Public Notice

The Federal Communication Commission’s Wireline Competition Bureau extends the deadline for filing reply comments in response to the 2014 Open Internet Notice of Proposed Rulemaking and the Framework for Broadband Internet Access Service Refreshing the Record Public Notice.

Accordingly, interested parties now have until September 15, 2014 to file reply comments.

On September 26, 2013, the Federal Communications Commission released the Inmate Calling Report and Order and Further Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (FNPRM).

On April 17, 2014, the FCC submitted the mandatory data collection to the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) for review and approval pursuant to the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995. In response to several petitions requesting an extension of time to file the mandatory data, the FCC’s Wireline Competition Bureau extended the data collection deadline by 30 days, to August 18, 2014.

In this Order, the FCC responds to motions filed by CenturyLink, GTL, ICSolutions, NCIC, and Telmate (collectively ICS providers) seeking a further extension of time to respond to the Commission’s one-time mandatory data request. We do not find that the circumstances presented here warrant granting another extension.

The Federal Communications Commission’s Technological Advisory Council, comprised of a diverse group of leading technology experts, provides technical expertise to the FCC to identify important areas of innovation and develop informed technology policies supporting the United States’ competitiveness in the global economy.

The TAC is helping the FCC to continue the momentum spurred by the National Broadband Plan to maximize the use of broadband to advance national interests and create jobs.

In this , we affirm the Commission’s commitment to ensuring access to emergency services for all Americans.

The need to provide text-to-911 service in a timely manner is made more pressing because many consumers believe text-to-911 is already an available service, because of the unique value of text-to-911 for the millions of Americans with hearing or speech disabilities, and because of the crucial role it can play in protecting life and property when making a voice call would be dangerous, impractical, or impossible due to transmission problems.

We therefore take action to ensure that the potentially life-saving benefits of text-to-911 are available to all consumers as swiftly as possible. We require that Commercial Mobile Radio Service (CMRS) providers and other providers of interconnected text messaging applications be capable of supporting text-to-911 service by December 31, 2014. Covered text providers will have until June 30, 2015, or six months from the date of a Public Safety Answering Point (PSAP) request, whichever is later, to implement text-to-911 for that PSAP.

In the Third Further Notice of Proposed Rulemaking, we seek comment on technical issues related to the provision of enhanced location information and support for roaming for texts to 911, as well as the capabilities of future texting services.

In this Order, the Federal Communications Commission dismisses as untimely a petition filed by the American Cable Association and the National Cable and Telecommunications Association requesting reconsideration of the FCC Wireline Competition Bureau’s Phase II Challenge Process Guidance Public Notice.

However, as separate and independent grounds, the FCC concludes that the arguments raised by the petitioners do not justify reconsideration of the Phase II Challenge Process Guidance Public Notice.

Parties have 30 days from public notice of a Commission or Bureau action to file a petition for reconsideration. The Challenge Process Guidance Public Notice was released on June 20, 2014. Petitions for reconsideration were due on July 21, 2014. Petitioners filed the Joint Petition on July 22, 2014, after the 30-day window for filing had elapsed.

To further develop our understanding of open Internet issues, the Federal Communications Commission will host a series of staff-led Open Internet Roundtable Discussions in Washington, (DC).

The public Open Internet Roundtable Discussions will provide an opportunity for staff and interested parties to further examine the actions the FCC should take for its goal of determining the best approach to protecting and promoting Internet openness.

Specifically, the roundtable discussions from Sept 16 to Oct 7, 2014 will focus on public policy considerations and how they should be addressed to protect and promote Internet openness in both the fixed and mobile markets; the technological considerations involved in protecting the open Internet; how the competitive landscape and the economics of providing broadband and online services affects Internet openness; how the Commission can effectively enforce the current and proposed open Internet requirements; and the various legal theories underlying possible Commission actions in this area.

The Federal Communications Commission asks the Federal-State Joint Board on Universal Service to provide recommendations on how the FCC should modify the universal service contribution methodology.

The FCC asks the Joint Board to examine the record developed in response to the 2012 Further Notice of Proposed Rulemaking and provide recommendations within the scope of the issues raised in that proceeding. The FCC requests that the Joint Board focus especially on issues that would impact the important role of the states in accomplishing universal service objectives and protecting consumers. The FCC additionally requests that the Joint Board consider, in making its recommendations, how to further the goals of improving the efficiency, fairness and sustainability of the contribution system.

Furthermore, the Federal-State Joint Board on Universal Service is requested to review the Commission’s rules relating to the universal service contribution methodology and the related issues and provide recommendations to the FCC no later than April 7, 2015 .

The Campaign Legal Center, Common Cause and the Sunlight Foundation filed a Petition for Rulemaking requesting that the Federal Communications Commission “initiate a rulemaking to expand to cable and satellite systems the requirement that public and political files be posted to the FCC’s online database.”

The FCC now seeks comment on the petition. The FCC also seeks comment on whether the Commission should initiate a rulemaking proceeding to require broadcast radio stations to use the online public file, and on an appropriate time frame for such a requirement.

Interested parties may file comments on or before August 28, 2014 and reply comments on or before September 8, 2014.

The following items have been deleted from the list of consent agenda items scheduled for consideration at the August 8, 2014 Open Meeting at the Federal Communications Commission and previously listed in the agency’s Notice of August 1, 2014. Items 1, 3, 4 and 5 from the consent agenda have been adopted.

1. New Visalia Broadcasting, Former licensee of Station DKSLK(FM), Visalia, California;
2. Nelson Multimedia for a Major Change to the Licensed Facilities of WSPY(AM), Geneva, Illinois;
3. Sunburst Media-Louisiana, LLC, Application for a Construction Permit for a Minor Change to a Licensed Facility, Station KXMG(FM), Jean Lafitte, Louisiana;
4. WDKA Acquisition Corporation, Licensee of Station WDKA(TV), Paducah, Kentucky;
5. Colonial Radio Group, Inc., Applications for Minor Modification of Construction Permits, Application for License to Cover FM Translator Station W230BO, Olean, New York.

On June 11, 2014, AT&T and DirecTV jointly submitted applications to the Federal Communications Commission seeking consent to transfer control of various Commission licenses. The proposed license transfers, if completed, would effectuate the sale of all the assets of DirecTV and its subsidiaries and related entities to a subsidiary of AT&T.

The FCC seeks comment from all interested persons to assist the FCC in its independent review of the proposed transfers of licenses. Interested persons must file comments or petitions to deny AT&T’s and DirecTV’s application for licenses no later than September 16, 2014. Responses to comments or oppositions to petitions must be filed no later than October 16, 2014. Replies to responses or oppositions must be filed no later than November 5, 2014.

[MB Docket No. 14-90]

[Aug 7, 2014]