[Federal Register Volume 78, Number 241 (Monday, December 16, 2013)]
[Proposed Rules]
[Pages 76096-76097]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2013-28829]


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FEDERAL COMMUNICATIONS COMMISSION

47 CFR Part 64

[CG Docket Nos. 08-15 and 03-123; DA 13-2191]


Request for Comment on Petition Filed by AT&T Services, Inc., 
Regarding the Provision of Muting for Speech-to-Speech Telephone 
Services

AGENCY: Federal Communications Commission.

ACTION: Petition of Reconditeration: request for comments.

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SUMMARY: In this document, the Commission seeks comment on an AT&T 
Services, Inc. (AT&T) petition requesting clarification or, in the 
alternative, expedited waiver of the requirement contained in the 
Commission's 2013 STS Order for providers to offer speech-to-speech 
(STS) users the option to have their voices muting during an STS call. 
The Commission seeks comment on AT&T's assertion that its current 
process for muting the voice of an STS user on incoming calls, when the 
user has not pre-selected muting in his or her profile, complies with 
this requirement. The Commission also seeks comment on AT&T's request 
for a twelve-month expedited waiver of the STS muting rules for 
incoming calls where the STS user has not pre-selected muting in his or 
her profile. AT&T maintains that a waiver will allow it to continue to 
use its current process for muting the voice of an STS user on incoming 
calls while it modifies its platform to create a process that will 
allow the CA to mute the STS user's voice at any time during a call 
without requiring a call-back.

DATES: Comments are due December 31, 2013 and reply comments are due 
January 10, 2014.

ADDRESSES: You may submit comments, identified by CG Docket Nos. 08-15 
and 03-123, by any of the following methods:
    Electronic Filers: Comments may be filed electronically using the 
Internet by accessing the Commission's Electronic Comment Filing System 
(ECFS), through the Commission's Web site http://fjallfoss.fcc.gov/ecfs2/. Filers should follow the instructions provided on the Web site 
for submitting comments. For ECFS filers, in completing the transmittal 
screen, filers should include their full name, U.S. Postal service 
mailing address, and CG Docket Nos. 08-15 and 03-123.
     Paper filers: Parties who choose to file by paper must 
file an original and one copy of each filing. 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.
     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. All hand 
deliveries must be held together with rubber bands or fasteners. Any 
envelopes must be disposed of before entering the building.
     Commercial Mail sent by overnight mail (other than U.S. 
Postal Service

[[Page 76097]]

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 should be addressed to 445 12th Street SW., Washington, DC 20554.
    In addition, parties must serve one copy of each pleading with the 
Commission's duplicating contractor, Best Copy and Printing, Inc., 445 
12th Street SW., Room CY-B402, Washington, DC 20554, or via email to 
[email protected]. 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: Caitlin Vogus, Consumer and 
Governmental Affairs Bureau, Disability Rights Office, (202) 418-1264, 
email: [email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: This is a summary of the Commission's Public 
Notice, document DA 13-2191, released on November 14, 2013. The full 
text of document DA 13-2191, and any subsequently filed documents in 
this matter will be available for public inspection and copying via 
ECFS, and during regular business hours at the FCC Reference 
Information Center, Portals II, 445 12th Street SW., Room CY-A257, 
Washington, DC 20554. It also may be purchased from the Commission's 
duplicating contractor, Best Copy and Printing, Inc., Portals II, 445 
12th Street SW., Room CY-B402, Washington, DC 20554, telephone: (800) 
378-3160, fax: (202) 488-5563, or Internet: www.bcpiweb.com. Document 
DA 13-2191 can also be downloaded in Word or Portable Document Format 
(PDF) at http://www.fcc.gov/encyclopedia/telecommunications-relay-services-trs. To request materials in accessible formats for people 
with disabilities (Braille, large print, electronic files, audio 
format), send an email to [email protected] or call the Consumer and 
Governmental Affairs Bureau at 202-418-0530 (voice), 202-418-0432 
(TTY).

Synopsis

    1. On September 26, 2013, AT&T filed a petition requesting 
clarification, or, in the alternative, expedited waiver of the 
requirement contained in the 2013 STS Order, published at 78 FR 49693, 
August 15, 2013, and codified at 47 CFR 64.604(a)(1)(viii) of the 
Commission's rules, for providers to offer STS users the option to have 
their voices muted during an STS call. AT&T Services, Inc., Request for 
Clarification, or in the Alternative, Petition for Expedited Waiver, CG 
Docket Nos. 08-15 and 03-123.
    2. Specifically, AT&T claims that it can meet this obligation for 
incoming calls to an STS user who has not pre-selected muting in his or 
her profile by ``mut[ing] the user's voice only if the STS user drops 
off the call and the CA adds the user back to the call.'' AT&T seeks 
clarification that this process complies with 47 CFR 64.604(a)(1)(viii) 
of the Commission's rules. In the alternative, AT&T seeks a twelve-
month expedited waiver of the STS muting rules for calls where the STS 
user has not pre-selected muting in his or her profile.
    AT&T claims that the waiver will allow it to continue offering STS 
users the call-back option while it modifies its platform to add a 
``hold'' function during STS calls, to allow the CA to mute an STS 
user's voice at any time during a call without requiring a call-back.

Federal Communications Commission.
Karen Peltz Strauss,
Deputy Chief, Consumer and Governmental Affairs Bureau.
[FR Doc. 2013-28829 Filed 12-13-13; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6712-01-P