*Pages 1--4 from Microsoft Word - 39992* PUBLIC NOTICE Federal Communications Commission 445 12 th St., S. W. Washington, D. C. 20554 News Media Information 202 / 418- 0500 Internet: http:// www. fcc. gov TTY: 1- 888- 835- 5322 DA 04- 2062 Released: July 9, 2004 PETITION FOR DECLARATORY RULING FILED REGARDING PROVISION OF VIDEO RELAY SERVICE (VRS) VIDEO MAIL CG DOCKET NO. 03- 123 Comments Due: August 15, 2004 Reply Comments Due: August 30, 2004 On March 31, 2004, Hands On Video Relay Service, Inc. (HOVRS) filed a Petition for Declaratory Ruling, requesting that the Commission declare that the provision of Video VRS Mail to deaf and hard of hearing persons is eligible for compensation from the Interstate TRS Fund. 1 VRS – Video Relay Service – is “a telecommunications relay service that allows people with hearing or speech disabilities who use sign language to communicate with voice telephone users with video equipment. The video link allows the [communications assistant] to view and interpret the party’s signed conversation and relay the conversation back and forth with a voice caller.” 2 According to HOVRS, Video VRS Mail is a means by which hearing persons can have a VRS communications assistant send a message in video format (American Sign Language) to a deaf or hard of hearing VRS user who is not available to answer the call, so that the VRS user can retrieve the video message at a later time. Interested parties may file comments in this proceeding on or before August 15, 2004 and reply comments may be filed on or before August 30, 2004. When filing comments, please reference CG Docket No. 03- 123. Comments may be filed using the Commission's Electronic Comment Filing System (ECFS) or by filing paper copies. See Electronic Filing of Documents in Rulemaking Proceedings, 63 Fed. Reg. 24,121 (1998). Comments filed through the ECFS can be sent as an electronic file via the Internet to . Generally, only one copy of an electronic submission must be filed. In completing the transmittal screen, commenters should include their full name, Postal Service mailing address, and the applicable 1 HOVRS, Petition for Declaratory Ruling, CC Docket No. 98- 67, filed March 31, 2004. The petition may be viewed at www. fcc. gov/ cgb/ ecfs. This petition will be considered under CG Docket No. 03- 123. 2 47 C. F. R. § 64.601( 17). 1 2 docket or rulemaking number. Parties may also submit an electronic comment by Internet e-mail. To get filing instructions for e- mail comments, commenters should send an e- mail to ecfs@ fcc. gov, and should include the following words in the body of the message, "get form ." A sample form and directions will be sent in reply. 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 electronic media, by commercial overnight courier, or by first- class or overnight U. S. Postal Services mail (although we continue to experience delays in receiving U. S. Postal Service mail). The Commission's contractor, Natek, Inc., will receive hand- delivered or messenger- delivered paper filings or electronic media for the Commission's Secretary at 236 Massachusetts Avenue, NE, Suite 110, Washington, DC 20002. The filing hours at this location are 8: 00 a. m. to 7: 00 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 and electronic media 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 mail, Express Mail, and Priority Mail should be addressed to 445 12 th Street, SW, Washington, DC 20554. All filings must be addressed to the Commission's Secretary, Marlene H. Dortch, Office of the Secretary, Federal Communications Commission, 445 12 th Street, SW, Room TW- B204 Washington, DC 20554. Parties who choose to file by paper should also submit their comments on diskette. These diskettes should be submitted, along with three paper copies, to: Dana Jackson, Consumer & Governmental Affairs Bureau, Disability Rights Office, 445 12 th Street, SW, Room 6C- 410 Washington DC 20554. Such a submission should be on a 3.5 inch diskette formatted in an IBM compatible format using Word 97 or compatible software. The diskette should be accompanied by a cover letter and should be submitted in "read only" mode. The diskette should be clearly labeled with the commenter's name, proceeding (including the lead docket number in this case, CG Docket No. 03- 123, type of pleading (comment or reply comment), date of submission, and the name of the electronic file on the diskette. The label should also include the following phrase "Disk Copy - Not an Original." Each diskette should contain only one party's pleadings, preferably in a single electronic file. In addition, commenters must send diskette copies to the Commission's duplicating contractor, Best Copy and Printing, Inc. (BCPI), Portals II, 445 12 th Street, SW, Room CY- B402, Washington, DC 20554. Pursuant to section 1.1206 of the Commission's rules, 47 C. F. R. § 1.1206, this proceeding will be conducted as a permit- but-disclose proceeding in which ex parte communications are subject to disclosure. Copies of any subsequently filed documents in this matter will be available for public inspection and copying during regular business hours at the FCC Reference Information Center, Portals II, 445 12 th Street, SW, Room CY- A257, Washington, DC 20554. The complete text of this Public Notice may be purchased from the Commission's duplicating contractor, BCPI, Portals II, 445 12 th Street, SW, Room CY- B402, Washington, DC 20554, telephone (202) 863- 2893, facsimile (202) 863- 2898, or via e- mail at www. bcpiweb. com. To request materials in accessible formats (such as Braille, large print, electronic files, or audio format), send an e- mail to fcc504@ fcc. gov or call the Consumer & Governmental Affairs 2 3 Bureau at (202) 418- 0530 (voice) or (202) 418- 0432 (TTY). This Public Notice can also be downloaded in Word and Portable Document Format at http:// www. fcc. gov/ cgb. dro. 3 4 For further information, please contact Cheryl King, Consumer & Governmental Affairs Bureau, Disability Rights Office, at (202) 418- 2284 (voice), (202) 418- 0416 (TTY), or e- mail at Cheryl. King@ fcc. gov. -FCC- 4