**PUBLIC NOTICE**![](media/image1.png){width="0.6541666666666667in"
height="0.6604166666666667in"}

**Federal Communications Commission**

**445 12th St., SW**

**Washington, D.C. 20554**

**Released October 8, 1999**

> **DA 99-2148**

**International Bureau To Hold Public Forum on Submarine Cable Landing
Licenses**

On November 8, 1999, from 3:00-5:00pm, the International Bureau will
hold a public forum to provide an opportunity for the public to identify
issues the Commission should address in its upcoming proceeding to
examine how its policies regarding licensing submarine cables might best
promote competition and benefit consumers. The information we gather
from this public forum may assist the Commission in its 2000 Biennial
Regulatory Review.

The forum is open to the public and will be at the Federal
Communications Commission Headquarters, 445 12th Street, SW, Washington,
DC, in the Commission Meeting Room (Room TW-C305). The Bureau encourages
users as well as facilities and service providers to attend.

The Bureau intends that this public forum will provide an opportunity to
raise, but not necessarily debate, issues related to the Commission's
regulation of submarine cables. The Bureau does not intend that the
public forum will include a discussion of the merits of pending
Commission proceedings, such as pending proceedings involving
applications for a cable landing license. Appropriate topics include,
but are not limited to, the following:

-   Streamlining or simplifying the Commission\'s cable landing license
    application and review process.

    \--How can the Commission expedite the process, reduce burdens on
    applicants and the Commission, and minimize the information the
    Commission asks for in applications?

-   Do the conditions routinely imposed on licenses remain necessary?

-   What sort of \"ownership\" requires an entity to be a licensee on a
    cable landing license, and how much of a cable system must be owned
    by licensees?

    \--Should the Commission consider separately ownership of backhaul
    and of landing stations?

-   Common carrier vs. non-common carrier cable landing licenses.

    \--Should the Commission maintain the distinction and what should
    the consequences be?

-   Structural/ownership issues raised by certain cable systems.

    \--Do certain ownership structures raise competitive problems?

    \--How can the Commission address these problems?

    \--In identifying ownership structures that may raise competitive
    concerns, how does the Commission draw the line?

    \--Does the Commission need to define \"consortium\"?

    \--Does the corporate governance over certain cable systems raise
    competitive problems?

-   Under what circumstances, if any, should price differentials,
    especially volume discounts, be restricted?

-   How should the Commission address issues of competitive access to
    backhaul?

-   Are there other competitive issues that the Commission should
    address in its upcoming proceeding?

-   Are there other issues the Commission should address related to
    submarine cables?

The purpose of the forum is not to discuss the merits of pending
Commission proceedings (including cable landing license applications
pending before the Commission) and is not otherwise part of a pending
Commission proceeding. As such, the forum is not subject to the
Commission\'s *ex parte* rules.

To the extent a participant discusses the merits of a pending
proceeding, the *ex parte* rules will apply with respect to the
particular discussion.

The Bureau invites parties wishing to discuss competition issues in
depth to meet with the staff individually. The Bureau encourages users
as well as facilities and service providers to meet with Bureau staff.
Please contact Elizabeth Nightingale of the Bureau\'s Telecommunications
Division, at 202-418-2352, to make arrangements. Any party wishing to
make a formal presentation (no longer than 10 minutes) at the public
forum should send an outline of the presentation to Elizabeth
Nightingale. Parties also are welcome to make written submissions in
lieu of speaking at the forum. Outlines of oral presentations and
written submissions should be sent to Elizabeth Nightingale no later
than October 29, either via fascimile to the Bureau\'s
Telecommunications Division at (202) 418-2824, or by e-mail to
enightin@fcc.gov.

For information on obtaining a videotape of the forum, please contact
the Commission\'s Audio-Visual Office at (202) 418-0460. Audio and video
tapes of the forum may also be purchased from Infocus, 341 Victory
Drive, Herndon, VA 20170, by calling Infocus at (703) 834‑0100 or by
faxing Infocus at (703) 834‑0111.

\- FCC -

International Bureau Contacts: Elizabeth Nightingale, (202) 418-2352, or
enightin@fcc.gov

or Breck Blalock, (202) 418-8191, or bblalock@fcc.gov.

TTY Number for Both: (202) 418-0484.

News Media Contact: Rosemary Kimball, (202) 418-0500

TTY Number: (202) 418-2555.