*Pages 1--2 from Microsoft Word - 14656.doc* PUBLIC NOTICE Federal Communications Commission 445 12 th St., S. W. Washington, D. C. 20554 News Media Information 202 / 418- 0500 Fax- On- Demand 202 / 418- 2830 TTY 202 / 418- 2555 Internet: http:// www. fcc. gov ftp fcc gov DA 02- 279 Release Date: February 5, 2002 FEDERAL- STATE JOINT BOARD ON JURISDICTIONAL SEPARATIONS TO HOLD EN BANC HEARING ON COMPREHENSIVE SEPARATIONS REFORM CC DOCKET NO. 80- 286 The Federal- State Joint Board on Jurisdictional Separations (Joint Board) will hold an en banc hearing on Wednesday, February 13, 2002, from 10: 30 AM to 12: 00 noon in the Commission Meeting Room. The Joint Board will hear presentations from selected speakers regarding the options for comprehensive separations reform that were proposed in the “glide path” paper filed by the State Members of the Joint Board on December 18, 2001. 1 Speakers representing a range of interests will present their views on the various options for separations reform, and questions from the Joint Board will follow. In May, 2001 the Commission adopted a five- year freeze of the Part 36 category relationships and jurisdictional allocation factors, to be in effect from July 1, 2001, until June 30, 2006, or until the Commission completes comprehensive separations reform, whichever comes first. 2 The glide path paper filed by the State Members of the Joint Board proposes seven options for a transition path from the current frozen Part 36 regime to a mechanism that reflects a telecommunications environment that has witnessed major technological, economic, and legal changes. Comments were filed on the glide path paper on January 22, 2002, and reply comments will be filed on March 8, 2002. 3 This en banc hearing will allow the Joint Board to begin considering the options for comprehensive separations reform. 1 “Options for Separations: A Paper Prepared by the State Members of the Separations Joint Board,” CC Docket No. 80- 286, filed December 18, 2001. 2 See Jurisdictional Separations Reform and Referral to the Federal- State Joint Board, CC Docket No. 80- 286, Report and Order, FCC 01- 162, 16 FCC Rcd. 11382, 11393- 94, paras. 18- 21 (rel. May 22, 2001). 3 Common Carrier Bureau Seeks Comment on “Glide Path” Policy Paper Filed by State Members of the Federal-State Joint Board on Jurisdictional Separations, CC Docket No. 80- 286, Public Notice, DA 01- 2973 (rel. December 20, 2001). 1 The en banc hearing will be held from 10: 30 AM to 12: 00 noon in the Commission Meeting Room at the Federal Communications Commission, 445 12 th Street, S. W., Washington, D. C. An agenda, including scheduled speakers, will be posted on the Commission’s web site several days prior to the hearing at http:// www. fcc. gov/ ccb/ apd/ sep/. The hearing is open to the public and seating will be available on a first- come, first- served basis. Internet users may listen to the real- time audio feed of the hearing by accessing the FCC Internet Audio Broadcast home page (http:// www. fcc. gov/ realaudio/). Step- by- step instructions on how to listen to the audio broadcast, as well as information regarding the equipment and software needed, are available on the FCC Audio Broadcast home page. Audio tapes of the hearing may be purchased from In Focus Video, 341 Victory Drive, Herndon, Virginia 20170, by calling 703- 834- 1470. News Media Contact: Michael Balmoris (202) 418- 0253 FCC Accounting Policy Division Contact: Sheryl Todd (202) 418- 7386 2