DA 18-818
Released:  August 6, 2018

CONSUMER AND GOVERNMENTAL AFFAIRS BUREAU SEEKS COMMENT ON SPRINT PETITIONS REGARDING THE REPORT AND ORDER AND DECLARATORY RULING ON INTERNET PROTOCOL CAPTIONED TELEPHONE SERVICE
CG Docket Nos. 13-24 and 03-123

Oppositions Due:  [15 days after date of publication in the Federal Register]
Replies to Oppositions Due:  [10 days after date oppositions are due]

With this Public Notice, the Consumer and Governmental Affairs Bureau (Bureau) of the Federal Communications Commission (Commission) seeks comment on two petitions filed by Sprint Corporation (Sprint) regarding the Commission’s Report and Order and Declaratory Ruling on Internet Protocol Captioned Telephone Service (IP CTS). Misuse of Internet Protocol (IP) Captioned Telephone Service; Telecommunications Relay Services and Speech-to-Speech Services for Individuals with Hearing and Speech Disabilities, Report and Order, Declaratory Ruling, Further Notice of Proposed Rulemaking, and Notice of Inquiry, FCC 18-79 (2018) (cited herein as 2018 IP CTS Report and Order when referencing the Report and Order and 2018 IP CTS Declaratory Ruling when referencing the Declaratory Ruling).     
 
First, Sprint’s petition for clarification, or in the alternative, reconsideration of the 2018 IP CTS Declaratory Ruling on the use of automatic speech recognition (ASR) The term ASR in this public notice refers to the use of ASR to provide IP CTS without the assistance of a communications assistant. 
 seeks clarification that the Commission:  (1) will provide notice and opportunity for comment on all certification applications to provide IP CTS using ASR; (2) will only grant such applications if they demonstrate that the ASR service offering is at least as robust as current IP CTS offerings with regard to accuracy, privacy, emergency communications, and seamless communications; and (3) will not provide funding for ASR-based IP CTS until after it establishes a compensation rate methodology in the ongoing rulemaking proceeding. Petition of Sprint Corporation for Clarification or in the Alternative, Reconsideration, CG Docket Nos. 13-24 and 03-123, at 2-14 (filed July 9, 2018) (citing 2018 IP CTS Declaratory Ruling, at 28-37, paras. 48-66).
  In the alternative, Sprint requests that the Commission reconsider the 2018 IP CTS Declaratory Ruling and instead review all ASR-related matters via rulemaking proceedings. Id. at 3, 14-21.     
  
Second, Sprint’s petition for reconsideration of the 2018 IP CTS Report & Order requests that the Commission reconsider adoption of interim IP CTS compensation rates and freeze the rate at the prior $1.9467 level pending resolution of the compensation issues raised in the ongoing rulemaking proceeding. Petition of Sprint Corporation for Reconsideration, CG Docket Nos. 13-24 and 03-123, at 2-17 (filed July 27, 2018) (citing 2018 IP CTS Report and Order at 11-23, paras. 19-35).  
    
Pursuant to section 1.429 of the Commission’s rules, 47 CFR § 1.429, we invite interested parties to file and serve oppositions to and replies to oppositions to these petitions on or before the dates specified above.  All filings must reference CG Docket Nos. 13-24 and 03-123. 
Oppositions and replies may be filed using the Commission’s Electronic Comment Filing System (ECFS). See FCC, Electronic Filing of Documents in Rulemaking Proceedings, 63 Fed. Reg. 24121 (May 1, 1998).
  
· Electronic Filers:  Documents may be filed electronically using the Internet by accessing ECFS:  https://www.fcc.gov/ecfs/filings. 
· Paper Filers:  
o Parties who choose to file by paper must file an original and one copy of each filing.
o 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.
o 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 and boxes must be disposed of before entering the building.
o 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.
o U.S. Postal Service first-class, Express, and Priority mail must be addressed to 445 12th Street, SW, Washington DC 20554.
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), 844-432-2275 (videophone), or 202-418-0432 (TTY).
For further information, please contact Michael Scott, Disability Rights Office, Consumer and Governmental Affairs Bureau, Federal Communications Commission at (202) 418-1264 or e-mail at Michael.Scott@fcc.gov.
-FCC- 
2