[Federal Register Volume 61, Number 124 (Wednesday, June 26, 1996)]
[Proposed Rules]
[Pages 33074-33075]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 96-16396]



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FEDERAL COMMUNICATIONS COMMISSION
47 CFR Part 64

[CC Docket No. 96-128; DA 96-983]


Pay Telephone Reclassification and Compensation Provisions of the 
Telecommunications Act of 1996

AGENCY: Federal Communications Commission.

ACTION: Proposed rule; extension of time.

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SUMMARY: In this Order, we are extending the comments and reply 
comments deadlines in order to grant to the parties more time to 
address all issues raised in the Notice of Proposed Rulemaking. This 
Order is issued on the Commission's own motion because of the 
relatively short time that was accorded to the parties to comment on 
the important issues.

DATES: Comments due: July 1, 1996; Reply Comments due: July 15, 1996.

ADDRESSES: In addition to filing comments with the Secretary, a copy of 
any comments on the information collections contained herein should be 
submitted to Dorothy Conway, Federal Communications Commission, Room 
234, 1919 M Street, N.W., Washington, DC 20554, or via the Internet to 
[email protected] and to Timothy Fain, OMB Desk Officer, 10236 NEOB, 725 
- 17th Street, N.W., Washington, DC 20503 or via the Internet to 
[email protected].

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Michael Carowitz, Enforcement 
Division, Common Carrier Bureau, (202) 418-0960. For additional 
information concerning the information collections contained in this 
Further Notice of Proposed Rule Making contact Dorothy Conway at 202-
418-0217, or via the Internet at [email protected].

[[Page 33075]]

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Order

Adopted: June 20, 1996; Released: June 20, 1996.

    1. On June 14, 1996, the American Public Communications Council 
(``APCC'') filed a motion asking that we extend the deadline for filing 
comments in the above-captioned proceeding 1 from June 27, 1996, 
to July 1, 1996, a period of four days. APCC also requests a 
corresponding extension of the due date for reply comments from July 8, 
1996, to July 12, 1996. In support of its motion, APCC states that 
virtually every issue in the proceeding vitally affects its members and 
that, as a result, additional days are required to effectively prepare 
comments.2 Also on June 14, 1996, Southwestern Bell Telephone 
Company (``SWBT'') filed a motion for an extension of the deadline for 
reply comments to July 12, 1996, although it does not request a change 
in the deadline for the initial comment cycle. SWBT argues that due to 
the forthcoming federal holiday, there will not be a sufficient number 
of business days for parties to respond adequately to the initial 
comments.
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    \1\ Notice of Proposed Rulemaking, FCC 96-254 (rel. Jun. 6, 
1996); 61 FR 31481, June 20, 1996.
    \2\ As a national trade association of independent pay telephone 
companies, APCC claims that the comment process will require 
coordination with member companies and allied state associations. 
APCC claims that this process cannot be completed effectively in the 
time allotted.
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    2. It is the policy of the Commission that extensions of time are 
not routinely granted.3 However, in light of the important issues 
presented in this proceeding and the relatively short period of time 
accorded to the parties to comment on those issues, we believe that the 
public interest would be served by granting all parties a brief 
extension of the deadlines for the comments and reply comments. While 
we take this action on our motion, we nevertheless believe that this 
Order will grant relief that is substantially similar to that requested 
by APCC and SWBT.
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    \3\ See 47 CFR Sec. 1.46(a).
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    3. Accordingly, it is ordered, pursuant to Sections 4(i), 4(j), and 
5(c) of the Communications Act of 1934, as amended, 47 U.S.C. 154(i), 
154(j), and 155(c), and the authority delegated thereunder pursuant to 
Sections 0.91 and 0.291 of the Commission's rules, 47 CFR Secs. 0.91 
and 0.291, that the deadline for filing comments in the above-captioned 
proceeding is extended to July 1, 1996, and the deadline for filing 
reply comments is extended to July 15, 1996. Because they concern 
issues that are now moot, the motions of APCC and SWBT for an extension 
of time are dismissed.

Federal Communications Commission.
Robert W. Spangler
Deputy Chief (Policy), Enforcement Division, Common Carrier Bureau.
[FR Doc. 96-16396 Filed 6-25-96; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6712-01-P