Information Collections Being Reviewed by the Federal Communications Commission

Issuing agencies

Abstract

As part of its continuing effort to reduce paperwork burdens, and as required by the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 (PRA), the Federal Communications Commission (FCC or Commission) invites the general public and other Federal agencies to take this opportunity to comment on the following information collections. 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.

Full Text

<html>
<head>
<title>Federal Register, Volume 91 Issue 192 (Tuesday, October 6, 2026)</title>
</head>
<body><pre>
[Federal Register Volume 91, Number 192 (Tuesday, October 6, 2026)]
[Notices]
[Pages 63557-63560]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [<a href="http://www.gpo.gov">www.gpo.gov</a>]
[FR Doc No: 2026-20486]


-----------------------------------------------------------------------

FEDERAL COMMUNICATIONS COMMISSION

[OMB 3060-1275; OMB 3060-1281; FR ID 370421]


Information Collections Being Reviewed by the Federal 
Communications Commission

AGENCY: Federal Communications Commission.

ACTION: Notice; request for comments.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------

SUMMARY: As part of its continuing effort to reduce paperwork burdens, 
and as required by the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 (PRA), the 
Federal Communications Commission (FCC or Commission) invites the 
general public and other Federal agencies to take this opportunity to 
comment on the following information collections. 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.

DATES: Written PRA comments should be submitted on or before December 
7, 2026. 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 Cathy Williams, FCC, via email to 
<a href="/cdn-cgi/l/email-protection#570705161731343479303821"><span class="__cf_email__" data-cfemail="6f3f3d2e2f090c0c41080019">[email&#160;protected]</span></a> and to <a href="/cdn-cgi/l/email-protection#195a786d7160374e7075757078746a597f7a7a377e766f"><span class="__cf_email__" data-cfemail="f5b694819d8cdba29c99999c949886b5939696db929a83">[email&#160;protected]</span></a>.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: For additional information about the 
information collection, contact Cathy Williams at (202) 418-2918.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 
    The FCC may not conduct or sponsor a collection of information 
unless it displays a currently valid Office of Management and Budget 
(OMB) 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 OMB control number.
    OMB Control Number: 3060-1275.
    Title: Upper C-band Clearinghouse; Upper C-band Relocation 
Coordinator; 3.7 GHz Band Space Station Operators.
    Form Number: N/A.
    Type of Review: Revision of a currently approved information 
collection.
    Respondents: Business or other for-profit entities; Not for profit 
institutions; State, Local or Tribal Government.
    Estimated Number of Respondents and Responses: 16,512 respondents 
and 34,871 responses.
    Estimated Time per Response: 0.5 hours-64 hours.
    Frequency of Response: Recordkeeping requirement; on occasion, 
weekly, monthly, quarterly, semi-annual, and annual reporting 
requirements; third-party disclosure requirement.
    Obligation to Respond: Required to obtain or retain benefits. 
Statutory authority for this information collection is contained in 
sections 1, 2, 4(i), 4(j), 5(c), 201, 302, 303, 304, 307(e), 309, and 
316 of the Communications Act of 1934, as amended, 47 U.S.C. 151, 152, 
154(i), 154(j), 155(c), 201, 302, 303, 304, 307(e), 309, and 316.
    Estimated Total Annual Burden: 123,465 hours.
    Total Annual Costs: $10,705,353.
    Needs and Uses: On July 22, 2026, in furtherance of the goal of 
releasing more mid-band spectrum into the market to support and enable 
next-generation wireless networks, the Commission adopted a Report and 
Order, Order of Proposed Modification, and Order on Reconsideration, 
FCC 26-46 (Upper C-band R&O). The Upper C-band R&O calls for the 
relocation of existing FSS operations in the Upper C-band, making 160 
megahertz (3.98-4.14 GHz) available for flexible-use terrestrial 
wireless service throughout the contiguous United States through a 
Commission-administered public auction of licenses that must be 
completed by July 4, 2027, pursuant to a mandate in the One Big 
Beautiful Bill Act.
    The Commission adopted a robust transition schedule to achieve an 
expeditious clearing and relocation of FSS operations and ensure that a 
significant amount of spectrum is made available quickly for next-
generation

[[Page 63558]]

wireless deployments, while also ensuring effective accommodation of 
relocated incumbent users. Pursuant to the Upper C-band R&O, all 
incumbent FSS operations in the contiguous United States must clear the 
4.0-4.16 GHz portion of the C-band by December 30, 2030, or June 30, 
2031, to ensure a timely transition process.
    To facilitate an efficient transition, the Commission adopted a 
process for reimbursing eligible space station operators for the 
reasonable and necessary costs of the relocation and for offering 
incentive payments in the event of a timely transition. New flexible-
use licensees in the Upper C-band from 3.98-4.14 GHz (Upper C-band 
Licensees) will be required to reimburse eligible space station 
operators, as well as incumbent earth station operators, for their 
reasonable and necessary relocation costs associated with clearing 4.0-
4.16 GHz. Incumbent earth station operators will also have the option 
to elect a lump sum reimbursement option in lieu of actual cost 
reimbursement.
    Upper C-band Licensees must also provide rebates to defined classes 
of eligible aircraft owners and operators to facilitate their 
compliance with the Federal Aviation Administration's radio altimeter 
retrofit requirements. These requirements are designed to foster a 
successful coexistence environment between new Upper C-band wireless 
operations and radio altimeters in the adjacent 4.2-4.4 GHz band. The 
Upper C-band R&O establishes an Upper C-band Clearinghouse to oversee 
the cost-related aspects of the transition, including administration of 
actual cost reimbursement, lump sum, and incentive payments, as well as 
radio altimeter rebates. The Upper C-band R&O also establishes a 
Relocation Coordinator to take actions necessary to facilitate the 
migration of incumbent earth stations to ensure uninterrupted service 
during and following the transition.
    The Commission concluded in the Upper C-band R&O that the Upper C-
band Clearinghouse and Relocation Coordinator are critical to ensuring 
that the band reconfiguration is administered in a fair, transparent 
manner and that the transition occurs as expeditiously as possible. To 
accomplish these goals most effectively, the Commission is seeking 
approval for this revised information collection to collect information 
from the Upper C-band Clearinghouse, the Relocation Coordinator, and 
eligible space station operators, and to allow the Upper C-band 
Clearinghouse and Relocation Coordinator to collect information, as 
described below:

Upper C-Band Clearinghouse

    The Commission concluded in the Upper C-band R&O that an 
independent Upper C-band Clearinghouse is necessary to administer the 
cost-related aspects of the transition in a fair, transparent manner 
and, pursuant to Commission rules and oversight, to mitigate financial 
disputes among stakeholders, and to collect and distribute payments in 
a timely manner. The clearinghouse will be responsible for collecting 
and distributing actual cost reimbursement. lump sum, and incentive 
payments, collecting and distributing radio altimeter retrofit rebate 
payments, auditing incoming and outgoing invoices, mitigating disputes 
among parties, and generally acting as a clearinghouse.
    To that end, the Upper C-band R&O calls for the clearinghouse to 
create and submit the following information: (1) quarterly reports that 
detail the status of reimbursement funds available, the payments 
issued, the amounts collected from the Upper C-band Licensees, and 
similar information for the adjacent band radio altimeter retrofit 
rebates, account for all funds spent in both contexts, and include the 
descriptions of any disputes and the manner in which they were 
resolved; (2) 30 days' notice to Upper C-band Licensees of the 
additional pro-rata shares they must contribute; (3) requests for 
additional documentation from claimants to determine whether their 
claims are reasonable and to ensure they comply with the requirements 
adopted in section 27.1416(a) of the Commission's rules; (4) notice to 
a claimant that the amount sought is unreasonable, and notice of the 
amount the clearinghouse deems eligible for payment; (5) following a 
determination on a reimbursement, lump sum, or rebate claim, invoices 
of approved claims, which it shall issue to each relevant licensee 
indicating the amount to be paid; (6) when referring an unresolved 
issue to the Chief of the Wireless Telecommunications Bureau, the 
entire record on any disputed issues, including such dispositions 
thereof; and (7) prompt notice to Upper C-band Licensees following 
validation of the Certification of Completion set forth in section 
27.1412(b) of the Commission's rules.
    The Upper C-band Clearinghouse will also collect the following 
information from claimants and Upper C-band Licensees, as required by 
the Upper C-band R&O: documentation of claims, including where 
appropriate actual expenses, and objections by parties disputing a cost 
estimate, approved claim invoice, or payment or cost-sharing 
obligation. The clearinghouse will collect payments from Upper C-band 
Licensees to replenish the reimbursement and rebate funds and will 
notify licensees when eligible space station operators' Certifications 
of Completion are validated in connection with incentive payments. 
Finally, the Upper C-band Clearinghouse must file a request with the 
Wireless Telecommunications Bureau to wind down and suspend operations.

Relocation Coordinator

    The Upper C-band R&O sets forth specific obligations, filing 
requirements, and deadlines for eligible space station operators that 
must clear by the Transition Deadlines in order to ensure that 
incumbent earth station operators, other C-band satellite customers, 
and prospective Upper C-band Licensees are adequately informed and 
accommodated throughout the transition.
    The Commission found that making each eligible space station 
operator responsible for its clearing obligations would promote an 
efficient and effective transition process. Nevertheless, in light of 
the complicated interdependencies involves in transitioning incumbent 
earth station operations out of 4.0-4.16 GHz, as well as the extensive 
number of incumbent earth stations, the Commission determined that a 
Relocation Coordinator is necessary to ensure that all eligible space 
station operators relocate in a timely manner.
    The Relocation Coordinator will be responsible for performing 
several duties, which include:
    (1) coordinating the schedule for clearing the band; (2) performing 
engineering analysis, as necessary, to determine necessary earth 
station migration actions; (3) assigning obligations, as necessary, for 
earth station migrations; (4) coordinating with the Upper C-band 
Licensees throughout the transition process; (5) assessing and tracking 
the completion of the transition in each PEA and determining the Upper 
C-band wireless licensees' ability to commence operations; and (6) 
mediating scheduling disputes. In short, the Relocation Coordinator may 
establish a timeline and take actions necessary to migrate incumbent 
earth stations to ensure uninterrupted service during and following the 
transition.
    Accordingly, the Upper C-band R&O requires that the Relocation 
Coordinator create, collect, and/or provide the following: (1) 
financial information as requested by the Wireless Telecommunications 
Bureau to satisfy the Commission's oversight

[[Page 63559]]

responsibilities and/or agency specific/government-wide reporting 
obligations; (2) receive and review the Transition Plans filed by all 
eligible space station operators and recommend any changes to those 
plans to the Commission to the extent needed to ensure a timely 
transition; (3) receive notice from incumbent earth station operators 
or other satellite customers of any disputes related to comparability 
of facilities, workmanship, or preservation of service during the 
transition, which it shall notify to the Wireless Telecommunications 
Bureau and provide recommendation for resolution; (4) status reports on 
the overall status of clearing efforts, on a quarterly basis, beginning 
after the Wireless Telecommunications Bureau confirms its selection; 
and (5) additional information requested by the Wireless 
Telecommunications Bureau.
    Each eligible space station operator shall be eligible to appoint 
one member to a selection committee that will seek proposals for an 
entity with technical experience in understanding and working on earth 
stations to serve as a Relocation Coordinator. The committee should 
proceed by consensus; however, if a vote on selection of a Relocation 
Coordinator is required, it shall be by a majority. In the event that 
the search committee fails to select a Relocation Coordinator and to 
notify the Commission by January 1, 2027, the search committee will be 
dissolved without further action by the Commission, and the Commission 
will initiate a procurement of a Relocation Coordinator to facilitate 
the transition.

Eligible Space Station Operators

    The Upper C-band R&O establishes rules to transition incumbent FSS 
C-band users out of 4.0-4.16 GHz. The Commission's approach requires 
eligible space station operators to lead this transition process and, 
if they complete the requisite clearing process by each Transition 
Deadline, they will become eligible for incentive payments. To this 
end, the Commission requires the following information from each 
eligible space station operator: (1) status of its clearing efforts on 
a quarterly basis, beginning March 31, 2027; (2) a timely Certification 
of Completion that certifies it has completed the necessary clearing 
actions to satisfy the relevant Transition Deadline. The certification 
must be filed once the eligible space station operator completes its 
obligations but no later than the relevant Transition Deadline 
referenced in section 27.1412(a) of the Commission's rules. The 
Wireless Telecommunications Bureau will prescribe the form of such 
certification; and (3) notice of any incumbent earth station transition 
delays, which must be submitted to the Wireless Telecommunications 
Bureau within seven days of discovering an inability to accomplish the 
assigned earth station transition task. Such a request must include 
supporting documentation to allow for resolution as soon as practicable 
and must be submitted before the relevant Transition Deadline.
    OMB Control Number: 3060-1281.
    Title: 3.7 GHz Service Licensee and Earth Station Operator 
Agreements; 3.7 GHz Service Licensee Engineering Analysis.
    Form Number: N/A.
    Type of Review: Revision of a currently approved information 
collection.
    Respondents: Business or other for-profit entities; Not for profit 
institutions; State, Local or Tribal Government.
    Estimated Number of Respondents and Responses: 30 respondents and 
30 responses.
    Estimated Time per Response: 2 hours-5 hours.
    Frequency of Response: Recordkeeping requirement; on occasion 
reporting requirement; third-party disclosure requirement.
    Obligation to Respond: Required to obtain or retain benefits. 
Statutory authority for this information collection is contained in 
sections 1, 2, 4(i), 4(j), 5(c), 201, 302, 303, 304, 307(e), 309, and 
316 of the Communications Act of 1934, as amended, 47 U.S.C. 151, 152, 
154(i), 154(j), 155(c), 201, 302, 303, 304, 307(e), 309, and 316.
    Estimated Total Annual Burden: 120 hours.
    Total Annual Costs: No costs.
    Needs and Uses: On February 28, 2020, in furtherance of the goal of 
releasing more mid-band spectrum into the market to support and enable 
next-generation wireless networks, the Commission adopted a Report and 
Order, FCC 20-22 (3.7 GHz Report and Order), in which it reallocated 
the use of the 3.7-4.2 GHz band, also known as the C-band. Prior to the 
3.7 GHz Report and Order, the 3.7-4.2 GHz band was allocated in the 
United States exclusively for non-Federal use on a primary basis for 
Fixed Satellite Service (FSS) and Fixed Service. Domestically, space 
station operators used the entire 3.7-4.2 GHz band to provide downlink 
signals of various bandwidths to licensed transmit-receive, registered 
receive-only, and unregistered receive-only earth stations throughout 
the United States.
    The 3.7 GHz Report and Order called for the relocation of existing 
FSS operations in the band into the upper 200 megahertz of the band 
(4.0-4.2 GHz) and made available the lower 280 megahertz (3.7-3.98 GHz) 
for flexible use terrestrial wireless services throughout the 
contiguous United States through a Commission-administered public 
auction of overlay licenses. The Commission adopted a robust transition 
schedule to facilitate the prompt relocation of FSS operations so that 
a significant amount of spectrum could be made available quickly for 
next-generation wireless deployments.
    On July 22, 2026, once again in furtherance of the goal of 
releasing more mid-band spectrum into the market to support and enable 
next-generation wireless networks, the Commission adopted a Report and 
Order, FCC 26-46 (Upper C-band R&O), in which it further reallocated 
the use of the 4.0-4.2 GHz portion of the C-Band. The 4.0-4.2 GHz band 
currently is allocated in the United States exclusively for non-Federal 
use on a primary basis for Fixed Satellite Service (FSS) and Fixed 
Service. Domestically, eligible space station operators use the 4.0-4.2 
GHz band to provide downlink signals of various bandwidths to licensed 
transmit-receive, registered receive-only, and unregistered receive-
only earth stations throughout the United States.
    The Upper C-band R&O again calls for the relocation of existing FSS 
operations in the C-band, making an additional 160 megahertz (3.98-4.14 
GHz) available for flexible-use terrestrial wireless service throughout 
the contiguous United States through a Commission-administered public 
auction of licenses that must be completed by July 4, 2027, pursuant to 
a mandate in the One Big Beautiful Bill Act. As before, the Commission 
adopted a robust transition schedule to achieve an expeditious clearing 
and relocation of FSS operations and ensure that a significant amount 
of spectrum is made available quickly for next-generation wireless 
deployments, while also ensuring effective accommodation of relocated 
incumbent users. Pursuant to the Upper C-band R&O, all incumbent FSS 
operations in the contiguous United States must clear the 4.0-4.16 GHz 
portion of the C-band by December 30, 2030, or June 30, 2031, to ensure 
a timely transition process. Some residual incumbent FSS links or 
services will remain in the 4.16-4.2 GHz portion of the band, while 
others will be relocated to other spectrum bands.
    In both the 3.7 GHz Report and Order and Upper C-band R&O, the 
Commission concluded that, once the transitions are complete, 
coordination measures are needed to protect any incumbent FSS 
operations that remain in the C-band. To accomplish this goal

[[Page 63560]]

most effectively, the Commission is seeking approval for a revised 
information collection to collect information from existing and new 3.7 
GHz Service licensees as described below:

3.7 GHz Service Licensee and Earth Station Operator Agreements--(47 CFR 
27.1424)

    The Commission determined that 3.7 GHz Service licensees are 
required to comply with certain technical rules and coordination 
practices designed to reduce the risk of interference to incumbent 
operations. Specifically, 3.7 GHz Service licensees are required to 
comply with specific power flux density (PFD) limits to protect 
incumbent earth stations from out-of-band emissions and blocking and to 
coordinate frequency usage with incumbent Telemetry, Tracking, and 
Command (TT&C) earth stations. The 3.7 GHz Report and Order and the 
Upper C-band R&O allow 3.7 GHz Service licensees and FSS C-Band earth 
station operators to modify these PFD limits, but they require a 3.7 
GHz Service licensee that is a party to such an agreement to maintain a 
copy of the agreement in its station files and disclose it, upon 
request, to prospective license assignees, transferees, or spectrum 
lessees, and to the Commission. This information collection promotes 
safety of operations in the band and ensures that all relevant 
stakeholders have access to important coordination and technical 
aspects of the transition.

3.7 GHz Service Licensee Engineering Analysis--(3.7 GHz Report and 
Order at Paragraph 384, Upper C-Band R&O at Paragraph 86)

    The Commission concluded in the 3.7 GHz Report and Order and the 
Upper C-band R&O that 3.7 GHz Service licensees shall be required, 
post-transition, to comply with certain rules to coordinate operations, 
minimize interference, and protect C-band incumbents. To that end, the 
3.7 GHz Report and Order and the Upper C-band R&O required any 3.7 GHz 
Service licensee with base stations located within the appropriate 
coordination distance to provide upon request an engineering analysis 
to the TT&C operator to demonstrate their ability to comply with the 
applicable -6 dB I/N criteria.

Federal Communications Commission.
Marlene Dortch,
Secretary, Office of the Secretary.
[FR Doc. 2026-20486 Filed 10-5-26; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6712-01-P


</pre><script data-cfasync="false" src="/cdn-cgi/scripts/5c5dd728/cloudflare-static/email-decode.min.js"></script></body>
</html>