NOTICE OF PETITION TO REASSIGN CARRIER OF LAST RESORT DESIGNATION

The REGULATORY COMMISSION OF ALASKA (Commission) gives notice that on May 12, 2016, Alascom, Inc. d/b/a AT&T Alaska (AT&T) filed a petition pursuant to 3 AAC 52.382 to transfer its Intrastate Interexchange Carrier of Last Resort (IXC COLR) obligations to General Communications, Corp. d/b/a GCI Communications Inc. and GCI, and/or its subsidiaries or affiliates (collectively, GCI) in 51 local exchange areas in Alaska. AT&T states that it is not seeking to discontinue the provision of interexchange service to any customer or community in this petition. Docket No. U-16-055 has been opened to address this matter.

According to AT&T, each of the local exchange areas subject to the transfer request, are currently served by GCI’s terrestrial fiber/microwave network in western Alaska. The local exchange areas affected are as follows:

• In the United Utilities, Inc. study area: Akiachak, Akiak, Alakanuk, Atmautluak, Chefornak, Chevak, Chuathbaluk, Eek, Emmonak, Goodnews Bay, Hooper Bay, Kasigluk, Kipnuk, Kongiganak, Kwethluk, Kwigillingok, Marshall, Mekoryuk, Mountain Village, Napakiak, Napaskiak, Newtok, Nightmute, Nunapitchuk, Pilot Station, Quinhagak, Russian Mission, Saint Mary’s, Scammon Bay, Sheldon Point/Nunam Iqua, Togiak, Toksook Bay, Tuluksak, Tuntutuliak, Tununak, and Twin Hills;
  
  
• In the United-KUC, Inc. study area: Bethel and Unalakleet;

• In the Bush-Tell, Inc. study area: Aniak;

• In the Nushagak Electric and Telephone Cooperative, Inc. study area: Dillingham, Ekuk, and Manokotak;

• In the Bristol Bay Telephone Cooperative, Inc. study area: Ekwok, King Salmon, Koliganek, Levelock, and New Stuyahok;

• In the Interior Telephone Company, Inc. study area: Iliamna;

• In the OTZ Telephone Cooperative, Inc. study area: Kotzebue; and

• In the Mukluk Telephone Company, Inc. study area: Nome and Shaktoolik.

Pursuant to 3 AAC 52.382, a carrier may reassign its IXC COLR duties if the Commission finds that an alternative carrier is able to fulfill COLR obligations currently and in the foreseeable future, and that reassignment is consistent with the public interest.

You may obtain more information about this filing by contacting Cynthia Manheim, General Attorney for AT&T, at P.O Box 97061, Redmond WA, 98073; phone: (425) 580-8112. The complete filing is also available for inspection at the Commission's office at 701 West 8^th Avenue, Suite 300, Anchorage, AK 99501; phone: (907) 276-6222, or may be viewed at the Commission’s website at http://rca.alaska.gov by typing Docket No. “U-16-055” in the Find a Matter search box.

To comment on this filing, please file your comments by 5:00 p.m., June 16, 2016 at the Commission’s address given above or via our website at:

https://rca.alaska.gov/RCAWeb/WhatsNew/PublicNoticesComments.aspx.

Please reference Docket No. U-16-055 and include a statement that you have filed a copy of the comments with AT&T at the address given above.

Individuals or groups of people with disabilities, who require special accommodations, auxiliary aids or service, or alternative communication formats, please contact Joyce McGowan at (907) 276-6222, toll-free at 1-800-390-2782, or TTY (907) 276-4533 or send a request via electronic mail to: rca.mail@alaska.gov by June 9, 2016.

DATED at Anchorage, Alaska this 16^th day of May, 2016.

                                   REGULATORY COMMISSION OF ALASKA

                                   Robert M. Pickett
                                       Chairman