PUBLIC NOTICE
FEDERAL COMMUNICATIONS COMMISSION  
1919 M STREET, N.W.
WASHINGTON, D.C. 20554                                 DA 98-2556

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

  PLEADING CYCLE ESTABLISHED FOR A REQUEST BY J.B.N. TELEPHONE
COMPANY, INC. TO ELIMINATE OR INCREASE COMPANY-SPECIFIC CAP UPON
               UNIVERSAL SERVICE FUND ASSISTANCE
                      CC Docket No. 96-45
     
                                        Released Date:  December 17, 1998

Comment Date:  January 7, 1999
Reply Date:        January 21, 1999


     On December 4, 1998, J.B.N. Telephone Company, Inc. ("J.B.N.") filed a Request to
Eliminate or Increase Company-Specific Cap Upon Universal Service Fund ("Request").  J.B.N.
requests that the Common Carrier Bureau eliminate,  or in the alternative,  increase the cap that will
significantly curtail the 1999 Universal Service Fund assistance for the thirteen rural exchanges which
it owned and operated prior to the imposition of the cap.  

     Interested parties may file comments on the petition on or before January 7, 1999, and reply
comments on or before January 21, 1999.  All filings should refer to the pleading as:  Request to
Eliminate or Modify the Specific Limit Imposed by the Bureau Order Upon the Company's Universal
Service Fund Assistance Filed by J.B.N. Telephone Company, Inc., CC Docket No. 96-45, and
should include the DA number shown on this Public Notice.  Interested parties must file an original
and six copies of their comments with the Office of the Secretary, Federal Communications
Commission, 445 Twelfth Street, S.W., Room TW-A325, Washington, D.C. 20554.  Parties should
send one copy of their comments to the Commission's copy contractor, International Transcription
Service, 1231 20th Street, N.W., Washington, D.C. 20036.  Copies of documents filed with the
Commission, including the Request, may be obtained from the International Transcription Service,
1231 20th Street, N.W., Washington, D.C. 20036, (202) 857-3800.  Documents are also available
for review and copying at the FCC Reference Center, 445 Twelfth Street, S.W., Room TW-A325,
Washington, D.C. 20554, from 9:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. 
     Parties may also file comments electronically via the Internet at: 
<http://www.fcc.gov/e-file/ecfs.html>.  Only one copy of an electronic submission must be submitted. 
In completing the transmittal screen, commenters should include their full name, Postal Service
mailing address, and the lead docket number for this proceeding, which is CC Docket No. 96-45.
Parties not submitting their comments via the Internet are also asked to submit their comments on
diskette.  Parties submitting diskettes should submit them to Sheryl Todd, Common Carrier Bureau,
Federal Communications Commission, 2100 M. St, N.W., 8th Floor, Washington, D.C. 20554.  Such
a submission should be on a 3.5 inch diskette formatted in an IBM compatible format using
WordPerfect 5.1 for Windows or compatible software.  The diskette should be accompanied by a
cover letter and should be submitted in "read only" mode.  The diskette should be clearly labelled with
the party's name, proceeding (including the lead docket number in this case, Docket No. 96-45, type
of pleading -- comment or reply comment), date of submission, and the name of the electronic file on
the diskette.  Each diskette should contain only one party's pleadings, preferably in a single electronic
file.  In addition, parties must send copies to the Commission's copy contractor, International
Transcription Service, Inc., 1231 20th Street, N.W., Washington, D.C. 20036.  

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