Rule2021-23855
Consumer and Governmental Affairs Bureau Announces Interim Usage Charges for the Reassigned Numbers Database
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Metadata and text below are from the Federal Register, a public-domain U.S. government work. Always verify the official published version before relying on it for any legal matter.
Published
November 5, 2021
Issuing agencies
Federal Communications Commission
Abstract
The Consumer and Governmental Affairs Bureau (Bureau) of the Federal Communications Commission (FCC or Commission) announces the initial interim usage charges for subscriptions to the Reassigned Numbers Database beginning November 1, 2021. Callers and caller agents will be able to use the Database to determine whether a telephone number has been reassigned from the consumer they intend to reach, thus allowing them to avoid calling consumers with reassigned numbers who may not wish to receive their call.
Full Text
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<title>Federal Register, Volume 86 Issue 212 (Friday, November 5, 2021)</title>
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[Federal Register Volume 86, Number 212 (Friday, November 5, 2021)]
[Rules and Regulations]
[Pages 61077-61079]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [<a href="http://www.gpo.gov">www.gpo.gov</a>]
[FR Doc No: 2021-23855]
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FEDERAL COMMUNICATIONS COMMISSION
47 CFR Part 64
[CG Docket No. 17-59; DA 21-1240; FRS 54669]
Consumer and Governmental Affairs Bureau Announces Interim Usage
Charges for the Reassigned Numbers Database
AGENCY: Federal Communications Commission.
ACTION: Interim action.
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SUMMARY: The Consumer and Governmental Affairs Bureau (Bureau) of the
Federal Communications Commission (FCC or Commission) announces the
initial interim usage charges for subscriptions to the Reassigned
Numbers Database beginning November 1, 2021. Callers and caller agents
will be able to use the Database to determine whether a telephone
number has been reassigned from the consumer they intend to reach, thus
allowing them to avoid calling consumers with reassigned numbers who
may not wish to receive their call.
DATES: The initial interim usage charges for subscriptions to the
Reassigned Numbers Database were applicable beginning November 1, 2021.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Karen Schroeder, Associate Division
Chief, Consumer Policy Division, Consumer and Governmental Affairs
Bureau at (202) 418-0654 or via email at <a href="/cdn-cgi/l/email-protection#c08ba1b2a5aeee93a3a8b2afa5a4a5b280a6a3a3eea7afb6"><span class="__cf_email__" data-cfemail="eba08a998e85c5b8888399848e8f8e99ab8d8888c58c849d">[email protected]</span></a>.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: This is a summary of the Public Notice, DA
21-1240, CG Docket No. 17-59, released on October 1, 2021. The full
text of this document is available online at <a href="https://www.fcc.gov/document/fcc-announces-interim-usage-charges-reassigned-numbers-data">https://www.fcc.gov/document/fcc-announces-interim-usage-charges-reassigned-numbers-data</a>.
To request this document in accessible formats for people with
disabilities (e.g., Braille, large print, electronic files, audio
format) or to request reasonable accommodations (e.g., accessible
format documents, sign language interpreters, CART), send an email to
<a href="/cdn-cgi/l/email-protection#9afcf9f9afaaaedafcf9f9b4fdf5ec"><span class="__cf_email__" data-cfemail="f0969393c5c0c4b0969393de979f86">[email protected]</span></a> or call the FCC's Consumer and Governmental Affairs
Bureau at (202) 418-0530 (voice).
Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 Analysis
This document does not contain any new or modified information
collection requirements subject to the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995,
Public Law 104-13. It, therefore, does not contain any new or modified
information collection burden for small business concerns with fewer
than 25 employees, pursuant to the Small Business Paperwork Relief Act
of 2002, Public Law 107-198, see 44 U.S.C. 3506(c)(4).
Synopsis
1. In this document, the Consumer and Governmental Affairs Bureau
(Bureau) announces the initial interim usage charges for subscriptions
to the Reassigned Numbers Database (Database or RND). After a
successful beta test, the Database was available for full use on
November 1, 2021.
2. Subscription Tiers and Rates. The RND will offer six
subscription tiers: Extra Small, Small, Medium, Large, Extra Large, and
Jumbo, as summarized in the table below and further detailed in the
Appendix. Those wishing to use the RND may sign up for a one-month
subscription, a three-month subscription, or a six-month subscription.
The RND Administrator (Administrator) expects to offer an annual
subscription option in the future, as well.
[[Page 61078]]
[GRAPHIC] [TIFF OMITTED] TR05NO21.035
3. The interim tiers and usage charges are the same regardless of
whether the subscriber is a caller or a caller agent. Caller agents may
register for a tier based on the aggregate number of queries needed for
all of their clients, potentially allowing caller agents to register
for a higher tier (and thus pay a lower charge per query) than their
individual clients would use on their own.
4. Other Usage Charge Features. Under the interim usage charge
model, if a subscriber exhausts its queries before the end of the
subscription term, it has three options:
<bullet> Buy a new subscription. After using all the queries in the
original subscription, the caller may purchase a new subscription. The
new subscription would begin a new term (one-month, three-month, or
six-month, depending on the option the subscriber selects).
<bullet> Upgrade to a higher tier. The subscriber has the option to
pay the difference between the original tier and a new, higher tier, to
increase the number of queries available, while keeping the original
subscription term the same.
<bullet> Top off the subscription. The subscriber has the option to
pay 10% of the usage charge of the subscription to receive 10% more
queries, while keeping the original subscription term the same.
5. Basis for the Interim Usage Charges. The interim usage charges
are based on the Administrator's recommendation guidance, consistent
with the Advanced Methods to Target and Eliminate Unlawful Robocalls,
Second Report and Order, 84 FR 11226, March 26, 2019, 33 FCC Rcd 12024,
12025 (2018); the contract's Performance Work Statement; and a
recommendation from the North American Numbering Council. In addition,
the Administrator obtained some information from the volume of queries
entered by users of the Database during the RND beta test.
6. Adjustments to the Interim Usage Charges. The Commission
required the Administrator to provide monthly analyses of the impacts
of the interim usage charge structure. The Administrator may adjust the
usage charges, including the number of tiers, the number of queries in
the tiers, and the charge for each tier, on a monthly basis with
approval of the Commission. The Bureau welcomes feedback via telephone
or email to the Administrator. Contact information for the
Administrator is located on the support page of the RND website, found
at <a href="https://www.reassigned.us/support">https://www.reassigned.us/support</a>.
7. The Administrator will post notice of changes to the interim
usage charges on the RND website (<a href="https://wwww.reassigned.us">https://wwww.reassigned.us</a>) two weeks
before they go into effect. Registered subscribers will receive notice
of changes to the interim usage charges before their subscription ends
as part of the RND renewal notification process.
8. The Bureau anticipates that the Commission may commence a
proceeding to establish a more permanent rate structure that would go
into effect no sooner than January 1, 2023. The Bureau acknowledges
that this is a unique scenario. Given the lack of data available,
despite prior attempts to obtain it from commenters, and the inability
to accurately predict the correct usage charges over an extended period
without making the Database available to users, combined with the
commitment to setting a usage charge that will encourage Database
usage, the Bureau has determined that the best course forward is to set
these interim usage charges and adjust them as the Administrator
collects data throughout the first year of the Database's operation.
Users of the Database have the ability to give continuous feedback to
the Administrator as the Bureau works through setting the usage charge
structure for the RND.
9. Ex Parte Rules. The Bureau encourages users of the Database to
provide feedback on usage charges directly to the Administrator. These
communications are not subject to ex parte restrictions. However, if
interested parties desire to make presentations to bureau staff on
matters concerning the Database and usage charges, this proceeding
shall be treated as a ``permit-but-disclose'' proceeding in accordance
with the Commission's ex parte rules. Persons making ex parte
presentations must file a copy of any written presentation or a
memorandum summarizing any oral presentations within two business days
after the presentations (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 Sec.
1.1206(b). In proceedings governed by rule Sec. 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
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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 the proceeding should familiarize
themselves with the Commission's ex parte rules. The Administrator is
exempt from the ex parte requirements. This exemption is necessary to
allow the Administrator to engage in the frequent and close
communications with Commission staff needed to exercise their
administrative functions efficiently.
10. People with Disabilities. To request materials in accessible
formats for people with disabilities (Braille, large print, electronic
files, audio format), send email to <a href="/cdn-cgi/l/email-protection#b3d5d0d0868387f3d5d0d09dd4dcc5"><span class="__cf_email__" data-cfemail="472124247277730721242469202831">[email protected]</span></a> or call the Consumer
and Governmental Affairs Bureau at 202-418-0530 (voice).
11. Additional Information. For further information regarding the
Public Notice, please contact Karen Schroeder, Associate Division
Chief, Consumer Policy Division, Consumer and Governmental Affairs
Bureau at (202) 418-0654 or via email at <a href="/cdn-cgi/l/email-protection#9bd0fae9fef5b5c8f8f3e9f4fefffee9dbfdf8f8b5fcf4ed"><span class="__cf_email__" data-cfemail="e4af8596818acab7878c968b81808196a4828787ca838b92">[email protected]</span></a>.
12. Applicability Date. Good cause exists for making the interim
usage charges in this document applicable upon publication of this
document in the Federal Register, except as to those who have actual
notice of the interim usage charges and choose to purchase a
subscription for the Database prior to publication.
13. The Database was available for use on November 1, 2021.
Providing a 30-day period after Federal Register publication before the
interim usage charges in this document become applicable isn't
necessary because the Database is now available. There is good cause to
make these usage charges applicable upon Federal Register publication
for the Administrator to collect subscription payments. Additionally,
these interim usage charges became effective immediately for Database
users who have actual notice of the charges and have purchased a
subscription to the Database prior to Federal Register publication. For
these reasons, and because participation in the RND is voluntary, there
is good cause, pursuant to section 553(d)(3) of the Administrative
Procedure Act, to make the interim usage charges in this document
applicable upon publication in the Federal Register, except as to those
parties with actual notice.
Federal Communications Commission.
Robert Garza,
Legal Advisor, Consumer and Governmental Affairs Bureau, Federal
Communications Commission.
Note: The following appendix will not appear in the Code of
Federal Regulations.
Appendix--RND Subscription Tiers and Usage Charges
[GRAPHIC] [TIFF OMITTED] TR05NO21.036
[FR Doc. 2021-23855 Filed 11-4-21; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6712-01-P
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