Information Collection 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 (PRA) of 1995, the Federal Communications Commission (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 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

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<title>Federal Register, Volume 91 Issue 200 (Monday, October 19, 2026)</title>
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[Federal Register Volume 91, Number 200 (Monday, October 19, 2026)]
[Notices]
[Pages 66148-66149]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [<a href="http://www.gpo.gov">www.gpo.gov</a>]
[FR Doc No: 2026-21328]


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FEDERAL COMMUNICATIONS COMMISSION

[OMB 3060-1272; FR ID 372596]


Information Collection Being Reviewed by the Federal 
Communications Commission

AGENCY: Federal Communications Commission.

ACTION: Notice; 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 (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 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 
18, 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#a7f7f5e6e7c1c4c489c0c8d1"><span class="__cf_email__" data-cfemail="8adad8cbcaece9e9a4ede5fc">[email&#160;protected]</span></a> and to <a href="/cdn-cgi/l/email-protection#3172504559481f66585d5d58505c42715752521f565e47"><span class="__cf_email__" data-cfemail="8ccfedf8e4f5a2dbe5e0e0e5ede1ffcceaefefa2ebe3fa">[email&#160;protected]</span></a>.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: For additional information or copies 
of 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: 3060-1272.
    Title: 3.7 GHz Band Space Station Operator Transition Plans; 3.7 
GHz Band Incumbent Earth Station Lump Sum Payment Elections.
    Form Number: N/A.
    Type of Review: Extension of a currently approved information 
collection.
    Respondents: Business or other for-profit entities.
    Estimated Number of Respondents and Responses: 3,003 respondents 
and 3,003 responses.
    Estimated Time per Response: 2,720 hours per eligible space station 
transition plan; 32 hours per incumbent earth station lump sum payment 
election.
    Frequency of Response: One-time reporting requirement.

[[Page 66149]]

    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), and 309 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), and 309.
    Estimated Total Annual Burden: 104,160 hours.
    Total Annual Costs: $540,000.
    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 Federal Communications 
Commission (Commission) adopted a Report and Order, FCC 26-46 (Upper C-
band R&O) in which it reformed 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, 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 calls for 
the relocation of existing FSS operations in the 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 statutory mandate in the One 
Big Beautiful Bill Act, Public Law 119-21, section 40002(b)(2).
    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. The December 
30 deadline applies to the top 75 Partial Economic Areas (PEAs) and 
aligns with the Federal Aviation Administration's first deadline to 
retrofit aircraft radio altimeters. The June 30 deadline applies to all 
other areas.
    The Commission concluded in the Upper C-band R&O that, before the 
public auction of new licenses commences, it is appropriate for 
potential bidders to: (1) know when they will get access to the 
spectrum in the 3.98-4.14 GHz portion of the C-band that is currently 
occupied by incumbent FSS space station operators and earth stations; 
and (2) have an estimate of how much they may be required to pay for 
incumbent relocation costs and incentive payments should they become 
Upper C-band wireless licensees. New Upper C-band wireless licensees 
are required to pay for the reasonable and necessary relocation costs 
of incumbent space station and incumbent earth station operators that 
are required to clear the 4.0-4.16 GHz portion of the C-band.
    To facilitate the provision of this information to potential 
auction bidders, the Commission is seeking approval for a modified 
information collection to permit it to collect the following 
information from incumbents as adopted in the Upper C-band R&O:

Transition Plans

    The Upper C-band R&O requires each eligible space station operator 
to submit to the Commission by November 5, 2026, and make available for 
public review, a detailed transition plan describing the necessary 
steps and estimated costs for the eligible space station operator to 
clear its existing operations in the 4.0-4.16 GHz portion of the C-band 
in the contiguous United States and its individual timeline for doing 
so. An eligible space station operator may make changes to its 
transition plan to update certain information or cure any defects that 
may be identified by the Commission or by relevant stakeholders during 
a public comment window.

Incumbent Earth Station Lump Sum Payment Elections

    The Upper C-band R&O provides an incumbent earth station operator 
with the option of: (1) accepting reimbursement payments for its 
reasonable and necessary relocation costs for the transition; or (2) in 
lieu of actual relocation costs, opting out of the formal relocation 
process and accepting a lump sum reimbursement payment for its 
incumbent earth stations on a per-site basis based on the average, 
estimated cost of relocating such incumbent earth stations. The Upper 
C-band R&O directs the Wireless Telecommunications Bureau to announce 
the lump sum that will be available per incumbent earth station as well 
as the process for electing lump sum payments and requires that, no 
later than 60 days after the Wireless Telecommunications Bureau 
announces the lump sum payment amounts, an incumbent earth station 
operator that wishes to receive a lump sum payment make an irrevocable 
lump sum payment election that will apply to such earth stations in the 
contiguous United States.
    This information collection will serve as the starting point for 
planning and managing the process of efficiently and expeditiously 
clearing the 4.0-4.16 GHz portion of the C-band, so that this spectrum 
can be auctioned for flexible-use service licenses.

Federal Communications Commission.
Marlene Dortch,
Secretary, Office of the Secretary.
[FR Doc. 2026-21328 Filed 10-16-26; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6712-01-P


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