Notice2022-06221
Information Collection Being Reviewed by the Federal Communications Commission
Primary source
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
March 24, 2022
Issuing agencies
Federal Communications Commission
Abstract
As part of its continuing effort to reduce paperwork burdens, and as required by the Paperwork Reduction Act (PRA) of 1995, the Federal Communications Commission (FCC or the Commission) invites the general public and other Federal agencies to take this opportunity to comment on the following information collection. Comments are requested concerning: Whether the proposed collection of information is necessary for the proper performance of the functions of the Commission, including whether the information shall have practical utility; the accuracy of the Commission's burden estimate; ways to enhance the quality, utility, and clarity of the information collected; ways to minimize the burden of the collection of information on the respondents, including the use of automated collection techniques or other forms of information technology; and ways to further reduce the information collection burden on small business concerns with fewer than 25 employees. The FCC may not conduct or sponsor a collection of information unless it displays a currently valid control number. No person shall be subject to any penalty for failing to comply with a collection of information subject to the PRA that does not display a valid Office of Management and Budget (OMB) control number.
Full Text
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<title>Federal Register, Volume 87 Issue 57 (Thursday, March 24, 2022)</title>
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[Federal Register Volume 87, Number 57 (Thursday, March 24, 2022)]
[Notices]
[Pages 16731-16733]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [<a href="http://www.gpo.gov">www.gpo.gov</a>]
[FR Doc No: 2022-06221]
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FEDERAL COMMUNICATIONS COMMISSION
[OMB 3060-0986; FR ID #77308]
Information Collection Being Reviewed by the Federal
Communications Commission
AGENCY: Federal Communications Commission.
ACTION: Notice and request for comments.
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SUMMARY: As part of its continuing effort to reduce paperwork burdens,
and as required by the Paperwork Reduction Act (PRA) of 1995, the
Federal Communications Commission (FCC or the Commission) invites the
general public and other Federal agencies to take this opportunity to
comment on the following information collection. Comments are requested
concerning: Whether the proposed collection of information is necessary
for the proper performance of the functions of the Commission,
including whether the information shall have practical utility; the
accuracy of the Commission's burden estimate; ways to enhance the
quality, utility, and clarity of the information collected; ways to
minimize the burden of the collection of information on the
respondents, including the use of automated collection techniques or
other forms of information technology; and ways to further reduce the
information
[[Page 16732]]
collection burden on small business concerns with fewer than 25
employees. The FCC may not conduct or sponsor a collection of
information unless it displays a currently valid control number. No
person shall be subject to any penalty for failing to comply with a
collection of information subject to the PRA that does not display a
valid Office of Management and Budget (OMB) control number.
DATES: Written PRA comments should be submitted on or before May 23,
2022. If you anticipate that you will be submitting comments, but find
it difficult to do so within the period of time allowed by this notice,
you should advise the contact listed below as soon as possible.
ADDRESSES: Direct all PRA comments to Nicole Ongele, FCC, via email
<a href="/cdn-cgi/l/email-protection#8ddddfcccdebeeeea3eae2fb"><span class="__cf_email__" data-cfemail="35656774755356561b525a43">[email protected]</span></a> and to <a href="/cdn-cgi/l/email-protection#6e00070d01020b400100090b020b2e080d0d40090118"><span class="__cf_email__" data-cfemail="325c5b515d5e571c5d5c55575e57725451511c555d44">[email protected]</span></a>.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: For additional information about the
information collection, contact Nicole Ongele, (202) 418-2991.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
OMB Control Number: 3060-0986.
Title: High-Cost Universal Service Support.
Form Number: FCC Form 481 and FCC Form 525.
Type of Review: Revision of a currently approved collection.
Respondents: Business or other for-profit, not-for-profit
institutions and state, local or tribal government.
Number of Respondents and Responses: 2,229 respondents; 13,804
responses.
Estimated Time per Response: 0.1-15 hours.
Frequency of Response: On occasion, quarterly and annual reporting
requirements, recordkeeping requirement and third-party disclosure
requirement.
Obligation to Respond: Required to obtain or retain benefits.
Statutory authority for this information collection is contained in 47
U.S.C. 151-154, 155, 201-206, 214, 218-220, 251, 252, 254, 256, 303(r),
332, 403, 405, 410, and 1302.
Total Annual Burden: 50,857 hours.
Total Annual Cost: No Cost.
Privacy Act Impact Assessment: No impact(s).
Nature and Extent of Confidentiality: The Federal Communications
Commission (Commission) notes that the Universal Service Administrative
Company (USAC or Administrator) must preserve the confidentiality of
all data obtained from respondents and contributors to the universal
service support program mechanism; must not use the data except for
purposes of administering the universal service program; must not use
the data except for purposes of administering the universal support
program; and must not disclose data in company-specific form unless
directed to do so by the Commission. Parties may submit confidential
information in relation pursuant to a protective order. Also,
respondents may request materials or information submitted to the
Commission or to the Administrator believed confidential to be withheld
from public inspection under 47 CFR 0.459 of the FCC's rules.
Needs and Uses: The Commission is requesting the Office of
Management and Budget (OMB) approval for this revised information
collection. On November 18, 2011, the Commission adopted an order
reforming its high-cost universal service support mechanisms. Connect
America Fund; A National Broadband Plan for Our Future; Establish Just
and Reasonable Rates for Local Exchange Carriers; High-Cost Universal
Service Support; Developing a Unified Intercarrier Compensation Regime;
Federal-State Joint Board on Universal Service; Lifeline and Link-Up;
Universal Service Reform--Mobility Fund, WC Docket Nos. 10-90, 07-135,
05-337, 03-109; GN Docket No. 09-51; CC Docket Nos. 01-92, 96-45; WT
Docket No. 10-208, Order and Further Notice of Proposed Rulemaking, 26
FCC Rcd 17663 (2011) (USF/ICC Transformation Order). The Commission and
Wireline Competition Bureau have since adopted a number of orders that
implement the USF/ICC Transformation Order; see also Connect America
Fund et al., WC Docket No. 10-90 et al., Third Order on
Reconsideration, 27 FCC Rcd 5622 (2012); Connect America Fund et al.,
WC Docket No. 10-90 et al., Order, 27 FCC Rcd 605 (Wireline Comp. Bur.
2012); Connect America Fund et al., WC Docket No. 10-90 et al., Fifth
Order on Reconsideration, 27 FCC Rcd 14549 (2012); Connect America Fund
et al., WC Docket No. 10-90 et al., Order, 28 FCC Rcd 2051 (Wireline
Comp. Bur. 2013); Connect America Fund et al., WC Docket No. 10-90 et
al., Order, 28 FCC Rcd 7227 (Wireline Comp. Bur. 2013); Connect America
Fund, WC Docket No. 10-90, Report and Order, 28 FCC Rcd 7766 (Wireline
Comp. Bur. 2013); Connect America Fund, WC Docket No. 10-90, Report and
Order, 28 FCC Rcd 7211 (Wireline Comp. Bur. 2013); Connect America
Fund, WC Docket No. 10-90, Report and Order, 28 FCC Rcd 10488 (Wireline
Comp. Bur. 2013); Connect America Fund et al., WC Docket No. 10-90 et
al., Report and Order, Order and Order on Reconsideration and Further
Notice of Proposed Rulemaking, 31 FCC Rcd 3087 (2016); Connect America
Fund, et al., WC Docket No. 10-90, et al., Report and Order and Further
Notice of Proposed Rulemaking, 31 FCC Rcd 5949 (2016); Connect America
Fund et al., WC Docket Nos. 10-90, 16-271; WT Docket No. 10-208, Report
and Order and Further Notice of Proposed Rulemaking, 31 FCC Rcd 10139
(2016); Connect America Fund; ETC Annual Reports and Certifications, WC
Docket Nos. 10-90, 14-58, Order, 32 FCC Rcd 968 (2017); Connect America
Fund et al., WC Docket No. 10-90 et al., Report and Order, Further
Notice of Proposed Rulemaking, and Order on Reconsideration, 33 FCC Rcd
11893 (2018); Connect America Fund; ETC Annual Reports and
Certifications, WC Docket Nos. 10-90, 14-58, Report and Order, 32 FCC
Rcd 5944 (2017).
In 2019, the Commission adopted an order establishing a separate,
parallel high-cost program for the U.S. territories suffering extensive
infrastructure damage due to Hurricanes Irma and Maria. The Uniendo a
Puerto Rico Fund and the Connect USVI Fund, et al., WC Docket No. 18-
143, et al., Report and Order and Order on Reconsideration, 34 FCC Rcd
9109 (2019) (Puerto Rico and USVI Stage 2 Order). Also, in the 2019
Supply Chain Order, the Commission adopted a rule prohibiting the use
of Universal Service Fund (USF) support, including high-cost universal
service support, to purchase or obtain any equipment or services
produced or provided by a covered company posing a national security
threat to the integrity of communications networks or the
communications supply chain. Protecting Against National Security
Threats to the Communications Supply Chain Through FCC Programs, WC
Docket No. 18-89, Report and Order, Further Notice of Proposed
Rulemaking, and Order, 34 FCC Rcd 11423, 11433, para. 26. See also 47
CFR 54.9.
Through several orders, the Commission has changed, modified, and
eliminated certain reporting obligations for high-cost support. These
changes are outlined in the following:
On January 30, 2020, the Commission adopted an order establishing
the framework for the Rural Digital Opportunity Fund (RDOF), building
on the successful Connect America Fund (CAF) Phase II auction. Rural
Digital Opportunity Fund; Connect America Fund, WC Docket Nos. 19-126
and 10-90, Report and Order, 35 FCC Rcd 686 (2020) (RDOF Order). The
RDOF represents the Commission's single biggest step to close the
digital divide by
[[Page 16733]]
providing up to $20.4 billion to connect millions more rural homes and
small businesses to high-speed broadband networks. In the RDOF Order,
``[t]o ensure that support recipients are meeting their deployment
obligations,'' the Commission ``adopt[ed] essentially the same
reporting requirements for the RDOF that the Commission adopted for the
CAF Phase II auction.'' Id. at 712, para. 56.
In the 2020 Supply Chain Order, the Commission adopted two
additional supply chain rules associated with newly required
certifications. Protecting Against National Security Threats to the
Communications Supply Chain Through FCC Programs, WC Docket No. 18-89,
Second Report and Order, 35 FCC Rcd 14284 (2020) (2020 Supply Chain
Order). First, the Commission adopted a rule, 47 CFR 54.10, to prohibit
the use of a Federal subsidy made available through a program
administered by the Commission that provides funds to be used for the
capital expenditures necessary for the provision of advanced
communications services has been or will be used to purchase, rent,
lease, or otherwise obtain, any covered communications equipment or
service, or maintain any covered communications equipment or service
previously purchased, rented, leased, or otherwise obtained. Second,
the Commission adopted a rule, 47 CFR 54.11, which requires each
eligible telecommunications carrier receiving universal service fund
support to remove and replace all covered communications equipment and
services from their networks, and subsequently certify prior to
receiving a funding commitment or support that it does not use covered
communications equipment or services. The Commission also adopted
procedures, consistent with the Secure and Trusted Communications
Networks Act of 2019 (Pub. L. 116-124), to identify such covered
equipment and services and publish a Covered List. That list was
published March 12, 2021 and will be updated as needed.
In the Rate Floor Repeal Order, the Commission decided to
``eliminate the rate floor and, following a one-year period of
monitoring residential retail rates, eliminate the accompanying
reporting obligations after July 1, 2020.'' Connect America Fund, WC
Docket No. 10-90, Order, 34 FCC Rcd 2621, 2621 para. 2 (2019) (Rate
Floor Repeal Order); see also 47 CFR 54.313(h). As explained in the
Order, the rate floor was ``[i]ntended to guard against artificial
subsidization of rural end user rates significantly below the national
urban average'' but, practically speaking, ``increase[d] the telephone
rates of rural subscribers . . . and individuals living on Tribal
lands.'' Rate Floor Repeal Order, 34 FCC Rcd at 2621 para. 1.
The Commission therefore proposes to revise this information
collection, as well as the Form 481 and its accompanying instructions,
to reflect these modified and eliminated requirements. Finally, the
Commission proposes to increase the respondents associated with
existing reporting requirements to account for additional carriers that
will be subject to those requirements.
Federal Communications Commission.
Marlene Dortch,
Secretary, Office of the Secretary.
[FR Doc. 2022-06221 Filed 3-23-22; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6712-01-P
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