Implementation of Pay Telephone Reclassification and Compensation Provisions of the Telecommunications Act of 1996

FEDERAL COMMUNICATIONS COMMISSION

47 CFR Parts 1, 61, and 69

[CC Docket No. 96-128; DA 03-4027]

Implementation of Pay Telephone Reclassification and Compensation Provisions of the Telecommunications Act of 1996

AGENCY:

Federal Communications Commission.

ACTION:

Notice of proposed rulemaking; comment periods extended.

SUMMARY:

On February 3, 2004, the Commission granted a request by Evercom

et al.

to extend the deadlines for filing comments and reply comments regarding a Petition For Rulemaking or, in the Alternative, Petition To Address Referral Issues In A Pending Rulemaking (

Wright Petition

) filed in CC Docket No. 96-128.

DATES:

Comments are due on or before March 10, 2004, and reply comments are due on or before March 31, 2004.

ADDRESSES:

Federal Communications Commission, Marlene H. Dortch, Office of the Secretary, 445 12th Street, SW., TW-A325, Washington, DC 20554.

See

Supplementary Information for information on additional instructions for filing paper copies.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:

Joi Roberson Nolen, Wireline Competition Bureau, 202-418-1520.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

On December 31, 2003, the Commission released the

Wright Public Notice

seeking comment on a Petition for Rulemaking or, in the Alternative, Petition to Address Referral Issues In a Pending Rulemaking (

Wright Petition

) filed by Martha Wright and other prison inmate and non-inmate petitioners. The

Wright Public Notice

stated that comments would be due 20 days after publication of the public notice in the

Federal Register

, and reply comments would be due 30 days after

Federal Register

publication. The

Federal Register

published the

Wright Public Notice

on January 20, 2004.

See

Implementation of the Pay Telephone Reclassification and Compensation Provisions of the Telecommunications Act of 1996, CC Docket No. 96-128, Notice of Proposed Rulemaking, 69 FR 2697, January 20, 2004.

On January 26, 2004, Evercom Systems, Inc., T-NETIX, Inc., and Corrections Corporation of America (CCA) (jointly, “commenters”) filed a joint motion to extend the deadlines for filing comments and reply comments in this proceeding. It is the policy of the Commission that extensions of time are not routinely granted.

See

47 CFR 1.46(a). In this instance, however, the Bureau finds that the commenters have shown good cause for an extension of the deadline for filing comments and reply comments in this proceeding. Because of the complexity of the issues, the related necessary economic analysis, and the length of the pleadings, a limited extension is granted so that parties may file comments by March 10, 2004, and reply comments by March 31, 2004. This matter shall continue to be treated as a “permit-but-disclose” proceeding in accordance with the Commission's

ex parte

rules.

See

47 CFR 1.1206. All procedures for filing comments discussed in the

Federal Register

publication of the

Wright Public Notice

remain in effect.

See

Implementation of the Pay Telephone Reclassification and Compensation Provisions of the Telecommunications Act of 1996, CC Docket No. 96-128, Notice of Proposed Rulemaking, 69 FR 2697, January 20, 2004.

Federal Communications Commission.

Marlene H. Dortch,

Secretary.

[FR Doc. 04-3463 Filed 2-17-04; 8:45 am]

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