[Federal Register Volume 65, Number 41 (Wednesday, March 1, 2000)]
[Notices]
[Page 11059]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 00-4836]


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FEDERAL COMMUNICATIONS COMMISSION

[CC Docket No. 98-146; FCC 00-57]


Inquiry Concerning the Deployment of Advanced Telecommunications 
Capability to All Americans in a Reasonable and Timely Fashion, and 
Possible Steps To Accelerate Such Deployment Pursuant to Section 706 of 
the Telecommunications Act of 1996

AGENCY: Federal Communications Commission.

ACTION: Notice.

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SUMMARY: In this document, the Federal Communications Commission begins 
its second inquiry into whether advanced telecommunications capability 
is being deployed to all Americans in a reasonable and timely fashion.

DATES: Comments are due on or before March 20, 2000. Reply Comments are 
due on or before April 4, 2000.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:    Information: John Berresford, 
Senior Antitrust Attorney, Industry Analysis Division, Common Carrier 
Bureau, at (202) 418-1886.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: This is a summary of the Commission's Notice 
of Inquiry released February 18, 2000 (FCC 00-57). The full text of the 
Inquiry is available for inspection and copying during normal business 
hours in the FCC Reference Center, Room CY-A257, 445 12th Street, SW, 
Washington, DC 20554. The complete text also may be purchased from the 
Commission's copy contractor, International Transcription Service, Inc. 
(202) 857-3800, 1231 20th Street, NW, Washington, DC 20037. 
Additionally, the complete item is available on the Commission's 
website at http://www.fcc.gov/Bureaus/Common__Carrier/Orders/2000>.

Synopsis of the Inquiry

    1. In the document summarized here, the Federal Communications 
Commission begins its second inquiry into whether advanced 
telecommunications capability, commonly known as ``broadband,'' is 
being deployed to all Americans. Congress charged the FCC with 
monitoring the deployment advanced telecommunications capability and 
gave the FCC authority, if necessary, to accelerate deployment if the 
FCC determined that deployment was not occurring in a reasonable and 
timely fashion. In order to make an informed judgment about whether 
deployment is reasonable and timely, the Inquiry seeks from various 
groups objective, empirical data about the current state of broadband 
deployment.
    2. Specifically, the Inquiry seeks comment on four areas: (1) 
Definitional issues of ``advanced telecommunications capability'' (2) 
information about the present deployment of advanced telecommunications 
capability to various groups; (3) long-term economic analysis of the 
market forces bringing advanced telecommunications capability to the 
residential market and other historically underserved areas; (4) 
actions available to the FCC and state authorities if it is determined 
that advanced telecommunications capability is not being deployed to 
all Americans in a reasonable and timely fashion. Once the FCC has 
gathered this information, it will release a Report within 180 days 
detailing its findings.

Ordering Clauses

    Accordingly, It is ordered that, pursuant to sections 706 of the 
Telecommunications Act of 1996, this Notice of Inquiry is adopted.
    Federal Communications Commission.

Peyton Wynns,
Chief, Industry Analysis Division, Common Carrier Bureau.
[FR Doc. 00-4836 Filed 2-29-00; 8:45 am]
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