[Federal Register Volume 69, Number 178 (Wednesday, September 15, 2004)]
[Notices]
[Pages 55630-55631]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 04-20904]


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FEDERAL COMMUNICATIONS COMMISSION

[MB Docket No. 04-228; DA 04-2906]


Elimination of Market Entry Barriers for Small Telecommunications 
Businesses and Allocations of Spectrum-Based Services for Small 
Businesses and Businesses Owned by Women and Minorities

AGENCY: Federal Communications Commission.

ACTION: Notice, extension of comment period.

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SUMMARY: In this document, the Media Bureau extends the period for 
comment and reply comment in this proceeding that seeks comment on 
constitutionally permissible ways for the Commission to further its 
legislative mandate to identify and eliminate market entry barriers for 
small telecommunications businesses and to further opportunities in the 
allocation of spectrum-based services for small businesses and 
businesses owned by women and minorities. The deadline to file comments 
is extended from September 10, 2004, to October 12, 2004, and the 
deadline to file reply comments is extended from October 8, 2004, to 
November 8, 2004. The action is taken to respond to a Motion for 
Extension of Time.

DATES: Comments are due on or before October 12, 2004, and reply 
comments are due on or before November 8, 2004.

ADDRESSES: Federal Communications Commission, Portals II, 445 12th 
Street, SW., Washington, DC 20554.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Julie Salovaara, Industry Analysis 
Division, Media Bureau, (202) 418-2330 or [email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: This is a synopsis of the Commission's 
Public Notice, DA-04-2906, in MB Docket No. 04-228, released on 
September 8, 2004. The full text of this Public Notice is available for 
inspection and copying during regular business hours in the FCC 
Reference Center, 445 Twelfth Street, SW., Room CY-A257, Portals II, 
Washington, DC 20554, and may also be purchased from the Commission's 
copy contractor, Best Company and Printing,

[[Page 55631]]

Inc., Room CY-B402, telephone (800) 378-3160, http://www.bcpiweb.com. 
To request materials in accessible formats for people with disabilities 
(electronic files, large print, audio format and Braille), send an e-
mail to [email protected] or call the Consumer & Governmental Affairs 
Bureau at (202) 418-0531 (voice), 418-7365 (TTY).
    On June 15, 2004, the Media Bureau (``Bureau'') released a Public 
Notice seeking comment on constitutionally permissible ways to further 
the mandates of section 257 of the Telecommunications Act of 1996, 47 
U.S.C. 257, which directs the Commission to identify and eliminate 
market entry barriers for small telecommunications businesses, and 
section 309(j) of the Communications Act of 1934, as amended, 47 U.S.C. 
309(j), which requires the Commission to further opportunities in the 
allocation of spectrum-based services for small businesses and 
businesses owned by women and minorities.\1\ The deadlines to file 
comments and reply comments were originally set as July 22, 2004, and 
August 6, 2004, respectively.\2\ At the request of the Minority Media 
and Telecommunications Council (``MMTC''), the Bureau extended the 
comment deadline to September 10, 2004, and the reply comment deadline 
to October 8, 2004.\3\
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    \1\ 69 FR 34672, June 22, 2004.
    \2\ Comment and Reply Comment Dates Set for Comments on Ways to 
Further Section 257 Mandate and to Build on Earlier Studies, Public 
Notice, MB Docket No. 04-228, DA 04-1758 (MB June 22, 2004).
    \3\ 69 FR 42996, July 19, 2004.
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    MMTC now requests that these deadlines be further extended to 
October 10, 2004, for comments and to November 8, 2004, for reply 
comments.\4\ MMTC states that the three consultants it has engaged to 
assist with MMTC's comments need more time to complete their research 
and analyses, as the task has proved more complex than originally 
believed. Given the complexity of the legal issues involved, the 
heightened constitutional standards that apply, and our consequent 
interest in obtaining a rigorous and comprehensive analysis, we believe 
that granting MMTC's request for more time will serve the public 
interest. The new deadline to file comments will be October 12, 2004, 
and the new deadline to file reply comments will be November 8, 
2004.\5\
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    \4\ MMTC Motion for Further Extension of Time (Sept. 7, 2004).
    \5\ We are extending the comment deadline to October 12, 2004, 
because the date requested by MMTC, October 10, 2004, is a Sunday, 
and October 11, 2004, is a Federal holiday.

Federal Communications Commission.
Thomas L. Horan,
Legal Advisor, Media Bureau.
[FR Doc. 04-20904 Filed 9-14-04; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6712-01-P