Federal Communications Commission	DA 22-996


DA 23-86
Released:  January 30, 2023

COMMENT SOUGHT ON APPLICATION OF CLEARCAPTIONS FOR FULL CERTIFICATION AS A PROVIDER OF INTERNET PROTOCOL CAPTIONED TELEPHONE SERVICE
CG Docket No. 03-123

Comments Due: February 13, 2023
Reply Comments Due: February 23, 2023
The Consumer and Governmental Affairs Bureau (CGB or Bureau) of the Federal Communications Commission (FCC or Commission) seeks comment on the application of ClearCaptions, LLC (ClearCaptions) for full certification as a provider of Internet Protocol Captioned Telephone Service (IP CTS). See Internet-Based TRS Certification Application of ClearCaptions LLC, CG Docket No. 03-123 (Apr. 18, 2016) https://www.fcc.gov/ecfs/document/60001538984/1; see also Twelfth Amendment to Application of ClearCaptions, LLC for Certification to provide Internet Protocol Captioned Telephone Service, CG Docket No. 03-123 (Dec. 19, 2022) (incorporating all previous amendments by reference), https://www.fcc.gov/ecfs/document/1219277910078/1, and Supplement to Twelfth Amendment to Application of ClearCaptions, LLC for Certification to provide Internet Protocol Captioned Telephone Service, CG Docket No. 03-123 (Jan. 20, 2023) (providing unredacted ownership information), https://www.fcc.gov/ecfs/document/10120023215792/1.  ClearCaptions, the transferee of an authorization originally granted to Purple, is operating pursuant to conditional certification.  See Notice of Grant of Conditional Certification for Purple Communications, Inc., to Provide Internet Protocol Captioned Telephone Service, CG Docket Nos. 03-123 and 10-51, Public Notice, 29 FCC Rcd 13728 (CGB 2014); Telecommunications Relay Services and Speech-to-Speech Services for Individuals with Hearing and Speech Disabilities; Structure and Practices of the Video Relay Service Program; Purple Communications, Inc.: Application for Certification to Provide Internet Protocol Captioned Telephone Service, CG Docket Nos. 03-123 and 10-51, Order, 29 FCC Rcd 14889 (CGB 2014); Telecommunications Relay Services and Speech-to-Speech Services for Individuals with Hearing and Speech Disabilities, Memorandum Opinion and Order, 36 FCC Rcd 7246, 48, 54, paras. 5, 17 (2021) (granting conditional certification to provide fully automatic IP CTS through April 12, 2023).  
  
	ClearCaptions has redacted portions of its application for which it requests confidential treatment. Access to the redacted material is governed by the Third Protective Order in this docket. See Misuse of Internet Protocol (IP) Captioned Telephone Service; Structure and Practices of the Video Relay Service Program; Telecommunications Relay Services and Speech-to-Speech Services for Individuals with Hearing and Speech Disabilities, CG Docket Nos. 13-24, 10-51, and 03-123, Order and Third Protective Order, 33 FCC Rcd 6802, 6803, para. 4 (CGB 2018).

Filing Requirements.  Interested parties may file comments on ClearCaptions’s application on or before the dates indicated on the first page of this document. See 47 CFR §§ 1.1, 1.45, 1.49.
  All filings must reference CG Docket No. 03-123.  Comments may be filed using the Commission’s Electronic Comment Filing System (ECFS). Electronic Filing of Documents in Rulemaking Proceedings, GC Docket No. 97-113, Report and Order, 13 FCC Rcd 11322 (1998).  
  
· Electronic Filers:  Comments may be filed electronically using the Internet by accessing the 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.  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.
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 Currently, the Commission does not accept any hand delivered or messenger delivered filings as a temporary measure taken to help protect the health and safety of individuals, and to mitigate the transmission of COVID-19.  In the event that the Commission announces the lifting of COVID-19 restrictions, a filing window will be opened at the Commission’s office located at 9050 Junction Drive, Annapolis Junction, Maryland 20701. See FCC Announces Closure of FCC Headquarters Open Window and Change in Hand-Delivery Policy, Public Notice, 35 FCC Rcd 2788 (OMD 2020). 
  
o Commercial overnight mail (other than U.S. Postal Service Express Mail and Priority Mail) must be sent to 9050 Junction Drive, Annapolis Junction, MD 20701.
o U.S. Postal Service first-class, Express, and Priority mail may be addressed to 45 L Street, NE, Washington, DC 20554.
o During the time the Commission’s building is closed to the general public and until further notice, if more than one docket or rulemaking number appears in the caption of a proceeding, paper filers need not submit two additional copies for each additional docket or rulemaking number; an original and one copy are sufficient. 
Ex Parte Requirements. The proceeding this Notice initiates shall be treated as a “permit-but-disclose” proceeding in accordance with the Commission’s ex parte rules. 47 CFR §§ 1.1200 et seq.
  Persons making ex parte presentations must file a copy of any written presentation or a memorandum summarizing any oral presentation within two business days after the presentation (unless a different deadline applicable to the Sunshine period applies).  Persons making oral ex parte presentations are reminded that memoranda summarizing the presentation must (1) list all persons attending or otherwise participating in the meeting at which the ex parte presentation was made, and (2) summarize all data presented and arguments made during the presentation.  If the presentation consisted in whole or in part of the presentation of data or arguments already reflected in the presenter’s written comments, memoranda or other filings in the proceeding, the presenter may provide citations to such data or arguments in his or her prior comments, memoranda, or other filings (specifying the relevant page and/or paragraph numbers where such data or arguments can be found) in lieu of summarizing them in the memorandum.  Documents shown or given to Commission staff during ex parte meetings are deemed to be written ex parte presentations and must be filed consistent with rule 1.1206(b).  In proceedings governed by rule 1.49(f) or for which the Commission has made available a method of electronic filing, written ex parte presentations and memoranda summarizing oral ex parte presentations, and all attachments thereto, must be filed through the electronic comment filing system available for that proceeding, and must be filed in their native format (e.g., .doc, .xml, .ppt, searchable .pdf).  Participants in this proceeding should familiarize themselves with the Commission’s ex parte rules.
Accessible Materials.  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.
Additional Information.  For further information, please contact Joshua Mendelsohn at (202) 599-7304 or by e-mail at Joshua.Mendelsohn@fcc.gov, or Ike Ofobike at (202) 744-3916 or by e-mail at Ike.Ofobike@fcc.gov.  Individuals who use videophones and are fluent in American Sign Language (ASL) may call the FCC’s ASL Consumer Support Line at (844) 432‐2275.

-FCC-
2