PUBLIC NOTICE Federal Communications Commission 445 12th St., S.W. Washington, D.C. 20554 News Media Information 202 / 418-0500 Internet: http://www.fcc.gov TTY: 1-888-835-5322 DA 10-2297 Release Date: December 6, 2010 WIRELINE COMPETITION BUREAU SEEKS COMMENT ON INDIANA TELEHEALTH NETWORK REQUEST FOR EXTENSION OF THE JUNE 30, 2011 DEADLINE FOR FUNDING COMMITMENT REQUESTS UNDER THE RURAL HEALTH CARE PILOT PROGRAM WC Docket No. 02-60 Comment Date: January 5, 2011 Reply Comment Date: January 17, 2011 The Wireline Competition Bureau (Bureau) seeks comment on a request filed by the Indiana Telehealth Network for an extension of the June 30, 2011 deadline for participants in the universal service Rural Health Care Pilot Program (Pilot Program) to select a vendor and request funding commitment letters from the Universal Service Administrative Company (USAC).1 To request funding under the Pilot Program, participants must first file with USAC an FCC Form 465 (Description of Services Requested and Certification Form), describing the services for which they are seeking funding. After a participant selects a vendor, the participant must file with USAC an FCC Form 466 or Form 466-A (Funding Request and Certification Form) and related attachments.2 In February 2010, the Bureau extended by one year, to June 30, 2011, the deadline for Pilot Program participants to select a vendor and file their funding commitment requests with USAC.3 The Indiana Telehealth Network has requested a one-year extension of the funding commitment request deadline, to June 30, 2012. 1 Letter from Don Kelso, Executive Director, Indiana Rural Health Association, to Sharon Gillett, Chief, Wireline Competition Bureau, Federal Communications Commission, WC Docket No. 02-60 (dated Nov. 17, 2010) (ITN Letter). 2 Rural Health Care Support Mechanism, WC Docket No. 02-60, Order, 22 FCC Rcd 20360, 20403-04, para. 83 (2007) (2007 Pilot Program Selection Order). 3 Rural Health Care Support Mechanism, WC Docket No. 02-60, Order, 25 FCC Rcd 1423 (2010). Although Pilot Program participants must file their funding commitment requests by June 30, 2011, they may receive funding under the Pilot Program for five years from the date of their initial funding commitment from USAC. 2007 Pilot Program Selection Order, 22 FCC Rcd at 20362, 20409-10, paras. 4, 94. 2 Interested parties may file comments on or before January 5, 2011, and reply comments on or before January 17, 2011. All pleadings are to reference WC Docket No. 02-60. Comments may be filed using the Commission’s Electronic Comment Filing System (ECFS) or by filing paper copies.4 § 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. Filings can be sent by hand or messenger delivery, by commercial overnight courier, or by first- class or overnight U.S. Postal Service mail. All filings must be addressed to the Commission’s Secretary, Office of the Secretary, Federal Communications Commission. All hand-delivered or messenger-delivered paper filings for the Commission’s Secretary must be delivered to FCC Headquarters at 445 12th St., SW, Room TW-A325, Washington, D.C. 20554. All hand deliveries must be held together with rubber bands or fasteners. Any envelopes must be disposed of before entering the building. The filing hours are 8:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m. 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 must be addressed to 445 12th Street, S.W., Washington D.C. 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). In addition, one copy of each pleading must be sent to each of the following: (1) The Commission’s duplicating contractor, Best Copy and Printing, Inc., 445 12th Street, S.W., Room CY-B402, Washington, D.C. 20554, www.bcpiweb.com; phone: (202) 488-5300 fax: (202) 488- 5563; (2) Jamie Susskind, Telecommunications Access Policy Division, Wireline Competition Bureau, 445 12th Street, S.W., Room 5-B418, Washington, D.C. 20554; e-mail: Jamie.Susskind@fcc.gov; and (3) Charles Tyler, Telecommunications Access Policy Division, Wireline Competition Bureau, 445 12th Street, S.W., Room 5-A452, Washington, D.C. 20554; e-mail: Charles.Tyler@fcc.gov. Filings and comments are also available for public inspection and copying during regular business hours at the FCC Reference Information Center, Portals II, 445 12th Street, S.W., Room CY- A257, Washington, D.C. 20554. They may also be purchased from the Commission’s duplicating contractor, Best Copy and Printing, Inc., Portals II, 445 12th Street, S.W., Room CY-B402, Washington, D.C. 20554, telephone: (202) 488-5300, fax: (202) 488-5563, or via e-mail www.bcpiweb.com. This matter shall be treated as a “permit-but-disclose” proceeding in accordance with the Commission’s ex parte rules.5 Persons making oral ex parte presentations are reminded that memoranda summarizing the presentations must contain summaries of the substance of the presentation and not merely a listing of the subjects discussed. More than a one or two sentence description of the views and 4 See Electronic Filing of Documents in Rulemaking Proceedings, GC Docket No. 97-113, Report and Order, 13 FCC Rcd 11322 (1998). 5 47 C.F.R. §§ 1.1200 et seq. 3 arguments presented generally is required.6 Other rules pertaining to oral and written ex parte presentations in permit-but-disclose proceedings are set forth in section 1.1206(b) of the Commission’s rules.7 For further information, please contact Jamie Susskind, Telecommunications Access Policy Division, Wireline Competition Bureau at (202) 418-7400 or TTY (202) 418-0484. - FCC - 6 See 47 C.F.R. § 1.1206(b)(2). 7 47 C.F.R. § 1.1206(b).