[Federal Register Volume 70, Number 229 (Wednesday, November 30, 2005)]
[Notices]
[Pages 71849-71850]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 05-23449]



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FEDERAL COMMUNICATIONS COMMISSION

[CG Docket No. 03-123; DA 05-2961]


Telecommunications Relay Services and Speech-to-Speech Services 
for Individuals With Hearing and Speech Disabilities

AGENCY: Federal Communications Commission.

ACTION: Notice.

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SUMMARY: In this document, the Commission seeks comment on a petition 
for rulemaking to mandate captioned telephone relay service and to 
approve Internet-Protocol (IP) captioned telephone relay service. 
Captioned telephone service is a form of telecommunications relay 
service (TRS) that permits persons, on the same device, to 
simultaneously listen to what the other party is saying and read 
captions of what the other party is saying. Presently the service is 
eligible for compensation from the Interstate TRS Fund (Fund), but is 
not mandatory. The petition asks the Commission to initiate a 
rulemaking for the purpose of making captioned telephone service a 
mandatory form of TRS and approving IP captioned telephone service as 
eligible for compensation from the Fund.

DATES: Comments are due on or before December 30, 2005. Reply comments 
are due on or before January 17, 2006.

ADDRESSES: You may submit comments identified by [docket number and/or 
rulemaking number], by any of the following methods:
    [squf] Federal eRulemaking Portal: http://www.regulations.gov. 
Follow the instructions for submitting comments.
    [squf] Federal Communications Commission's Web site: http://www.fcc.gov/cgb/ecfs/. Follow the instructions for submitting comments.
    [squf] Mail: Parties who choose to file by paper should also submit 
their comment 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 3-
C418, Washington, DC 20554. Such a submission should be on a 3.5 inch 
diskette formatted in an IBM compatible formatted 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 (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 contractor at Portals II, 445 12th Street, 
SW., Room CY-B402, Washington, DC 20554.
    [squf] People with Disabilities: Contact the FCC to request 
reasonable accommodations (accessible format documents, sign language 
interpreters, CART, etc.) by e-mail: [email protected] or phone (202) 418-
0539 or TTY: (202) 418-0432.
    For detailed instructions for submitting comments and additional 
information on the rulemaking process, see the SUPPLEMENTARY 
INFORMATION section of this document.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Dana Jackson, (202) 418-2247 (voice), 
(202) 418-7989 (TTY), or e-mail [email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: This is a summary of the Commission's 
document DA 05-2961, released November 14, 2005. Pursuant to Sec. Sec.  
1.415 and 1.419 of the Commission rules, 47 CFR 1.415 and 1.419, 
interested parties may file comments on or before the dates indicated 
on the first page of this document. Comments may be filed using: (1) 
The Commission's Electronic Comment Filing System (ECFS), (2) the 
Federal Government's eRulemaking Portal, or (3) by filing paper copies. 
See Electronic Filing of Documents in Rulemaking Proceedings, 63 FR 
24121, May 1, 1998.
    [squf] Electronic Filers: Comments may be filed electronically 
using the Internet by accessing the ECFS: http://www.fcc.gov/cgb/ecfs/ 
or the Federal eRulemaking Portal: http://www.regulations.gov. Filers 
should follow the instructions provided on the Web site for submitting 
comments.
    [squf] For ECFS filers, if multiple docket or rulemaking numbers 
appear in the caption of this proceeding, filers must transmit one 
electronic copy of the comments for each docket or rulemaking number 
referenced in the caption. In completing the transmittal screen, filers 
should include their full name, U.S. Postal Service mailing address, 
and the applicable docket or rulemaking number. Parties may also submit 
an electronic comment by Internet e-mail. To get filing instructions, 
filers should send an e-mail to [email protected], and include the following 
words in the body of the message, ``get form.'' A sample form and 
directions will be sent in response. All comments received are viewable 
by the general public at any time through the Web site.
    [squf] Paper Filers: 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, filers 
must submit two additional copies for each additional docket or 
rulemaking number. Filings can be sent by hand or messenger delivery, 
by commercial overnight courier, or by first-class or overnight U.S. 
Postal Service mail (although the Commission continues to experience 
delays in receiving U.S. Postal Service mail). All filings must be 
addressed to the Commission's Secretary, Office of the Secretary, 
Federal Communications Commission.
    [squf] The Commission's contractor will receive hand-delivered or 
messenger-delivered paper filings 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.
    [squf] Commercial 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.
    [squf] U.S. Postal Service first-class, Express, and Priority mail 
should be addressed to 445 12th Street, SW., 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 full text of document DA 05-2961 and copies of any subsequently 
filed documents relating to 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. This document and copies of subsequently 
filed documents in this matter may also be purchased from the 
Commission's contractor at Portals II, 445 12th Street, SW., Room CY-
B402, Washington, DC 20554. Customers may contact the Commission's 
contractor at their Web site www.bcpiweb.com or by calling 1-800-378-
3160. A copy of NECA's submission may also be found by searching ECFS 
at http://www.fcc.gov/cgb/ecfs (insert CG

[[Page 71850]]

Docket No. 03-123 into the proceeding block).
    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) or (202) 418-0432 (TTY). 
Document DA 05-2961 can also be downloaded in Word and Portable 
Document Format (PDF) at http://www.fcc.gov/cgb.dro.

Federal Communications Commission.
Jay Keithley,
Deputy Bureau Chief, Consumer & Governmental Affairs Bureau.
[FR Doc. 05-23449 Filed 11-29-05; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6712-01-P