[Federal Register Volume 80, Number 24 (Thursday, February 5, 2015)]
[Proposed Rules]
[Pages 6496-6497]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2015-02427]


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FEDERAL COMMUNICATIONS COMMISSION

47 CFR Part 20

[WT Docket No. 10-254; WT Docket No. 07-250; DA 15-46]


Request for Updated Information and Comment on Wireless Hearing 
Aid Compatibility Regulations; Correction and Extension of Comment 
Dates

AGENCY: Federal Communications Commission.

ACTION: Proposed rule; correction and extension of comment dates.

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[[Page 6497]]

SUMMARY: On December 23, 2014, the Wireless Telecommunications Bureau 
and the Consumer and Governmental Affairs Bureau published a document 
seeking updated input to better understand the current consumer 
experience with hearing aid compatible wireless handsets, to explore 
technical or other barriers to the provision of hearing aid compatible 
devices on new wireless technologies, and to consider changes to its 
rules that may be necessary to ensure that wireless handsets used with 
advanced communications services are accessible in light of directives 
contained in the Twenty-First Century Communications and Video 
Accessibility Act (CVAA). The comment date was erroneously published as 
an effective date and neither the comment nor the comment-reply date 
was provided. We also failed to provide an address for submission of 
comments. This document corrects those errors and extends the time 
within which to file comments and reply comments.

DATES: The comment date for the proposed rule changes published 
December 23, 2014, at 79 FR 76944, is extended until February 5, 2015. 
Reply comments are due on or before February 20, 2015.

ADDRESSES: Federal Communications Commission, 445 12th Street SW., 
Washington, DC 20554.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Eli Johnson, Spectrum and Competition 
Policy Division, Wireless Telecommunications Bureau, (202) 418-1395 or 
by email [email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The DATES section for the proposed rule 
changes published December 23, 2014, at 79 FR 76944, was incorrect. It 
should have provided a comment due date of January 22, 2015, and a 
comment-reply date of February 6, 2015. In response to a joint request 
by Telecommunications Industry Association, CTIA--The Wireless 
Association, and Hearing Loss Association of America (collectively, 
``Petitioners''), these comment and comment-reply dates are extended to 
February 5, 2015, and February 20, 2015, respectively. The DATES 
section in this document is correct, and an ADDRESSES section is 
provided.
    Below is a summary of the Order in WT Docket Nos. 10-254 and 07-
250; DA 15-46, released January 12, 2015, granting Petitioners' 
extension request. The full text of the Order is available for public 
inspection and copying during business hours in the FCC's Reference 
Information Center, Portals II, 445 12th Street SW., Room CY-A257, 
Washington, DC 20554. Also, it may 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 email [email protected]. Copies of the Order also may be 
obtained via the Commission's Electronic Comment Filing System (ECFS) 
by using the search function for WT Docket No. 10-254 or 07-250. 
Additionally, the complete item is available on the Federal 
Communications Commission's Web site at http://www.fcc.gov.
    1. On November 21, 2014, the Wireless Telecommunications Bureau and 
the Consumer and Government Affairs Bureau released a Public Notice in 
which the Commission sought updated comment and reply comment in its 
ongoing review of the wireless hearing aid compatibility rules. The 
Public Notice set the deadline for filing comments as January 22, 2015 
and the deadline for reply comments as February 6, 2015. On January 6, 
2015, Petitioners filed a joint request to extend the established 
comment and reply comment deadlines by 30 days. Petitioners argue that 
a 30 day extension is in the public interest as it allows them to 
develop meaningful, substantive responses to the questions raised in 
the Public Notice. As a result, Petitioners state that a more robust 
record will be developed if a 30 day extension is granted. In addition, 
Petitioners emphasize that the extension would be particularly useful 
in light of the holidays that fell within the window to file comments.
    2. The Commission does not routinely grant extensions of time. 
Given the intervening holidays, however, the Commission will grant a 14 
day extension to the filing deadlines. The Commission wishes to 
encourage the thoughtful consideration of the complex issues raised in 
this proceeding, and the Commission believes the additional time will 
facilitate careful and deliberate considerations of these matters. At 
the same time, a 14 day extension will not unduly delay the resolution 
of the issues raised in the Public Notice.
    3. Accordingly, it is ordered that, pursuant to section 4(i) of the 
Communications Act of 1934, as amended, 47 U.S.C. 154(i), and 
Sec. Sec.  0.51, 0.261, and 1.46 of the Commission's rules, 47 CFR 
0.51, 0.261, and 1.46, the Joint Request for Extension of Comment and 
Reply Comment Deadlines filed by the Telecommunications Industry 
Association, CTIA--The Wireless Association, and Hearing Loss 
Association of America is granted to the extent indicated herein and 
the deadlines to file comments in this proceeding are extended to 
February 5, 2015, and reply comments to February 20, 2015.

Federal Communications Commission.
Amy Brett,
Associate Division Chief, Spectrum and Competition Policy Division, 
Wireless Telecommunications Bureau.
[FR Doc. 2015-02427 Filed 2-4-15; 8:45 am]
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