PUBLIC NOTICE Federal Communications Commission 445 12th St., S.W. Washington, D.C. 20554 News Media Information 202 / 418-0500 Internet: http://www.fcc.gov TTY: 1-888-835-5322 DA 08-1087 May 7, 2008 WIRELESS TELECOMMUNICATIONS BUREAU SEEKS COMMENT ON PETITIONS FOR RECONSIDERATION FILED IN HEARING AID COMPATIBILITY DOCKET WT Docket No. 01-309 Comments Due: May 22, 2008 Reply Comments Due: June 2, 2008 By this Public Notice, we seek comment on seven petitions for reconsideration of the Commission’s recent Memorandum Opinion and Order addressing requests to extend the September 18, 2006 deadline to provide handsets that meet the Commission’s hearing aid compatibility standard for inductive coupling.1 Each of these petitions seeks reconsideration of that portion of the Memorandum Opinion and Order in which the Commission denied the particular petitioner’s request for extension of the deadline. Specifically, the following reconsideration petitions were filed: (1) a joint petition from CTC Telecom, Inc., Blanca Telephone Company, and Farmers Cellular Telephone, Inc., submitted on March 27, 2008; (2) a petition from Iowa Wireless Services, LLC dba iwireless, on behalf of itself and 37 related licensees,2 submitted on March 27, 2008; (3) a petition from IT&E Overseas, Inc., submitted on March 28, 2008; (4) a petition from North Dakota Network Co., submitted on March 27, 2008; (5) a joint petition from SLO Cellular, Inc. dba Cellular One of San Luis Obispo, and Entertainment Unlimited, submitted on March 28, 2008; (6) a petition from South Slope Cooperative Telephone Co., Inc. dba South Slope Wireless, submitted on March 27, 2008; and (7) a petition from Uintah Basin Electronic Telecommunications dba UBET Wireless, submitted on March 28, 2008. 1 See In the Matter of Section 68.4(a) of the Commission’s Rules Governing Hearing Aid-Compatible Telephones, Petitions for Waiver of Section 20.19 of the Commission’s Rules, WT Docket 01-309, Memorandum Opinion and Order, 23 FCC Rcd 3352 (2008). 2 The related licensees are: Andrew Telephone Company, Barnes City Telephone Company, Benton Linn Wireless, Bernard Communications, Brooklyn Mutual Telecommunications Coop., Casey Cable Co., Cedar County PCS, LLC, Cedar-Wapsie Communications, Inc., Center Junction Telephone Co., Central Iowa Wireless, Central Scott Telephone Co., Clear Lake Independent Telephone Co., Cooperative Telephone Company, Corn Belt Telephone Co., D.C. Communications, Dumont Wireless, FWC Communications, Kalona Cooperative Telephone Co., MAC Wireless, Mill Valley Wireless, Modern Cooperative Telephone, Montezuma Mutual Telephone Company, Northeast Iowa Telephone Company, Olin Telephone Co., OmniTel Communications, Onslow Cooperative Telephone Association, Ogden Telephone Company, Radcliffe Telephone Co., Rockwell Cooperative Telephone Assn., Rolling Hills Communications, SEI Wireless, Sharon Telephone Company, Southeast Wireless, Ventura Telephone Co., Wapsi Wireless, LLC, Wellman Telephone Cooperative Association, and Winnebago Cooperative Telephone Association. 2 The Wireless Telecommunications Bureau invites the public to comment on these petitions for reconsideration. Interested parties may file comments no later than May 22, 2008. Reply comments are due June 2, 2008. All filings should refer to WT Docket No. 01-309. 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. 24121 (1998). Comments filed through the ECFS can be sent as an electronic file via the Internet to http://www.fcc.gov/cgb/ecfs/. Generally, only one copy of an electronic submission must be filed. If multiple docket or rulemaking numbers appear in the caption of this proceeding, however, commenters must transmit one electronic copy of the comments to each docket or rulemaking number referenced in the caption. In completing the transmittal screen, commenters should include their full name, U.S. Postal Service mailing address, and the applicable 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. 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 commercial overnight courier, or by first- class or overnight U.S. Postal Service mail (although we continue to experience delays in receiving U.S. Postal Service mail). The Commission’s contractor will receive hand-delivered or messenger-delivered paper filings for the Commission’s Secretary at 236 Massachusetts Avenue, N.E., Suite 110, Washington, D.C. 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 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 12th Street, SW, Washington, D.C. 20554. -All filings must be addressed to the Commission’s Secretary, Office of the Secretary, Federal Communications Commission. One copy of the comments and reply comments should also be sent to the Spectrum & Competition Policy Division, Wireless Telecommunications Bureau, 445 12th Street, SW, Washington, D.C. 20554, Attn: Joseph Levin. Parties shall also send one copy to Best Copy and Printing, Inc., Portals II, 445 12th Street, SW, Room CY-B402, Washington, D.C. 20554, (800) 378-3160, or via e-mail to Joshir@erols.com. Comments filed in response to the Public Notice are available for public inspection and copying during business hours in the FCC Reference Information Center, Portals II, 445 12th Street SW, Room CY-A257, Washington, D.C. 20554. The comments may also be purchased from Best Copy and Printing, Inc., telephone (800) 378-3160, facsimile (301) 816-0169. 3 This proceeding is designated as a “permit-but-disclose” proceeding in accordance with the Commission’s ex parte rules.3 Persons making oral ex parte presentations are reminded that memoranda summarizing the presentations must contain summaries of the substance of the presentations and not merely a listing of the subjects discussed. More than a one or two sentence description of the views and arguments presented is generally required.4 Other rules pertaining to oral and written ex parte presentations in permit-but-disclose proceedings are set forth in Section 1.1206(b) of the Commission’s rules.5 For further information, contact Joseph Levin, Spectrum & Competition Policy Division, Wireless Telecommunications Bureau, (202) 418-0640. 3 47 C.F.R. §§ 1.1200(a), 1.1206. See also Modification of Ex Parte Status of Pending Petitions for Waiver of Hearing Aid Compatibility Requirements, Public Notice, 22 FCC Rcd 535 (WTB 2007). 4 47 C.F.R. § 1.1206(b). 5 Id.