[Federal Register Volume 79, Number 51 (Monday, March 17, 2014)]
[Proposed Rules]
[Pages 14634-14635]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2014-05913]


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FEDERAL COMMUNICATIONS COMMISSION

47 CFR parts 22, 24, 27, 87 and 90

[WT Docket No. 13-301; FCC 13-157; DA 14-327]


Expanding Access to Mobile Wireless Services Onboard Aircraft

AGENCY: Federal Communications Commission.

ACTION: Proposed rule; extension of comment period.

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SUMMARY: The Federal Communications Commission extends the deadline for 
filing reply comments on the Commission's Notice of Proposed Rulemaking 
(NPRM), in this proceeding, which was published in the Federal Register 
on Wednesday, January 15, 2014. Interested parties now will have until 
May 16, 2014, to file reply comments, as opposed to the March 17, 2014, 
deadline set forth in the NPRM.

DATES: The reply comment period for the proposed rule published January 
15, 2014 (79 FR 2615), is extended. Submit reply comments on or before 
May 16, 2014.

ADDRESSES: You may submit comments, identified by WT Docket No. 13-301 
or FCC 13-157, by any of the following methods:
    [ssquf] Federal Communications Commission's Web site: http://fjallfoss.fcc.gov/. Follow the instructions for submitting comments.
    [ssquf] Mail: FCC Headquarters, 445 12th St. SW., Washington, DC 
20554.
    [ssquf] People with Disabilities: Contact the FCC to request 
reasonable accommodations (accessible format documents, sign language 
interpreters, CART, etc.) by email: [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: Amanda Huetinck of the Mobility 
Division, Wireless Telecommunications Bureau, at (202) 418-7090 or 
[email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Pursuant to Sec. Sec.  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. Comments may be filed using the 
Commission's Electronic Comment Filing System (ECFS). See Electronic 
Filing of Documents in Rulemaking Proceedings, 63 FR 24121, May 1, 
1998.
    [ssquf] Electronic Filers: Comments may be filed electronically 
using the Internet by accessing the ECFS: http://fjallfoss.fcc.gov/ecfs2/.
    [ssquf] Paper Filers: Parties who choose to file by paper must file 
an original and one copy 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. All filings must be addressed to the Commission's Secretary, 
Office of the Secretary, Federal Communications Commission.
    [ssquf] All hand-delivered or messenger-delivered paper filings for 
the Commission's Secretary must be delivered to FCC Headquarters at 445 
12th St. SW., Room TW-A325, Washington, DC 20554. The filing hours are 
8:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m. All hand deliveries must be held together with 
rubber bands or fasteners. Any envelopes and boxes must be disposed of 
before entering the building.
    [ssquf] 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.
    [ssquf] U.S. Postal Service first-class, Express, and Priority mail 
must be addressed to 445 12th Street SW., Washington, DC 20554.
    People with Disabilities: 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 & Governmental Affairs Bureau at 202-418-0530 (voice), 202-
418-0432 (tty).

Synopsis

    By this document, we extend the deadline for filing reply comments 
in response to the NPRM in WT Docket No. 13-301 to allow parties to 
more thoroughly address the technical issues raised in the NPRM and in 
the record. Interested parties now will have until May 16, 2014, to 
file reply comments.
    On February 28, 2014, AeroMobile Communications Limited 
(``AeroMobile'') and Panasonic Avionics Corporation (``Panasonic''), 
jointly, and CTIA--The Wireless Association (``CTIA'') filed requests 
to extend the reply comment deadline in response to the NPRM by 60 
days, to May 16, 2014. The Joint Motion and the CTIA Request contend 
that this extension is warranted for parties to properly address the 
complicated technological, legal, and policy issues raised by the NPRM 
and the initial comments. The Joint Motion and the CTIA request also 
assert that the additional time will provide various stakeholders--
including AeroMobile, Panasonic, and CTIA--ample opportunity to consult 
with each other on technical issues.
    Specifically, the Joint Motion states that more time is necessary 
for consultations regarding ``the technical studies and authorization 
regime supporting in-flight mobile communications in Europe and

[[Page 14635]]

elsewhere.'' The Joint Motion also notes that an extension of time 
would ``enable interested parties to consider comments submitted in 
other proceedings, including the Department of Transportation Advance 
Notice of Proposed Rulemaking seeking comment on voice services onboard 
aircraft.''
    The CTIA Request similarly states that an extension is needed so 
that parties can ``conduct much needed interference and other 
technological analyses, consider other existing studies beyond those 
discussed in the NPRM, and follow up on questions and issues sparked by 
commenters who discussed the inflight systems that have been deployed 
abroad.'' The CTIA Request also notes the large number of comments that 
have been filed in the docket, stating that ``[t]he Commission should 
strive to ensure that the record contains a meaningful opportunity to 
contribute input into this highly watched rulemaking.''
    It is the general policy of the Commission that extensions of time 
shall not be routinely granted. However, under these circumstances, we 
agree that an extension of time to file reply comments is warranted to 
ensure that the Commission obtains a complete and thorough technical 
record in response to the NPRM. The NPRM specifically sought comment on 
technological solutions that may enable interference-free operation of 
wireless devices aboard airborne aircraft, and requested that 
commenters provide technical analysis in support of their comments. We 
conclude that a short extension of time is warranted to enable 
interested parties sufficient opportunity to review and respond to the 
complex technical issues raised by the NPRM. Accordingly, pursuant to 
Sec.  4(i) of the Communications Act of 1934, as amended, and Sec.  
1.46 of the Commission's rules, we extend the deadline for filing reply 
comments until May 16, 2014.

    Federal Communications Commission.
Roger Sherman,
Chief, Wireless Telecommunications Bureau.
[FR Doc. 2014-05913 Filed 3-13-14; 4:15 pm]
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