[Federal Register Volume 70, Number 50 (Wednesday, March 16, 2005)]
[Notices]
[Pages 12884-12885]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 05-5172]


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FEDERAL COMMUNICATIONS COMMISSION

[CC Docket No. 98-67 and CG Docket No. 03-123; DA 05-509]


Comments Requested on Petition for Declaratory Ruling Filed 
Concerning Video Relay Service (VRS) Interoperability

AGENCY: Federal Communications Commission.

ACTION: Notice.

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SUMMARY: This document seeks public comment on a petition for 
declaratory ruling filed by the California Coalition of Agencies 
Serving the Deaf and Hard of Hearing (CCASDHH) on February 15, 2005, 
requesting that the Federal Communication Commission (Commission) 
prohibit any Video Relay Service (VRS) provider that receives 
compensation from the Interstate Telecommunications Relay Service (TRS) 
Fund from purposely restricting its deaf and hard-of-hearing customers 
to a single VRS provider via the software or hardware of their VRS 
equipment or through exclusivity agreements with those customers.

DATES: Comments are due April 15, 2005, and reply comments are due May 
2, 2005.

ADDRESSES: Federal Communications Commission, 445 12th Street, SW., 
Washington, DC 20554. See SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION For Further Filing 
Instructions.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Dana Jackson, Consumer & Governmental 
Affairs Bureau, Disability Rights Office at (202) 418-2247 (voice), 
(202) 418-7898 (TTY), or e-mail at [email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: This is a summary of the Commission's Public 
Notice DA 05-509, released March 1, 2005. The full text of the Public 
Notice and copies of any subsequently filed documents in this matter 
will be available for public inspection and copying during regular 
business hours at the FCC Reference Information Center, Portals II, 445 
12th Street, SW., Room CY-A257, Washington, DC 20554. When filing 
comments, please reference CC Docket No. 98-67 and CG Docket No. 03-
123. Comments may be filed using the Commission's Electronic Comment 
Filing System (ECFS) or by filing paper copies. See Electronic Filing 
of Documents in Rulemaking Proceedings, 63 FR 24121, May 1, 1998. 
Comments filed through the ECFS can be sent as an electronic file via 
the Internet to <http://www.fcc.gov/e-file/ecfs.html html>. Generally, 
only one copy of an electronic submission must be filed. If multiple 
docket or rulemaking numbers appear in the caption of this proceeding, 
however, commenters must transmit one electronic copy of the comment to 
each docket or rulemaking number referenced in the caption. In 
completing the transmittal screen, commenters should include their full 
name, Postal Service mailing address, and the applicable docket or 
rulemaking number. Parties may also submit electronic comments by 
Internet e-mail. To get filing instructions, commenters should send an 
e-mail to [email protected], and should include the following words in the 
body of the message, ``get form .'' A sample form 
and directions will be sent in reply. Parties who choose to file by 
paper must file an original and four copies of each filing. If more 
than one docket or rulemaking number appears in the caption of this 
proceeding, commenters must submit two additional copies for each 
additional docket or rulemaking number. Filings can be sent by hand or 
messenger delivery, by electronic media, by commercial overnight 
courier, or by first-class or overnight U.S. Postal Services mail 
(although we continue to

[[Page 12885]]

experience delays in receiving U.S. Postal Service mail). The 
Commission's contractor, Natek, Inc., will receive hand-delivered or 
messenger-delivered paper filings or electronic media for the 
Commission's Secretary at 236 Massachusetts Avenue, NE., Suite 110, 
Washington, DC 20002. The filing hours at this location are 8 a.m. to 7 
p.m. All hand deliveries must be held together with rubber bands or 
fasteners. Any envelopes must be disposed of before entering the 
building. Commercial and electronic media sent by overnight mail (other 
than U.S. Postal Service Express Mail and Priority Mail) must be sent 
to 9300 East Hampton Drive, Capitol Heights, MD 20743. U.S. Postal 
Service first-class mail, Express Mail, and Priority Mail should be 
addressed to 445 12th Street, SW., Washington, DC 20554. All filings 
must be addressed to the Commission's Secretary, Marlene H. Dortch, 
Office of the Secretary, Federal Communications Commission, 445 12th 
Street, SW., Room TW-B204 Washington, DC 20554. Parties who choose to 
file by paper should also submit their comments on diskette. These 
diskettes should be submitted, along with three paper copies, to: Dana 
Jackson, Consumer & Governmental Affairs Bureau, Disability Rights 
Office, 445 12th Street, SW., Room CY-C417, Washington, DC 20554. Such 
a submission should be on a 3.5 inch diskette formatted in an IBM 
compatible format using Word 97 or compatible software. The diskette 
should be accompanied by a cover letter and should be submitted in 
``read only'' mode. The diskette should be clearly labeled with the 
commenter's name, proceeding (including the lead docket number in this 
case, CC Docket No. 98-67 and CG Docket No. 03-123, type of pleading 
(comment or reply comment), date of submission, and the name of the 
electronic file on the diskette. The label should also include the 
following phrase ``Disk Copy--Not an Original.'' Each diskette should 
contain only one party's pleadings, preferably in a single electronic 
file. In addition, commenters must send diskette copies to the 
Commission's copy contractor, Best Copy and Printing (BCPI), Inc., 
Portals II, 445 12th Street, SW., Room CY-B402, Washington, DC 20554. 
Pursuant to Sec.  1.1206 of the Commission's rules, 47 CFR 1.1206, this 
proceeding will be conducted as a permit-but-disclose proceeding in 
which ex parte communications are subject to disclosure. The Public 
Notice and copies of subsequently filed documents in this matters may 
also be purchased from the Commission's duplicating contract, BCPI, 
Inc., Portals II, 445 12th Street, SW., Room CY-B402, Washington, DC 
20554. Customers may contact BCPI, Inc. at their Web site http://www.bcpiweb.com or call 1-800-378-3160. 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) 418-0530 
(voice), (202) 418-0432 (TTY). The Public Notice can also be downloaded 
in Word or Portable Document Format (PDF) at: http://www.fcc.gov/cgb/dro gov/
cgb/dro.

Federal Communications Commission.
Jay Keithley,
Deputy Bureau Chief, Consumer & Governmental Affairs Bureau.
[FR Doc. 05-5172 Filed 3-15-05; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6712-01-P