[Federal Register Volume 67, Number 4 (Monday, January 7, 2002)]
[Rules and Regulations]
[Page 678]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 01-32243]


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FEDERAL COMMUNICATIONS COMMISSION

47 CFR Parts 6 and 7

[WT Docket No. 96-198; DA 01-2730]


Access to Telecommunications Service, Telecommunications 
Equipment and Customer Premises Equipment by Persons With Disabilities

AGENCY: Federal Communications Commission.

ACTION: Final rule; announcement of effective date.

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SUMMARY: This document announces the deadline by which providers of 
telecommunications services and manufacturers of telecommunications 
equipment and customer premises equipment must provide the Commission 
with the designation of an agent on whom service may be made of all 
notices, inquiries, orders, decisions, and other pronouncements of the 
Commission. Each provider and manufacturer must inform the Commission 
of its designation of an agent by January 31, 2002. The designation 
must include the agent's name or department designation, business 
address, telephone number, TTY number (if available), facsimile number, 
and Internet e-mail address.

DATES: The amendment to 47 CFR Part 6.18 and 7.18 published at 64 FR 
63235 (November 19, 1999) will become effective January 31, 2002.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Jenifer Simpson (202) 418-0008 
(voice), (202) 418-0034 (TTY) or Dana Jackson (202) 418-2247 (voice), 
(202) 418-7898 (TTY), Disabilities Rights Office, Consumer Information 
Bureau.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: This designation of agent must be filed with 
the Commission's Secretary, Magalie Salas, Office of the Secretary, 445 
12th Street, SW, Room TW-A325, Washington, DC, 20554. An additional 
copy should be sent to the Disabilities Rights Office, Consumer 
Information Bureau, Room 5-A741, 445 12th Street, SW, Washington, DC, 
20554, Attn: Dana Jackson. We intend to continue posting the required 
information on the FCC's web site within the Consumer Information 
Bureau (CIB) and administering the posting within CIB's Disabilities 
Rights Office. Contact information for manufacturers is posted at 
http://www.fcc.gov/cib/dro/section255_manu.html; contact information 
for service providers is posted at http://www.fcc.gov/cib/dro/service_providers.html; and contact information for affected colleges 
and universities is posted at http://www.fcc.gov/cib/dro/section255_colleges.html.
    This document is available to individuals with disabilities 
requiring accessible formats (electronic ASCII text, Braille, large 
print and audio) by contacting Brian Millin at (202) 418-7426 (voice), 
(202) 418-7365 (TTY), or by sending an email to [email protected].
    On September 29, 1999, the Commission released a Report and Order 
and Further Notice of Inquiry (RO/FNOI) adopting a framework for 
implementing Section 255 of the Communications Act of 1934, as amended, 
which requires telecommunications equipment manufacturers and service 
providers to ensure that their equipment and services are accessible to 
persons with disabilities, to the extent that it is readily achievable 
to do so. A summary of this RO/FNOI was published in the Federal 
Register. See 64 FR 63277; 64 FR 63235.
    Among the new rules is a requirement that equipment manufacturers 
and service providers each designate an agent for service of informal 
and formal complaints received by the Commission. This rule entails 
information collection requirements, and in the RO/FNOI, the Commission 
stated that ``some of the information collection requirements in this 
Report and Order are contingent on approval by OMB,'' including the 
designation of agent requirement. The information collection was 
approved by OMB on October 29, 2001. See OMB No. 3060-0833. This 
publication announces the effective date of the Commission's 
requirement that equipment manufacturers and service providers subject 
to the requirements of Section 255 of the Act designate an agent upon 
whom service may be made of all notices, inquiries, orders, decisions, 
and other pronouncements of the Commission in any matter before the 
Commission. The designation shall include, for both the manufacturer 
and the provider, a name or department designation, business address, 
telephone number, and if available, TTY number, facsimile number, and 
Internet e-mail address. More information on this subject can be found 
in the Commission's Public Notice, DA 01-2730, released December 19, 
2001.

Federal Communications Commission.
Thomas D. Wyatt,
Associate Chief (Operations), Consumer Information Bureau.
[FR Doc. 01-32243 Filed 1-4-02; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6712-01-P