*Pages 1--2 from Microsoft Word - 46514.doc* 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 05- 509 Released: March 1, 2005 PETITION FOR DECLARATORY RULING FILED BY THE CALIFORNIA COALITION OF AGENCIES SERVING THE DEAF AND HARD OF HEARING (CCASDHH) CONCERNING VIDEO RELAY SERVICE (VRS) INTEROPERABILITY CC DOCKET NO. 98- 67 CG DOCKET NO. 03- 123 PLEADING CYCLE ESTABLISHED Comments Due: (30 days after publication in Federal Register) Reply Comments Due: (45 days after publication in Federal Register) On February 15, 2005, the California Coalition of Agencies Serving the Deaf and Hard Hearing (CCASDHH) 1 filed a Petition for Declaratory Ruling on Interoperability, requesting that the Federal Communications Commission (Commission) prohibit any VRS provider that receives compensation from the Interstate Telecommunications Relay Service (TRS) Fund from purposely restricting its deaf and hard- of- hearing customers to a single VRS provider via the software or hardware of their VRS equipment or through exclusivity agreements with those customers. Interested parties may file comments in this proceeding (30 days after publication in Federal Register) and reply comments may be filed (45 days after publication in Federal Register.) When filing comments, please reference CC Docket No. 98- 67 and 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. If multiple docket or rulemaking numbers appear in the caption of this proceeding, commenters must transmit one electronic copy of the comment to each docket or rulemaking number referenced in the caption. In completing the transmittal screen, commenters should include their full name, Postal Service mailing address, and the applicable docket or rulemaking number. Parties may also submit electronic comments by Internet e-mail. To get filing instructions, 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. 1 See California Coalition of Agencies Serving the Deaf and Hard of Hearing, Petition for Declaratory Ruling on Interoperability, CC Docket No. 98- 67 and CG Docket No. 03- 123, filed February 15, 2005. 1 2 Parties who choose to file by paper must file an original and four copies of each filing. If more than one docket or rulemaking number appears in the caption of this proceeding, commenters must submit two additional copies for each additional docket or rulemaking number. 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 CY- C417, 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, CC Docket No. 98- 67 and 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 copy contractor, Best Copy and Printing (BCPI), Inc., 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. The full text of this document and 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. This document and copies of subsequently filed documents in this matters may also be purchased from the Commission’s duplicating contract, BCPI, Inc., Portals II, 445 12 th Street, SW, Room CY- B402, Washington, DC 20554. Customers may contact BCPI, Inc. at their web site www. bcpiweb. com or call 1- 800- 378- 3160. 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). This Public Notice can also be downloaded in Word or Portable Document Format (PDF) at: http:// www. fcc. gov/ cgb/ dro. For further information, please contact Dana Jackson, Consumer & Governmental Affairs Bureau, Disability Rights Office, at (202) 418- 2247 (voice), (202) 418- 7898 (TTY), or e- mail at Dana. Jackson@ fcc. gov. -FCC- 2