VI. Request for Confidentiality

Applicants requested confidential treatment for certain financial and operating information contained in four separate exhibits. Exhibit 4 contains an estimate of annual fixed and operating costs for the Project as required by Commission Rule 18(f). Exhibit 5 shows applicants' expected number of customers at the end of its first and fifth years of operation as required by Rule 18(j). Applicants also requested confidential treatment for Exhibits A and B to the second amendment to their application. Exhibit A contains further detail on the estimated cost to construct the Project in compliance with Rule 18(f). Exhibit B demonstrates applicants' ability to construct and operate their telecommunications facilities and contains current information on the applicants' financial condition and a description of the project financing as required by Rule 18(g).

The financial and operating information in Exhibits 4 and 5 of the initial application and Exhibits A and B of the second amendment to the application is an integral component of applicants' business plan and, if revealed, would place applicants at an unfair business disadvantage. We have granted similar requests for confidential treatment in the past and will do so here.