[Federal Register Volume 77, Number 105 (Thursday, May 31, 2012)]
[Notices]
[Pages 32113-32114]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2012-13127]
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FEDERAL COMMUNICATIONS COMMISSION
[WC Docket Nos. 10-90 and 05-337; DA 12-639]
Wireline Competition Bureau Announces Support Amounts for Connect
America Fund Phase One Incremental Support
AGENCY: Federal Communications Commission.
ACTION: Notice; solicitation of comments.
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SUMMARY: In this document, the Wireline Competition Bureau (Bureau),
identifies the data sources it relied on and announce support amounts
for CAF Phase I incremental support for 2012.
DATES: Carriers must file notices stating the amount of support each
wishes to accept, and the areas by wire center and census block in
which the carrier intends to deploy broadband, or stating that the
carrier declines incremental support for 2012, no later than July 24,
2012.
ADDRESSES: You may submit notices stating the amount of support you
wish to accept, identified by WC Docket Nos. 10-90 and 05-337, by any
of the following methods:
Electronic Filers: Comments may be filed electronically
using the Internet by accessing the ECFS: http://fjallfoss.fcc.gov/ecfs2/.
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.
People with Disabilities: To request materials in
accessible formats for people with disabilities (Braille, large print,
electronic files, audio format), send an email to [email protected] or
call the Consumer & Governmental Affairs Bureau at (202) 418-0530
(voice), (202) 418-0432 (tty).
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Joseph Cavender, Wireline Competition
Bureau at (202) 418-1548 or TTY (202) 418-0484.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
1. The USF/ICC Transformation Order and FNPRM, 76 FR 76623,
December 8, 2011, comprehensively reformed and modernized the universal
service and intercarrier compensation systems. Among other things, the
Commission established a transitional mechanism to distribute high-cost
universal service support to price cap carriers, known as the Connect
America Fund Phase I (CAF Phase I). In addition to freezing existing
high-cost support for price cap carriers, the Commission adopted a
process to distribute up to $300 million of additional, incremental
support in 2012 among such carriers to advance broadband deployment.
The Commission delegated to the Wireline Competition Bureau (Bureau)
the task of performing the calculations necessary to determine support
amounts and selecting the necessary data.
2. In an earlier Notice, 77 FR 9653, February 17, 2012, we sought
comment on wire center data submitted by Windstream Communications that
the carrier proposed we use for CAF Phase I. We also sought data for
areas for which Windstream had not submitted data and sought comment on
alternate approaches to generating sufficiently reliable data for such
areas. In addition, because only the wire centers of price cap carriers
and their affiliates would be relevant to the distribution of
incremental high cost support; we sought comment on a proposed list of
wire centers to include in our analysis. In a subsequent letter, we
identified various additional data sources we might rely on. In this
Notice, we identify the data sources we rely on and announce support
amounts for CAF Phase I incremental support for 2012.
3. For wire centers in the contiguous territory of the United
States plus Hawaii, we use the data submitted by Windstream. US
Telecom, on behalf of nine holding companies of price cap carriers
serving that area, filed comments supporting the use of those data, and
provided a detailed explanation of the commercially available sources
relied upon and the statistical techniques used to generate the data.
No party objected to the use of such data.
4. For Alaska, we use data submitted by Alaska Communications
Systems Group, Inc. for its wire centers in that state, which it
developed using both internal and commercially available resources. No
party objected to the use of those data.
5. For the Commonwealth of the Northern Marianas, we use mapping
data and business count data submitted by Micronesian Telecom for its
wire centers in that territory. No party objected to the use of those
data. In addition, for household counts, we use Geolytics estimates
data. For road feet, we use US Census TIGER data. We allocate census
block data to wire centers based on the mapping data submitted by the
carrier. We calculate business counts for each census block using data
supplied by the carrier in conjunction with an estimation
[[Page 32114]]
technique intended to ensure that the carrier is not deprived of the
opportunity to receive incremental support solely because we lack
adequate data.
6. For the United States Virgin Islands, we use mapping data
submitted by the Virgin Islands Telephone Company (Vitelco). No party
objected to the use of those data. In addition, for household counts,
we use Geolytics estimates. For road feet, we use US Census TIGER data.
For business counts, we use data from the CostQuest Broadband
Availability Tool. We allocate census block data to wire centers based
on the mapping data submitted by the carrier.
7. No party submitted data for Puerto Rico. For our analysis, we
use mapping data from TomTom (formerly Tele Atlas North America). For
household counts, we use Geolytics estimates. For business counts, we
use data from the CostQuest Broadband Availability Tool. For road feet,
we use US Census TIGER data.
8. In addition, we adopt the following data sources for the lists
of wire centers of price cap carriers and their affiliates to be
included in our analysis. For the contiguous territory of the United
States plus Hawaii, we use the list of wire centers submitted by US
Telecom, which filed on behalf of the price cap carriers serving those
areas. For Puerto Rico, we use the list of wire centers included in the
CostQuest Broadband Availability Tool data. For all other areas, we use
wire center information provided by the price cap carrier providing
service in that area.
9. Using these data, allocated support amounts for 2012, by holding
company, are as follows.
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Company Support amount
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Alaska Communications Systems........................... $4,185,103
AT&T.................................................... 47,857,148
CenturyLink............................................. 89,904,599
Cincinnati Bell......................................... 0
Consolidated Communications............................. 421,247
Fairpoint Communications................................ 4,856,858
Frontier Communications................................. 71,979,104
Hawaiian Telcom......................................... 402,171
Virgin Islands Telephone Co. (Vitelco).................. 255,231
Micronesian Telecommunications.......................... 0
Puerto Rico Telephone Company........................... 0
Verizon................................................. 19,734,224
Windstream Communications............................... 60,404,310
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10. No later than 90 days after release of this Notice, carriers
must file notices stating the amount of support each wishes to accept,
and the areas by wire center and census block in which the carrier
intends to deploy broadband to meet its obligation, or stating that the
carrier declines incremental support for 2012. We encourage carriers to
file their notices in advance of the deadline. Copies of such notices
must be filed with the Commission, USAC, the relevant state or
territorial commissions, and any affected Tribal government.
11. Pursuant to the rules established by the Commission in the
Order, carriers must deploy broadband to a number of unserved locations
equal to the amount of incremental support each accepts, divided by
$775. Carriers accepting incremental support must certify that
deployment funded through CAF Phase I incremental support will occur in
areas shown as unserved by any other carrier on the National Broadband
Map, and that, to the best of the carrier's knowledge, the locations to
be served are, in fact, unserved. Carriers must further certify that
the carrier's current capital improvement plan did not already include
plans to complete broadband deployment within the next three years to
the locations to be counted to satisfy the deployment obligation, and
that incremental support will not be used to satisfy any merger
commitment or similar obligation. Carriers must complete deployment to
two-thirds of the required number of locations within two years of the
date they accept support, and to all required locations within three
years.
12. Paperwork Reduction Act. This document contains modified
information collection requirements subject to the Paperwork Reduction
Act of 1995 (PRA), Public Law 104-13. It was submitted to the Office of
Management and Budget (OMB) for review under Section 3507(d) of the
PRA. OMB, the general public, and other Federal agencies were invited
to comment on the modified information collection requirements
contained in this proceeding. OMB approved the requirements on April
16, 2012.
13. Congressional Review Act. The Commission will send a copy of
this notice to Congress and the Government Accountability Office
pursuant to the Congressional Review Act.
14. Final Regulatory Flexibility Certification. The Regulatory
Flexibility Act (RFA) requires that agencies prepare a regulatory
flexibility analysis for notice-and-comment rulemaking proceedings,
unless the agency certifies that ``the rule will not have a significant
economic impact on a substantial number of small entities.'' The RFA
generally defines ``small entity'' as having the same meaning as the
terms ``small business,'' ``small organization,'' and ``small
governmental jurisdiction.'' In addition, the term ``small business''
has the same meaning as the term ``small business concern'' under the
Small Business Act. A small business concern is one which: (1) Is
independently owned and operated; (2) is not dominant in its field of
operation; and (3) satisfies any additional criteria established by the
Small Business Administration (SBA). This Public Notice selects data
sources necessary to implement the Connect America Fund Phase I
incremental support mechanism adopted by the Commission in the USF/ICC
Transformation Order, which provides additional support to price cap
carriers to deploy broadband facilities. This Public Notice also
notifies carriers of the support for which they are eligible. It does
not modify the rules governing the Connect America Fund Phase I
incremental support mechanism. Selecting these data sources and
publishing eligible support amounts imposes no new burden on any
company and has no negative economic impact on any company.
Accordingly, we certify that the measures taken herein will not have a
significant impact on a substantial number of small entities.
The Commission will send a copy of this Public Notice, including
this certification, to the Chief Counsel for Advocacy of the Small
Business Administration. In addition, the notice (or a summary thereof)
and certification will be published in the Federal Register.
Federal Communications Commission.
Trent Harkrader,
Division Chief, Telecommunications Access Policy Division, Wireline
Competition Bureau.
[FR Doc. 2012-13127 Filed 5-30-12; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6712-01-P