Federal Communications Commission DA 21-1395 Before the FEDERAL COMMUNICATIONS COMMISSION WASHINGTON, D.C. 20554 In the Matter of Advanced Methods to Target and Eliminate Unlawful Robocalls Call Authentication Trust Anchor ) ) ) ) ) ) CG Docket No. 17-59 WC Docket No. 17-97 ORDER Adopted: November 5, 2021 Released: November 5, 2021 Comment Date in Response to the Further Notice: December 10, 2021 Reply Comment Date in Response to the Further Notice: January 10, 2022 By the Chief, Wireline Competition Bureau, and Chief, Consumer and Governmental Affairs Bureau: I. INTRODUCTION 1. By this Order, the Wireline Competition Bureau and Consumer and Governmental Affairs Bureau (Bureaus) of the Federal Communications Commission grant a request filed by the Voice on the Net Coalition (VON) for a 14-day extension of the time in which to file comments and reply comments in response to a Further Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (Further Notice) in the above referenced proceedings. Comments and reply comments were originally due on November 26, 2021 and December 27, 2021, respectively. Pursuant to this Order, the extended comment date is December 10, 2021 and the extended reply comment date is January 10, 2022. II. BACKGROUND 2. On October 26, 2021, the Federal Register published a summary Federal Communications Commission, Advanced Methods to Target Robocalls, Call Authentication Trust Anchor, Proposed Rules, 86 Fed. Reg. 59084 (Oct. 26, 2021) (Federal Register Notice), https://www.govinfo.gov/content/pkg/FR-2021-10-26/pdf/2021-23164.pdf. of the Further Notice in the Advanced Methods to Target and Eliminate Unlawful Robocalls and Call Authentication Trust Anchor proceedings. Advanced Methods to Target and Eliminate Unlawful Robocalls; Call Authentication Trust Anchor, CG Docket No. 17-59, WC Docket No. 17-97, Further Notice of Proposed Rulemaking, FCC 21-105 (rel. Oct. 1, 2021) (Further Notice). The document is available on the Commission’s website at https://docs.fcc.gov/public/attachments/FCC-21-105A1.pdf. The document is also available electronically via the Commission’s Electronic Document Management System (EDOCS) website at https://www.fcc.gov/edocs (by FCC number, FCC 21-105) or via the Commission’s Electronic Comment Filing System (ECFS) website at https://www.fcc.gov/ecfs/ (by docket numbers, CG Docket No. 17-59 and WC Docket No. 17-97). In the Further Notice, the Commission seeks comment on a number of proposals to place new anti-robocalling obligations on gateway providers, which are the point of entry for foreign-originated illegal robocalls. Further Notice, paras. 22-111. The Further Notice sets deadlines for filing comments and reply comments at 30 and 60 days after the date of publication of the summary of the Further Notice in the Federal Register. Id. at 1. Consistent with the Further Notice, the Federal Register Notice states that comments are due no later than November 26, 2021, and reply comments are due no later than December 27, 2021. See Federal Register Notice, 86 Fed. Reg. at 59084. 3. On November 3, 2021, the Voice on the Net Coalition (VON) submitted a request for a 14-day extension of time, until December 10, 2021 and January 10, 2022, respectively, for comments and reply comments. See Letter of Glenn S. Richards, Counsel, VON, to Marlene H. Dortch, Secretary, FCC, CG Docket No. 17-59 & WC Docket No. 17-97 (filed Nov. 3, 2021). VON asserts that a 14-day extension is justified to “permit parties time to review and respond to the extensive number of questions raised in the NPRM; recognizes that there is another proceeding with similar deadlines; and avoids the conflicts with the Thanksgiving and Christmas holidays.” See id. VON states that it “has been authorized to state” that the Cloud Communications Alliance, CTIA, the GSM Association, INCOMPAS, NCTA, NTCA, and USTelecom “support the extension request.” See id. n.1. III. DISCUSSION 4. As set forth in section 1.46 of the Commission’s rules, it is the policy of the Commission that extensions of time shall not be routinely granted. 47 CFR § 1.46. However, extensions may be considered “to the extent that good cause for an extension is demonstrated.” See, e.g., Audio Enterprises, Inc. Apparent Liability for Forfeiture, File No. ENF-88-04, Order, 3 FCC Rcd 5402, para. 2 (Com. Car. Bur. 1988). The criteria for granting requests for extensions of time “are that the extension be in the public interest, cause no harm to any party in the proceeding, and cause no significant delay.” Id. The Commission has previously found that an extension of time is warranted when it is “necessary to ensure that the Commission receives full and informed responses and that affected parties have a meaningful opportunity to develop a complete record for the Commission’s consideration.” See, e.g., Wireless E911 Location Accuracy Requirements, PS Docket No. 07-114, Order, 35 FCC Rcd 193, 194, para. 3 (PSHSB 2020); see also Protecting Against National Security Threats to the Communications Supply Chain Through FCC Programs, WC Docket No. 18-89, Order, 35 FCC Rcd 2998, 2999, para. 6 (WCB & OEA 2020). 5. Here, the Bureaus find good cause to grant the requested extension. The Thanksgiving and Christmas Federal holidays both fall within two days of the original comment and reply comment deadlines, thus effectively shortening the normal time for filing comments. We also appreciate what appears to be the support of many interested parties for more fully developing the record in this proceeding. The Bureaus therefore find that a 14-day extension for both deadlines would be appropriate in this instance to give parties sufficient time to file and that such a brief extension would not interfere with the Commission’s ability to consider the issues raised in these proceedings in a timely manner. See, e.g., Intel Corporation’s Request for Waiver of Section 76.640(B)(4) of the Commission’s Rules, CS Docket No. 97-80, Order, 24 FCC Rcd 14104 (MB 2015) (in response to a request, extending deadline for filing oppositions to a waiver request by ten days “[g]iven that the Thanksgiving holiday effectively shortened the normal time for filing comments, and that the requested extension will not interfere with the Commission’s ability to timely consider the waiver request”). Accordingly, comments are due no later than December 10, 2021, and reply comments are due no later than January 10, 2022. Complete filing instructions are contained in the Further Notice and the Federal Register Notice. See Further Notice at paras. 123-26; Federal Register Notice, 86 Fed. Reg. at 59084. 6. To request materials in accessible formats (such as Braille, large print, electronic files, or audio format), send an email to: fcc504@fcc.gov, or call the Consumer and Governmental Affairs Bureau at (202) 418-0530 (voice). 7. For additional information, contact either Jerusha Burnett, Attorney Advisor, Consumer Policy Division, Consumer and Governmental Affairs Bureau, at jerusha.burnett@fcc.gov, 202-418-0526, or Jonathan Lechter, Attorney Advisor, Competition Policy Division, Wireline Competition Bureau, at Jonathan.lechter@fcc.gov, (202) 418-0984. IV. ORDERING CLAUSES 8. Accordingly, IT IS ORDERED, pursuant to sections 0.204, 0.291, 0.361, and 1.46 of the Commission’s rules, 47 CFR §§ 0.204, 0.291, 0.361, 1.46, that the Request for Extension of Time filed by VON on November 3, 2021 is GRANTED as described herein. 9. IT IS FURTHER ORDERED that the dates for filing comments and reply comments in response to the Further Notice are EXTENDED to December 10, 2021 and January 10, 2022, respectively. FEDERAL COMMUNICATIONS COMMISSION Kris Anne Monteith Chief Wireline Competition Bureau Patrick Webre Chief Consumer and Governmental Affairs Bureau 2