Read all the way to the end.  The review of regulations includes Section
255 of the Telecommunications Act of 1996, which requires accessibility
in both wireline and cell phone services and equipment.  With this
proceeding, the FCC can easily gut the access requirements that took
effect in January of 2000 under the premise that there was no evidence to
demonstrate that access barriers still exist and the regulation is still
needed.  If the regulation is worth keeping write in to the FCC as
instructed in the announcement below and let them know.

Kelly

From the web page
http://hraunfoss.fcc.gov/edocs_public/attachmatch/FCC-02-265A1.txt

FCC 02-265 Released: September 26, 2002

THE COMMISSION SEEKS PUBLIC COMMENT IN THE 2002 BIENNIAL REVIEW OF
TELECOMMUNICATIONS REGULATIONS WITHIN THE PURVIEW OF THE CONSUMER &
GOVERNMENTAL AFFAIRS BUREAU

CG Docket No. 02-311

Comment Date: October 18, 2002 Reply Comment Date: November 4, 2002

The FCC is in the process of conducting its comprehensive 2002 biennial
review of telecommunications regulations pursuant to Section 11 of the
Communications Act of 1934, as amended, 47 U.S.C. 161. This section
requires the Commission (1) to review biennially its regulations "that
apply to the operations or activities of any provider of
telecommunications service," and (2) to "determine whether any such
regulation is no longer necessary in the public interest as the result of
meaningful economic competition between the providers of such service."
The Commission is directed to repeal or modify any such regulations that
it finds are no longer in the public interest.

Pursuant to Section 1.430 of the Commission's rules, 47 C.F.R. 1.430, the
Consumer & Governmental Affairs Bureau (CGB) seeks suggestions from the
public as to what rules should be modified or repealed as part of the
2002 biennial review. The Commission also encourages parties to comment
on or recommend changes to rules that might enable the Commission to
operate more efficiently and effectively. Submissions by the public
should identify with as much specificity as possible the rule or rules
that should be modified or repealed, and why the regulations should be
modified or repealed. A list of the rules within the purview of the
Consumer & Governmental Affairs Bureau is attached.

When the Commission undertook the first Biennial Regulatory Review of its
regulations in 1998, it broadened its review to apply to the rules of all
Offices and Bureaus in the Commission, rather than just those applying to
telecommunications service providers and broadcast ownership. The
Commission did not limit its review to whether meaningful economic
competition alone justified changes, but instead considered any
justification to modify or eliminate a rule which would serve the public
interest. Our biennial reviews, thus, have gone beyond the minimal
statutory requirements and we expect to continue this practice in the
2002 biennial review.

We note that the Commission has adopted a separate Notice of Proposed
Rulemaking with respect to the broadcast ownership rules pursuant to
section 202(h) of the Telecommunications Act of 1996.1 Accordingly,
parties should file comments on the Commission's broadcast ownership
rules in that proceeding, and not in response to this public notice.

In order to facilitate review of all comments, the cover page should
denote that it pertains to the Biennial Review 2002, and should include
the following docket number and caption: " CG Docket No. 02-311 -
Biennial Review 2002 Comments." Interested parties may file comments by
October 18, 2002 and reply comments by November 4, 2002. Comments may be
filed using the Commission's Electronic Comment Filing System (ECFS) or
by filing paper copies. See Electronic Filing of Documents, 63 Fed. Reg.
24121 (1998).

Comments filed through the ECFS can be sent as an electronic file via the
Internet to < http://www.fcc.gov/e-file/ecfs.html>. Generally, only one
copy of an electronic submission must be filed. In completing the
transmittal screen, commenters should include their full name, U.S.
Postal Service mailing address, and the applicable docket or rulemaking
number. Parties may also submit an electronic comment by Internet e-mail.
To get filing instructions for e-mail comments, commenters should send an
e-mail to [log in to unmask], and should include the following words in the
body of the message, "get form <your e-mail address>." A sample form and
directions will be sent in reply.

Parties who choose to file by paper must file an original and four copies
of each filing. Filings can be sent by hand or messenger delivery, by
commercial overnight courier, or by first-class or overnight U.S. Postal
Service mail (although we continue to experience delays in receiving U.S.
Postal Service mail). The Commission's contractor, Vistronix, Inc., will
receive hand-delivered or messenger-delivered paper filings for the
Commission's Secretary at 236 Massachusetts Avenue, N.E., Suite 110,
Washington, D.C. 20002. The filing hours at this location 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 mail, Express
Mail, and Priority Mail should be addressed to 445 12th Street, SW,
Washington, D.C. 20554. All filings must be addressed to the Commission's
Secretary, Office of the Secretary, Federal Communications Commission. In
addition, one copy of each pleading must be sent to the Commission's
duplicating contractor, Qualex International, 445 12th Street, S.W., Room
CY-B402, Washington, D.C. 20554; e-mail: [log in to unmask] ; facsimile:
(202) 863-2898; phone: (202) 863-2893.

Comments in this proceeding will be available on ECFS. They will also be
available for public inspection and copying during regular business hours
at the FCC Reference Information Center, Portals II, 445 12th Street, SW,
Room CY-A257, Washington, DC, 20554. They may also be purchased from the
Commission's duplicating contractor, Qualex International, Portals II,
445 12th Street, SW, Room CY-B402, Washington, DC, 20554, telephone
202-863-2893, facsimile 202-863-2898, or via e-mail [log in to unmask]

Accessible formats (computer diskettes, large print, audio recording and
Braille) are available to persons with disabilities by contacting Brian
Millin, of the Consumer & Governmental Affairs Bureau, at (202)418-7426,
TTY (202) 418-7365, or at [log in to unmask]

For further information, please contact Gene Fullano at (202) 418-0492.
Action by the Commission on September 26, 2002; Chairman Powell,
Commissioners Abernathy, Copps and Martin. - FCC -

ATTACHMENT A

RULE PARTS CONTAINING REGULATIONS ADMINISTERED BY THE CONSUMER &
GOVERNMENTAL AFFAIRS BUREAU

Part 1 - Practice and Procedure - Establishes general practice
requirements. (Subpart E - Informal Complaints.) Part 6 - Access to
Telecommunications Service, Telecommunications Equipment and Customer
Premises Equipment by Persons with Disabilities - Outlines the
obligations of manufacturers and service providers concerning
accessibility to telecommunications service and equipment. Part 7 -
Access to Voicemail and Interactive Menu Services and Equipment by People
with Disabilities - Outlines the obligations of providers of voicemail
and interactive menu services as well as manufacturers of
telecommunications equipment which performs a voicemail or interactive
menu function. Part 64 - Miscellaneous Rules Relating to Common Carriers
- Addresses a broad range of common carrier issues. Specifically: Subpart
B (Indecent Telephone Message Services); Subpart F (Telecommunications
Relay Services); Subpart G (Telephone Operator Services - sections
64.703-705, 64.707-710); Subpart K (Changing Long Distance Service);
Subpart L (Restrictions on Telephone Solicitation); Subpart O (Interstate
Pay-Per-Call and Other Information Services); Subpart P (Calling Party
Telephone Number; Privacy); Subpart Y (Truth-in-Billing Requirements for
Common Carriers). Part 68 - Connection of Terminal Equipment to the
Telephone Network - Establishes conditions for direct connection to the
network of registered terminal equipment to prevent network harm and
ensure that telephones are compatible with hearing aids. (CGB is only
seeking comment concerning the rules in this part relating to hearing aid
compatibility and, in addition, on section 68.318(c) (Line seizure by
automatic telephone dialing systems) and section 68.318(d) (Telephone
facsimile machines; Identification of the sender of the message)).

1 See 2002 Biennial Regulatory Review - Review of the Commission's
Broadcast Ownership Rules and Other Rules Adopted Pursuant to Section 202
of the Telecommunications Act of 1996, MB Docket No. 02-277, Notice of
Proposed Rule Making, FCC 02-249 (rel. Sept. 23, 2002).

---------- End of Document