PUBLIC NOTICE 1 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 13-1601 Released: July 19, 2013 REQUEST FOR COMMENT ON PETITION FOR RULEMAKING FILED BY THE TELECOMMUNICATIONS INDUSTRY ASSOCIATION REGARDING HEARING AID COMPATIBILITY VOLUME CONTROL REQUIREMENTS CG Docket No. 13-46 Comments: August 19, 2013 Reply Comments: September 9, 2013 The Telecommunications Industry Association (TIA) has filed a petition for rulemaking requesting the Commission to revise its Part 68 hearing aid compatibility (HAC) volume control gain requirements for terminal equipment.1 Specifically, TIA requests that the Commission issue a Notice of Proposed Rulemaking to update relevant Part 68 references to incorporate the most recent TIA standard – ANSI/TIA-4965 – as quickly as possible, to allow persons with hearing loss to achieve a more consistent experience for amplified gain level.2 TIA claims that incorporation of the new standard also would improve access for hard of hearing consumers to emergency services, lead to harmonization across agencies and internationally3 and provide regulatory certainty for manufacturers who seek to comply with Part 68.4 1 Telecommunications Industry Association, Access to Telecommunications Equipment and Services by Persons with Disabilities, RM-11682, Petition for Rulemaking (filed Oct. 25, 2012) (TIA Petition). TIA states that it represents the global information and communications technology (ICT) industry through standards development, advocacy, tradeshows, business opportunities, market intelligence and world-wide environmental regulatory analysis. TIA asks the Commission to revise Section 68.317 of the Commission’s Rules, 47 C.F.R. § 68.317, to reference the most recent TIA standard, which it says will provide a more consistent experience of amplified gain level. 2 TIA Petition at 4. TIA explains that it has updated its HAC volume control standards several times since the HAC volume control requirements were first adopted by the Commission, but requests that the new standard, Receive Volume Control Requirements for Digital and Analog Wireline Terminals, available at http:global.ihs.com/search_res.cfm?RID=TIA&INPUT_DOC_NUMBER=ANSI/TIA-4965, cited in TIA Petition at 7, become the defining standard for the HAC volume control over a two year phase-in period. TIA also asks the Commission to incorporate this standard into Part 68 in a manner that would allow the standard to be updated as needed, without additional rulemakings, and that the Commission clarify that this standard covers interconnected VoIP telephones. 3 TIA Petition at 13, 16. 4 Id. at 15-16. 2Pursuant to Sections 1.403 and 1.405 of the Commission’s rules, 47 C.F.R. §§ 1.403 and 1.405, interested parties may file comments on or before August 19, 2013, and reply comments on or before September 9, 2013. All filings must reference CG Docket No. 13-46. 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. Comments may be filed electronically using the Internet by accessing the ECFS: http://fjallfoss.fcc.gov/ecfs2. Filers should follow the instructions provided on the website for submitting comments. In completing the transmittal screen, commenters should include their full name, U.S. Postal Service mailing address, and CG Docket No. 13-46. Parties who choose to file by paper must file an original and one copy of each filing. If more than one docket or rulemaking number appears in the caption of this proceeding, filers 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. All filings must be addressed to the Commission’s Secretary, Office of the Secretary, Federal Communications Commission. All hand-delivered or messenger-delivered paper filings for the Commission’s Secretary must be delivered to FCC Headquarters at 445 12th St., SW, Room TW-A325, Washington, DC 20554. The filing hours 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, Express, and Priority mail must be addressed to 445 12th Street, SW, Washington DC 20554. A copy of this Notice, TIA’s petition and any subsequently filed documents in this matter will be available during regular business hours at the FCC Reference Center, Portals II, 445 12th Street, SW, Room CY-A257, Washington, D.C. 20554, (202) 418-0270. This Notice, TIA’s petition and any subsequently filed documents in this matter may also be purchased from the Commission’s duplicating contractor at its website, www.bcpiweb.com, or call 1-800-378-3160. A copy of the submission may also be found by searching on ECFS (insert CG Docket No. 13-46 into the Proceeding block). 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 (voice), (202) 418-0432 (TTY). This document can also be downloaded in Word and Portable Document Format (PDF) at: http://www.fcc.gov/cgb/dro/trs.html. For further information, please contact Elaine Gardner, Consumer and Governmental Affairs Bureau (CGB), Disability Rights Office (DRO), at (202) 418-0581, or e-mail at Elaine.Gardner@fcc.gov.