PUBLIC NOTICE FEDERAL COMMUNICATIONS COMMISSION 1919 M STREET NW WASHINGTON, D.C. 20554 News media information 202/418-0500. Recorded listing of releases and texts 202/418-2222. April 29, 1998 EQUIPMENT AUTHORIZATION DIVISION OF THE OFFICE OF ENGINEERING AND TECHNOLOGY ANNOUNCES OPTION FOR ELECTRONIC FILING OF APPLICATION FOR EQUIPMENT AUTHORIZATION The Office of Engineering and Technology (OET) will begin accepting electronically filed Applications for Equipment Authorization (Form 731) beginning on Friday, May 1, 1998 at 8:00 AM EDST. An application can be filed electronically by using the Internet and accessing www.fcc.gov, Electronic Filing, Application for Equipment Authorization (Form 731), and Form 731. We strongly recommend that prospective applicants download the user's manual that is available at the site, and use it as a reference guide to gain familiarity with the process. We will continue to accept the Form 731 paper Application for Equipment Authorization until July 1999 (Reference: ET Docket No. 97-94). However, we encourage applicants to file electronically, as we believe that as we gain experience with the electronic filing process we will be able to process electronic applications more quickly than paper applications. The option for electronic filing of an Application for Equipment Authorization (Form 731 including all attachments) requires several new policies, as follows: a. Application for assignment of a Grantee Code and submission of an electronic Form 731 (including attachments) should be done concurrently. A Grantee Code assigned through the Internet application will only be held for five days, unless a Form 731 using that Grantee Code is also submitted electronically within the five day period. b. Payment for both the Grantee Code assignment (if applicable) and the Form 731 Application for Equipment Authorization will be automatically computed and printed on the on-line Form 159 that is available through the electronic Form 731 submission. The Form 159 should be printed and mailed to the Mellon Bank along with the appropriate fee payment. Instructions for mailing are included in the on-line application. c. The Application Processing Branch will include a Correspondence Reference Number when a request for additional information is sent to an applicant. Please be sure to use the Submit Correspondence module (on the EAS WEB site) and that Reference Number when responding to these requests. Do not use the reply button on your browser. If the request for additional information requires the applicant to submit additional attachments, please use the Add Attachments module (on the EAS WEB site), and in addition notify the requesting engineer or examiner of your action using the Submit Correspondence module and the associated Reference Number described above. d. Please submit all required parts of the Application for Equipment Authorization submission including the Form 731, all required attachments to the Form 731, the Form 159 and the fee payment as expeditiously as possible. An application that is incomplete at the time of review is subject to dismissal action. Our goal is to begin review of electronic applications within 10 days of initial receipt at the Laboratory. e. The OET Equipment Authorization Division Electronic Filing Site provides the user with numerous search options on granted equipment authorizations. We therefore will no longer publish the Public Notice listing all grants issued, since the same information can be obtained more quickly via the Internet. Applicants who file the Application for Equipment Authorization electronically are expected to benefit from an improved speed of service. We therefore strongly encourage submission of the Form 731 and all attachments using the new electronic process. Any questions regarding the on-line form may be directed to Sandra Haase at (301) 725- 1585 ext. 207 (or e-mail shaase@fcc.gov) or George Tannahill at (301) 725-1585 ext. 237 (or e-mail gtannahi@fcc.gov). - FCC -