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 10-423 Released: March 16, 2010 FCC SEEKS INPUT ON POSITIONS FOR UPCOMING INTERNATIONAL TELECOMMUNICATION UNION CONFERENCES IB Docket No. 10-68 Comment Date: April 12, 2010 The International Bureau of the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) seeks input from stakeholders and interested parties to help develop its recommendations to the U.S. Department of State for U.S. proposals and positions at the upcoming World Telecommunication Development Conference (WTDC) and the Plenipotentiary Conference of the International Telecommunication Union (ITU). The FCC serves as a technical advisor to the Department of State for these ITU conferences and provides expert advice and recommendations on U.S. proposals and positions. The International Bureau seeks input from stakeholders and other interested parties regarding matters that the FCC should consider in fulfilling its role as technical advisor to the Department of State at the 2010 WTDC and Plenipotentiary Conference. The WTDC occurs every four years, with the next conference scheduled to convene May 24 - June 4, 2010 in Hyderabad, India. The WTDC reviews the programs and projects of the Development Sector of the ITU and establishes the agenda and guidelines for the Development Sector and the Development Bureau for the following four years. Participants include Ministers, Ambassadors, government delegates, representatives from the private sector and regional and international organizations. In a proposal to the WTDC, the United States outlined nine priorities for the work of the Development Sector over the next four years: (1) increasing access to broadband infrastructure, services and applications; (2) promoting network security; (3) promoting the availability and use of secure broadband networks for emergency communications services; (4) creating an enabling policy environment for information and communications technologies (ICTs) that encourages innovation, investment, and economic growth; (5) undertaking initiatives for gender and youth; (6) focusing on ICTs as a means for mitigating climate change; (7) promoting e-government as a means to attain more efficient and effective government and greater social inclusion; (8) promoting access to new communications technologies and services for persons with disabilities; and (9) bridging the standardization gap. The proposals of other countries can be found on the ITU’s website at http://www.itu.int/ITU-D/conferences/wtdc/2010. The Plenipotentiary Conference is generally held every four years, with the next conference scheduled to convene October 4-22, in Guadalajara, Mexico. Functions of the Plenipotentiary 2 Conference include: consideration of proposals for amendments to the ITU’s Constitution and Convention; determination of the general policies for fulfilling the purposes of the ITU; establishment of the ITU’s strategic plan; establishment of the ITU budget and contributory units; formulation of general staffing directives; examination of the accounts of the ITU; and, election of the Secretary-General, Deputy Secretary-General, Directors of the Bureaus and members of the Radio Regulations Board. Conference participants include Ministers, Ambassadors, government delegates, representatives from the private sector and regional and international organizations. Documents related to the Plenipotentiary Conference can be found on the ITU’s website at http://www.itu.int/plenipotentiary/2010. The International Bureau seeks input from stakeholders and other interested parties on specific issues of concern and opportunities to advance positions on behalf of the United States at the WTDC and the Plenipotentiary Conference. We are interested in particular on input to help advance the nine priorities for the ITU Development Sector outlined by the United States in its proposal to the WTDC. We are also interested in comments on any specific issues being advanced by other countries for the Plenipotentiary Conference. For example, some countries have proposed that the ITU expand its role to include Internet governance issues, including naming, numbering, and addressing and cybersecurity issues. As more proposals for the work of the Plenipotentiary Conference are submitted to the ITU, we may, as appropriate, issue another Public Notice seeking additional comment on specific proposals. The comments provided by interested parties will assist the FCC in its consultations with the U.S. Department of State and other U.S. government agencies in the development of U.S. positions for those conferences. The deadline for comments is April 12, 2010. All comments should refer to IB Docket No. 10- 68. Comments may be filed using (1) the Commission’s Electronic Comment Filing System (ECFS), or (2) by filing paper copies.1 Only one copy of an electronic submission must be filed. Comments filed through the ECFS can be sent as an electronic file via the Internet to http://www.fcc.gov/cgb/ecfs/. 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. 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). All filings must be addressed to the Commission's Secretary, Office of the Secretary, Federal Communications Commission. 1 See Electronic Filing of Documents in Rulemaking Proceedings, 63 Fed. Reg. 24121 (1998). 3 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, S.W., Washington, D.C. 20554. Additionally, filers must deliver courtesy copies by email to the following Commission staff: Kathryn O’Brien, at kathryn. obrien@fcc.gov People with Disabilities: 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 and Governmental Affairs Bureau at (202) 418-0530, (202) 418-0432 (TTY). - FCC -