WTA Files Response to Great Plains Petition for Waiver of Certain FCC Rules

On July 28, WTA filed comments in response to a Petition from Great Plains Communications asking for a waiver of particular FCC rules to permit it to utilize actual interstate switched access revenues in establishing rates and calculating revenues eligible for recovery.

In its filing, WTA expressed concerns that grant of Great Plains’ waiver petition, as well as the likely stream of “me-too” waiver petitions by other RLECs seeking similar treatment that is virtually certain to follow, will adversely impact those RLECs who remained — in many cases were forced to remain — on the Rate of Return Path by increasing the percentage reductions of their HCLS and CAF-BLS imposed by the budget control mechanisms of 47 C.F.R. §§54.901(f) and 54.1310(d). Should the Commission determine to grant the Great Plains and other similar waivers, WTA requests that it exclude from calculations of the Section 54.901(f) and 54.1310(d) budget control mechanism reductions any and all increases in CAF-ICC support resulting from such waivers.