisburg, PA 17105-3265 Mark Long Florida Public Service Commission 2540 Shumard Oak Blvd. Gerald Gunter Building Tallahassee, FL 32399-0850 Samuel Loudenslager Arkansas Public Service Commission P.O. Box 400 Little Rock, AR 72203-0400 Sandra Makeeff Iowa Utilities Board Lucas State Office Building Des Moines, IA 50319 Philip F. McClelland Pennsylvania Office of Consumer Advocate 1425 Strawberry Square Harrisburg, Pennsylvania 17120 Michael A. McRae D.C. Office of the People's Counsel 1133 15th Street, N.W. -- Suite 500 Washington, D.C. 20005 Terry Monroe New York Public Service Commission Three Empire Plaza Albany, NY 12223 Mark Nadel Federal Communications Commission 1919 M Street, N.W., Room 542 Washington, D.C. 20554 Lee Palagyi Washington Utilities and Transportation Commission P.O. Box 47250 Olympia, WA 98504-7250 Jeanine Poltronieri Federal Communications Commission 2000 L Street, N.W., Suite 257 Washington, D.C. 20036 James Bradford Ramsay National Association of Regulatory Utility Commissioners 1201 Constitution Avenue, N.W. Washington, D.C. 20423 Jonathan Reel Federal Communications Commission 2000 L Street, N.W., Suite 257 Washington, D.C. 20036 Brian Roberts California Public Utilities Commission 505 Van Ness Avenue San Francisco, CA 94102-3298 Gary Seigel Federal Communications Commission 2000 L Street, N.W., Suite 812 Washington, D.C. 20036 Pamela Szymczak Federal Communications Commission 2000 L Street, N.W., Suite 257 Washington, D.C. 20036 Whiting Thayer Federal Communications Commission 2000 L Street, N.W., Suite 812 Washington, D.C. 20036 Alex Belinfante Federal Communications Commission 1919 M Street, N.W. Washington, D.C. 20554 Larry Povich Federal Communications Commission 1919 M Street, N.W. Washington, D.C. 20554