[Federal Register Volume 75, Number 200 (Monday, October 18, 2010)]
[Proposed Rules]
[Pages 63764-63766]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2010-26174]


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FEDERAL COMMUNICATIONS COMMISSION

47 CFR Part 20

[DA 10-1936; WT Docket No. 07-250]


Hearing Aid Compatibility Proceeding; Request That Comments 
Address Effects of New Legislation

AGENCY: Federal Communications Commission.

ACTION: Request for comments.

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SUMMARY: In this document, the Wireless Telecommunications Bureau 
requests that the comments in the pending Hearing Aid Compatibility 
proceeding address the effects of the Twenty-First Century 
Communications and Video Accessibility Act of 2010, if any, on the 
proposed rules.

DATES: Interested parties may file comments on or before October 25, 
2010, and reply comments on or before November 22, 2010.

ADDRESSES: You may submit comments, identified by WT Docket No. 07-250, 
by any of the following methods:
     Federal eRulemaking Portal: http://www.regulations.gov. 
Follow the instructions for submitting comments.
     Federal Communications Commission's Web Site: http://www.fcc.gov/cgb/ecfs/. Follow the instructions for submitting comments.
     Mail: 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.

[[Page 63765]]

     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-
0530 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: Zhaohui Yang, Wireless 
Telecommunications Bureau, (202) 418-1476, e-mail [email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: This is a summary of the Wireless 
Telecommunications Bureau's public notice released on October 12, 2010. 
The full text of the public notice is available for public inspection 
and copying during business hours in the FCC Reference Information 
Center, Portals II, 445 12th Street, SW., Room CY-A257, Washington, DC 
20554. It may also be purchased from the Commission's duplicating 
contractor at Portals II, 445 12th Street, SW., Room CY-B402, 
Washington, DC 20554; the contractor's Web site, http://www.bcpiweb.com; or by calling (800) 378-3160, facsimile (202) 488-
5563, or e-mail [email protected]. Copies of the public notice also may 
be obtained via the Commission's Electronic Comment Filing System 
(ECFS) by entering the docket number, WT Docket No. 07-250. 
Additionally, the complete public notice is available on the Federal 
Communications Commission's Web site at http://www.fcc.gov.
    On October 8, 2010, President Obama signed into law the Twenty-
First Century Communications and Video Accessibility Act of 2010,\1\ 
ensuring that individuals with disabilities have access to emerging 
Internet Protocol-based communication and video programming 
technologies in the 21st Century. Section 102 of the Act extends 
hearing aid compatibility requirements to customer premises equipment 
``used with advanced communications services that is designed to 
provide 2-way voice communications via a built-in speaker intended to 
be held to the ear in a manner functionally equivalent to a 
telephone.'' The Act preserves the exemption of mobile handsets from 
the general requirement that all telephones be hearing aid-compatible, 
while maintaining the Commission's authority to revoke or limit such 
exemption if certain conditions are met.
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    \1\ S. 3304, 111th Cong. sec. 102 (as signed by President, Oct. 
8, 2010); see also S. 3828, 111th Cong. (as signed by President, 
Oct. 8, 2010).
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    On August 5, 2010, the Commission released a Further Notice of 
Proposed Rulemaking (FNPRM), FCC 10-145, seeking comment on proposed 
revisions to the rules governing hearing aid compatibility of mobile 
handsets. 75 FR 54546 (Sept. 8, 2010). Among other things, the 
Commission proposed to extend its rules beyond the current scope of 47 
CFR 20.19(a) to include customer equipment used to provide wireless 
voice communications over any type of network among members of the 
public or a substantial portion of the public. The Commission sought 
comment on whether considerations of technological feasibility or 
marketability prevent application of these requirements to such 
customer equipment.
    The Wireless Telecommunications Bureau requests that comments on 
the FNPRM address the effect of the new legislation, if any, on the 
proposed rules. Comments remain due on October 25, 2010, and reply 
comments are due on November 22, 2010.

Procedural Matters

    The rulemaking shall be treated as a ``permit-but-disclose'' 
proceeding in accordance with the Commission's ex parte rules. Persons 
making oral ex parte presentations are reminded that memoranda 
summarizing the presentations must contain summaries of the substance 
of the presentations and not merely a listing of the subjects 
discussed. More than a one or two sentence description of the views and 
arguments presented generally is required. Other requirements 
pertaining to oral and written presentations are set forth in Section 
1.1206(b) of the Commission's rules.
    Pursuant to sections 1.415 and 1.419 of the Commission's rules, 47 
CFR 1.415 and 1.419, interested parties may file comments and reply 
comments on or before the dates indicated on the first page of this 
document. All filings related to this public notice should refer to WT 
Docket No. 07-250. 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 (1998).
     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.
     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.
     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, Marlene H. Dortch, Office of the Secretary, 
Federal Communications Commission, 445 12th Street, SW., Washington, DC 
20554.
     All hand-delivered or messenger-delivered paper filings 
for the Commission's Secretary must be delivered to FCC Headquarters at 
445 12th Street, SW., Room TW-A325, Washington, DC 20554. 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 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, Express, and Priority 
mail must be addressed to 445 12th Street, SW., Washington DC 20554.
    Parties shall send one copy of their comments and reply comments to 
Best Copy and Printing, Inc., Portals II, 445 12th Street, SW., Room 
CY-B402, Washington, DC 20554, (202) 488-5300, or via e-mail to 
[email protected]. Comments filed in response to this public notice will 
be available for public inspection and copying during business

[[Page 63766]]

hours in the FCC Reference Information Center, Portals II, 445 12th 
Street, SW., Room CY-A257, Washington, DC 20554, and via the 
Commission's Electronic Comment Filing System (ECFS) by entering the 
docket number, WT Docket No. 07-250. The comments may also be purchased 
from Best Copy and Printing, Inc., telephone (202) 488-5300, facsimile 
(202) 488-5563, TTY (202) 488-5562, or e-mail [email protected].
    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).

Federal Communications Commission.
Jane E. Jackson,
Associate Chief, Wireless Telecommunications Bureau.
[FR Doc. 2010-26174 Filed 10-15-10; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6712-01-P