Consumer & Governmental Affairs Bureau Seeks Comment on Request for Clarification That Internet Protocol Speech-to-Speech Service Is a Form of Telecommunications Relay Service Compensable From the Interstate TRS Fund, 18796 [E8-7202]

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• FEDERAL COMMUNICATIONS COMMISSION

[Federal Register Volume 73, Number 67 (Monday, April 7, 2008)]
[Notices]
[Page 18796]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Printing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E8-7202]



[[Page 18796]]

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FEDERAL COMMUNICATIONS COMMISSION

[CG Docket No. 08-15; DA 08-292]


Consumer & Governmental Affairs Bureau Seeks Comment on Request 
for Clarification That Internet Protocol Speech-to-Speech Service Is a 
Form of Telecommunications Relay Service Compensable From the 
Interstate TRS Fund

AGENCY: Federal Communications Commission.

ACTION: Notice.

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SUMMARY: In this document, the Consumer & Governmental Affairs Bureau 
(Bureau) seeks comment on the request for clarification filed by Hawk 
Relay, LLC (Hawk Relay), that Internet Protocol Speech-to-Speech (IP 
STS) is a form of Telecommunications Relay Service (TRS). Specifically, 
the Bureau seeks comment on whether IP STS qualifies as a TRS under 
section 225(a)(3) of the Communications Act of 1934.

DATES: Comments are due on or before May 7, 2008. Reply comments are 
due on or before May 22, 2008.

ADDRESSES: Interested parties may submit comments identified by [CG 
Docket No. 08-15 and/or DA 08-292], 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: https://
www.fcc.gov/cgb/ecfs/, or the Federal eRulemaking Portal: https://
www.regulations.gov. 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 No. 08-15. Parties may 
also submit an electronic comment by Internet e-mail. To get filing 
instructions, filers should send an e-mail to ecfs@fcc.gov, 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. 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.
     The Commission's contractor will receive hand-delivered or 
messenger-delivered paper filings for the Commission's Secretary at 236 
Massachusetts Avenue, NE., Suite 110, Washington, DC 20002. 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 mail sent by 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 should be addressed to 445 12th Street, SW., Washington, DC 20554.
    Parties who choose to file by paper should also submit their 
filings on compact disc. The compact disc should be submitted, along 
with three paper copies to: Dana Wilson, Consumer & Governmental 
Affairs Bureau, Disability Rights Office, 445 12th Street, SW., Room 3-
C418, Washington, DC 20554. Such a submission should be on a compact 
disc formatted in an IBM compatible format using Word 2003 or a 
compatible software. The compact disc should be accompanied by a cover 
letter and should be submitted in ``read only'' mode. The compact disc 
should be clearly labeled with the commenter's name, proceeding (CG 
Docket No. 08-15), type of pleading (comment or reply comment), date of 
submission, and the name of the electronic file on the compact disc. 
The label should also include the following phrase ``CD-Rom Copy--Not 
an Original.'' Each compact disc should contain only one party's 
pleadings, preferably in a single electronic file. In addition, 
commenters filing by paper must send a compact disc copy to the 
Commission's duplicating contractor at Portals II, 445 12th Street, 
SW., Room CY-B402, Washington, DC 20554.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Gregory Hlibok, (800) 311-4381 
(voice), (202) 418-0431 (TTY), or e-mail: Gregory.Hlibok@fcc.gov.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: This is a summary of the Commission's 
document DA 08-292. Pursuant to 47 CFR 1.415 and 1.419, interested 
parties may file comments and reply comments on or before the dates 
indicated in the Dates section. The full text of document DA 08-292 and 
subsequently filed documents in this matter are available for public 
inspection and copying during regular business hours at the FCC 
Reference Information Center, Portals II, 445 12th Street, SW., Room 
CY-A257, Washington, DC 20554. They 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, 
https://www.bcpiweb.com; or by calling (800) 378-3160. Document DA 08-
292 and subsequently filed documents in this matter may also be found 
by searching ECFS at https://www.fcc.gov/cgb/ecfs (insert CG Docket No. 
08-15 into the Proceeding block).
    To request materials in accessible formats for people with 
disabilities (Braille, large print, electronic files, audio format), 
send an e-mail to fcc504@fcc.gov or call the Consumer & Governmental 
Affairs Bureau at (202) 418-0530 (voice), (202) 418-0432 (TTY). 
Document DA 08-292 can also be downloaded in Word or Portable Document 
Format (PDF) at: https://www.fcc.gov/cgb/dro/trs.html.

Synopsis

    On December 21, 2007, Hawk Relay, LLC (Hawk Relay) filed a request 
for clarification that Internet Protocol Speech-to-Speech Relay Service 
(IP STS) is a form of Telecommunications Relay Service (TRS) eligible 
for compensation from the Interstate TRS Fund. See Hawk Relay, Request 
for Expedited Clarification for the Provision and Cost Recovery of 
Internet Protocol Speech to Speech Relay Service, CG Docket No. 03-123, 
filed December 21, 2007 (Request). In its Request, Hawk Relay describes 
IP STS as a type of Speech-to-Speech service (STS) that uses the 
Internet, rather than a traditional telephone line, to connect the 
consumer to the relay provider. STS enables persons with a speech 
disability to make telephone calls using their own voice through relay 
centers with specially trained communications assistants who re-voice 
to the calling party what the STS user says.
    The Bureau hereby seeks comment on the Request. In addition, 
assuming that IP STS qualifies as a TRS under section 225(a)(3) of the 
Communications Act of 1934, the Bureau seeks comment on the 
jurisdictional separation of costs, the applicability of the TRS 
mandatory minimum standards, and on any other issues relevant to the 
provision of IP STS.

Federal Communications Commission.
Nicole McGinnis,
Deputy Chief, Consumer & Governmental Affairs Bureau.
[FR Doc. E8-7202 Filed 4-4-08; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6712-01-P