The following groups have provided access to their working files.

January 28, 2005

NOTICE

To All Telecommunications Providers and Applicants:

1. All applications for authority to provide Telecommunications services in the State must be made on the Application Form that is posted on the Commission's website at www.psc.state.md.us. Applications made in any other format will not be processed. The Application Form lists all of the requirements for filing. As noted on the Form, certain attachments are required to be filed with the Form. Forms that are incomplete or which do not contain the required attachments will not be processed. If Applicants have any questions or concerns with respect to this requirement, they should contact the Telecommunications Staff.
2. The Commission will no longer require applicants for local service to include an IntraLATA Presubscription Plan (ILP Plan) with their application. However, ILP provisions must continue to be included in the initial tariff for carriers offering local service.
3. All carriers filing initial tariffs will be required to utilize the model tariff that is also posted on the Commission's website as a template. Any changes a carrier makes to the model tariff must be shown in legislative format. The Commission believes that requiring carriers to use the model tariff and to show changes in legislative format will expedite the approval process and will help to ensure that all Maryland-specific tariff requirements are included in the initial tariff. In addition to the marked-up tariff, carriers will also be required to file a clean copy of the tariff.
4. All carriers making changes to their initial tariff are required to show those changes in legislative format as required by the Code of Maryland Regulations (COMAR) Section 20.07.04.09. Proposed additions to an existing tariff are required to be underscored. Deletions must be shown in brackets or in strike-through text. Filings should include: (1) the currently effective tariff pages; (2) the proposed changes in legislative format; and (3) a clean copy of the proposed tariff. The Telecommunications Staff will not consider tariff revisions that do not follow these requirements.
5. In the past, the Commission has routinely granted waivers of certain requirements contained in COMAR. Different sets of waivers are granted depending on whether the carrier is a long distance or a local provider and whether the carrier is a reseller or facilities-based. In the past, the Commission granted waivers to long distance resellers automatically while waivers for facilities-based long distance providers and all local providers were granted only upon request. The Commission has determined that all COMAR waivers for all competitive carriers that are currently granted routinely will be granted without a specific request. However, if circumstances change, the Commission may again reconsider this policy. The sets of waivers now automatically granted are listed on the Application Form located on the Commission's website.

Additionally, all authorized Companies will be required to file an original and seven (7) copies of their tariff revision filings.