[Federal Register Volume 79, Number 51 (Monday, March 17, 2014)]
[Proposed Rules]
[Pages 14634-14635]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2014-05913]
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FEDERAL COMMUNICATIONS COMMISSION
47 CFR parts 22, 24, 27, 87 and 90
[WT Docket No. 13-301; FCC 13-157; DA 14-327]
Expanding Access to Mobile Wireless Services Onboard Aircraft
AGENCY: Federal Communications Commission.
ACTION: Proposed rule; extension of comment period.
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SUMMARY: The Federal Communications Commission extends the deadline for
filing reply comments on the Commission's Notice of Proposed Rulemaking
(NPRM), in this proceeding, which was published in the Federal Register
on Wednesday, January 15, 2014. Interested parties now will have until
May 16, 2014, to file reply comments, as opposed to the March 17, 2014,
deadline set forth in the NPRM.
DATES: The reply comment period for the proposed rule published January
15, 2014 (79 FR 2615), is extended. Submit reply comments on or before
May 16, 2014.
ADDRESSES: You may submit comments, identified by WT Docket No. 13-301
or FCC 13-157, by any of the following methods:
[ssquf] Federal Communications Commission's Web site: http://fjallfoss.fcc.gov/. Follow the instructions for submitting comments.
[ssquf] Mail: FCC Headquarters, 445 12th St. SW., Washington, DC
20554.
[ssquf] People with Disabilities: Contact the FCC to request
reasonable accommodations (accessible format documents, sign language
interpreters, CART, etc.) by email: [email protected] or phone: (202) 418-
0530 or TTY: (202) 418-0432.
For detailed instructions for submitting comments and additional
information on the rulemaking process, see the SUPPLEMENTARY
INFORMATION section of this document.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Amanda Huetinck of the Mobility
Division, Wireless Telecommunications Bureau, at (202) 418-7090 or
[email protected].
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Pursuant to Sec. Sec. 1.415 and 1.419 of
the Commission's rules, 47 CFR 1.415 and 1.419, interested parties may
file comments and reply comments on or before the dates indicated on
the first page of this document. Comments may be filed using the
Commission's Electronic Comment Filing System (ECFS). See Electronic
Filing of Documents in Rulemaking Proceedings, 63 FR 24121, May 1,
1998.
[ssquf] Electronic Filers: Comments may be filed electronically
using the Internet by accessing the ECFS: http://fjallfoss.fcc.gov/ecfs2/.
[ssquf] Paper Filers: 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.
[ssquf] 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.
[ssquf] 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.
[ssquf] U.S. Postal Service first-class, Express, and Priority mail
must be addressed to 445 12th Street SW., Washington, DC 20554.
People with Disabilities: To request materials in accessible
formats for people with disabilities (braille, large print, electronic
files, audio format), send an email to [email protected] or call the
Consumer & Governmental Affairs Bureau at 202-418-0530 (voice), 202-
418-0432 (tty).
Synopsis
By this document, we extend the deadline for filing reply comments
in response to the NPRM in WT Docket No. 13-301 to allow parties to
more thoroughly address the technical issues raised in the NPRM and in
the record. Interested parties now will have until May 16, 2014, to
file reply comments.
On February 28, 2014, AeroMobile Communications Limited
(``AeroMobile'') and Panasonic Avionics Corporation (``Panasonic''),
jointly, and CTIA--The Wireless Association (``CTIA'') filed requests
to extend the reply comment deadline in response to the NPRM by 60
days, to May 16, 2014. The Joint Motion and the CTIA Request contend
that this extension is warranted for parties to properly address the
complicated technological, legal, and policy issues raised by the NPRM
and the initial comments. The Joint Motion and the CTIA request also
assert that the additional time will provide various stakeholders--
including AeroMobile, Panasonic, and CTIA--ample opportunity to consult
with each other on technical issues.
Specifically, the Joint Motion states that more time is necessary
for consultations regarding ``the technical studies and authorization
regime supporting in-flight mobile communications in Europe and
[[Page 14635]]
elsewhere.'' The Joint Motion also notes that an extension of time
would ``enable interested parties to consider comments submitted in
other proceedings, including the Department of Transportation Advance
Notice of Proposed Rulemaking seeking comment on voice services onboard
aircraft.''
The CTIA Request similarly states that an extension is needed so
that parties can ``conduct much needed interference and other
technological analyses, consider other existing studies beyond those
discussed in the NPRM, and follow up on questions and issues sparked by
commenters who discussed the inflight systems that have been deployed
abroad.'' The CTIA Request also notes the large number of comments that
have been filed in the docket, stating that ``[t]he Commission should
strive to ensure that the record contains a meaningful opportunity to
contribute input into this highly watched rulemaking.''
It is the general policy of the Commission that extensions of time
shall not be routinely granted. However, under these circumstances, we
agree that an extension of time to file reply comments is warranted to
ensure that the Commission obtains a complete and thorough technical
record in response to the NPRM. The NPRM specifically sought comment on
technological solutions that may enable interference-free operation of
wireless devices aboard airborne aircraft, and requested that
commenters provide technical analysis in support of their comments. We
conclude that a short extension of time is warranted to enable
interested parties sufficient opportunity to review and respond to the
complex technical issues raised by the NPRM. Accordingly, pursuant to
Sec. 4(i) of the Communications Act of 1934, as amended, and Sec.
1.46 of the Commission's rules, we extend the deadline for filing reply
comments until May 16, 2014.
Federal Communications Commission.
Roger Sherman,
Chief, Wireless Telecommunications Bureau.
[FR Doc. 2014-05913 Filed 3-13-14; 4:15 pm]
BILLING CODE 6712-01-P