[Federal Register Volume 69, Number 27 (Tuesday, February 10, 2004)]
[Notices]
[Pages 6290-6291]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 04-2831]


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FEDERAL COMMUNICATIONS COMMISSION

[CC Docket No. 99-294; FCC 03-331]


Federal-State Joint Conference on Advanced Telecommunications 
Services

AGENCY: Federal Communications Commission.

ACTION: Notice.

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SUMMARY: This document increases the size of the Federal-State Joint 
Conference on Advanced Telecommunications Services (``Joint 
Conference'') to include representatives from up to seven state 
commissions, in order to enhance its effectiveness and ensure a 
diversity of viewpoint. It also fills vacancies created by the addition 
of two state seats, as well as recent departures from the Joint 
Conference. These measures will allow greater federal-state 
cooperation, which is critical to facilitating the widespread 
deployment of, and access to, advanced services.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Jane Phillips, Intergovernmental 
Affairs, Consumer & Governmental Affairs Bureau, (202) 418-1761.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: This is a summary of the Commission's Order, 
FCC 03-331, adopted December 19, 2003, and released December 23, 2003. 
The complete text of the Order is available on the Commission's 
Internet site, at www.fcc.gov and is also available for inspection and 
copying during normal business hours in the FCC Reference Information 
Center, Courtyard Level, 445 12th Street, SW, CY-A257, Washington, DC. 
The text may also be purchased from the Commission's copy contractor, 
Qualex International, Portals II, 445 12th Street, SW, Room CY-B402, 
Washington, DC 20554 (telephone 202-863-2893). To request materials in 
accessible formats for people with disabilities (Braille, large print, 
electronic files, audio format), send an e-mail to [email protected] or 
call the Consumer & Governmental Affairs Bureau at (202) 418-0531 
(voice), (202) 418-7365 (TTY). This Order can also be downloaded in 
text and ASCII formats at http://www.fcc.gov/jointconference/.

[[Page 6291]]

Synopsis

    The Joint Conference was convened in 1999 as part of the 
Commission's ongoing efforts to ensure that advanced services are 
deployed as rapidly as possible to all Americans. It serves as a forum 
for an ongoing dialogue between the Commission, state regulators, and 
local and regional entities regarding the deployment of advanced 
telecommunications capabilities, and is comprised of commissioners from 
state public utilities commissions and from the Federal Communications 
Commission.
    The Joint Conference is responsible for monitoring and collecting 
data regarding the practices of carriers as they deploy advanced 
services throughout the nation. It has also held a series of field 
hearings across the country and has conducted Broadband Summits to 
examine how best to accelerate the deployment of affordable advanced 
services to rural and other under-served telecommunications users. 
Through these and other activities, the Joint Conference has worked 
cooperatively to promote the widespread deployment of advanced 
services.
    To help the Joint Conference achieve its broad mandate, and 
pursuant to section 410(b) of the Communications Act of 1934, 47 U.S.C. 
410(b), the Order appoints Commissioner Susan P. Kennedy of the 
California Public Utilities Commission, Thomas L. Welch, Chairman of 
the Maine Public Utilities Commission, and Deborah Tate, Chairman of 
the Tennessee Regulatory Authority, to serve on the Federal-State Joint 
Conference on Advanced Telecommunications Services. The Order also 
appoints Bob Rowe, Chairman of the Montana Public Service Commission, 
formerly a non-voting member, to serve as a full member of the Federal-
State Joint Conference on Advanced Telecommunications Services.
    The number of members on the Joint Conference has been increased in 
order to augment diversity in Joint Conference membership and thereby 
widen the range of viewpoints and expertise. This is critical to 
informed decision-making as federal and state regulators join forces to 
encourage the deployment of advanced telecommunications services. 
Increasing the size of the Joint Conference is also consistent with the 
approach the Commission has taken with other joint boards, where the 
complexity and magnitude of the board's charter warranted a relatively 
large membership in order to address the broad range of issues 
presented.
    The Order requires that a copy of all filings in CC Docket 99-294 
be served on each of the following members of the Joint Conference at 
the following addresses:
     The Honorable Michael K. Powell, FCC Chairman, 
Federal Communications Commission, 445 12th Street, SW, Washington, DC 
20554.
     The Honorable Kevin J. Martin, Commissioner, 
Chair, Federal State Joint Conference on Advanced Telecommunications 
Services, Federal Communications Commission, 445 12th Street, SW, 
Washington, DC 20554.
     The Honorable Kathleen Q. Abernathy, 
Commissioner, Federal Communications Commission, 445 12th Street, SW, 
Washington, DC 20554.
     The Honorable Michael J. Copps, Commissioner, 
Federal Communications Commission, 445 12th Street, SW, Washington, DC 
20554.
     The Honorable Jonathan S. Adelstein, 
Commissioner, Federal Communications Commission, 445 12th Street, SW, 
Washington, DC 20554.
     The Honorable G. Nanette Thompson, Commissioner, 
Regulatory Commission of Alaska, 701 West Eight Avenue, Suite 300, 
Anchorage, Alaska 99501-3469.
     The Honorable Irma Muse Dixon, Commissioner, 
Louisiana Public Service Commission, Office of the Commissioner, 
District 3--New Orleans, 1600 Canal Street, Suite 1400, New Orleans, 
Louisiana 70112.
     The Honorable Jo Anne Sanford, Chair, North 
Carolina Utilities Commission, 430 North Salisbury Street, Dobbs 
Building, Raleigh, NC 27603-5918.
     The Honorable Bob Rowe, Chairman, Montana Public 
Service Commission, 1701 Prospect Avenue, PO Box 20261, Helena, MT 
59620-2601.
     The Honorable Susan P. Kennedy, Commissioner, 
California Public Utilities Commission, 505 Van Ness Ave., San 
Francisco, CA 94102.
     The Honorable Thomas L. Welch, Chairman, Maine 
Public Utilities Commission, 242 State Street, 18 State House Station, 
Augusta, ME 04333-0018.
     The Honorable Deborah T. Tate, Chairman, 
Tennessee Regulatory Authority, 460 James Robertson Parkway, Nashville, 
Tennessee 37243.

Ordering Clauses

    Pursuant to section 410(b) of the Communications Act of 1934, as 
amended, 47 U.S.C. 410(b), the Honorable Susan P. Kennedy, Commissioner 
of the California Public Utilities Commission, the Honorable Thomas L. 
Welch, Chairman of the Maine Public Utilities Commission, and Deborah 
Tate, Chairman of the Tennessee Regulatory Authority, are appointed to 
the Federal-State Joint Conference on Advanced Telecommunications 
Services.
    Pursuant to section 410(b) of the Communications Act of 1934, as 
amended, 47 U.S.C. 410(b), the Honorable Bob Rowe, Chairman of the 
Montana Public Service Commission, formerly a non-voting member, is 
appointed as a full member to the Federal-State Joint Conference on 
Advanced Telecommunications Services.

Federal Communications Commission.
Marlene H. Dortch,
Secretary.
[FR Doc. 04-2831 Filed 2-9-04; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6712-01-P