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 12-1401 Released: August 24, 2012 CONSUMER AND GOVERNMENTAL AFFAIRS BUREAU NOTICE OF COMMISSION’S IMPLEMENTATION OF PROCEDURE OF SERVING PARTIES IN AN ELECTRONIC FORMAT By this Public Notice, the Consumer and Governmental Affairs Bureau (“CGB”) provides notice of the Commission’s implementation of a revised procedure for it to provide service of copies of orders, pleadings, and other documents to parties to a docketed proceeding when required by statute or regulation. Henceforth, that service will be made in an electronic format, rather than by mail. This procedural change is made pursuant to Section 1.47 of the Commission’s Rules, as amended in 2011.1 By Report and Order released on February 4, 2011,2 the Commission revised portions of its Part 1 practice and procedural rules and its Part 0 organizational rules to improve the efficiency of Commission decision-making and modernize the agency’s processes in the digital age.3 Among other things, the Commission amended Section 1.47 to allow the agency to serve parties to a proceeding in an electronic format (e.g., e-mail or an Internet-based notification system such as an RSS feed). The amended rule also provides, in proceedings involving large numbers of parties, that the Commission may now satisfy its service obligation by issuing a public notice that identifies the documents required to be served and explains how parties can obtain copies of the documents.4 A note to the revised rule states that staff will decide the appropriate format for electronic notification in a particular proceeding, and that the Commission expects that service by public notice will be used only in proceedings with 20 or more parties. 1 The Commission’s procedures regarding service to parties joined to undocketed proceedings is not affected by this Public Notice. 2 Amendment of Certain of the Commission’s Part 1 Rules of Practice and Procedure and Part 0 Rules of Commission Organization, Report and Order, 26 FCC Rcd 1594 (2011). 3 Id. at 1594-95, para. 1. 4 Id. at 1604, para. 22. Section 1.47(a) provides: “Where the Commission or any person is required by statute or by the provisions of this chapter to serve any document upon any person, service shall (in the absence of specific provisions in this chapter to the contrary) be made in accordance with the provisions of this section. Documents that are required to be served by the Commission in agency proceedings (i.e., not in the context of judicial proceedings, Congressional investigations, or other proceedings outside the Commission) may be served in electronic form. In proceedings involving a large number of parties, and unless otherwise provided by statute, the Commission may satisfy its service obligation by issuing a public notice that identifies the documents required to be served and that explains how parties can obtain copies of the documents.” The Note to paragraph (a) states: “Section 1.47(a) grants staff the authority to decide upon the appropriate format for electronic notification in a particular proceeding, consistent with any applicable statutory requirements. The Commission expects that service by public notice will be used only in proceedings with 20 or more parties.” 2In this Public Notice, CGB provides notice that, in docketed proceedings with fewer than 20 parties, we will commence service of documents by RSS feed. Effective thirty days after publication of this Notice in the Federal Register, the Commission will discontinue mailing paper copies of documents that were previously served to parties in certain types of proceedings. Such parties should make the necessary arrangements so that they can obtain documents via RSS feed. Instructions on how to subscribe to an ECFS RSS feed may be found at http://fjallfoss.fcc.gov/ecfs/userManual/search/how_to_use_rss.jsp. Accessibility Information. 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 (voice), (202) 418-0432 (TTY). Additional Information. For further information, contact Deborah Broderson of the Consumer and Governmental Affairs Bureau, at (202) 418-0652, Deborah.Broderson@fcc.gov. By the Acting Chief, Consumer and Governmental Affairs Bureau – FCC –