[Federal Register Volume 63, Number 208 (Wednesday, October 28, 1998)]
[Notices]
[Pages 57686-57688]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 98-28770]
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FEDERAL COMMUNICATIONS COMMISSION
Notice of Public Information Collection(s) Being Reviewed by the
Federal Communications Commission
October 20, 1998.
SUMMARY: The Federal Communications Commissions, as part of its
continuing effort to reduce paperwork burden invites the general public
and other Federal agencies to take this opportunity to comment on the
following information collection, as required by the Paperwork
Reduction Act of 1995, Pub. L. 104-13. An agency 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
Paperwork Reduction Act (PRA) that does not display a valid control
number. Comments are requested concerning (a) 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; (b) the accuracy of the Commission's
burden estimate; (c) ways to enhance the quality, utility, and clarity
of the information collected; and (d) 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.
DATES: Persons wishing to comment on this information collection should
submit comments December 28, 1998. 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 comments to Les Smith, Federal Communications
Commissions, Room 234, 1919 M St., NW, Washington, DC 20554 or via
internet to lesmith@fcc.gov.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: For additional information or copies
of the information collections contact Les Smith at 202-418-0217 or via
internet at lesmith@fcc.gov.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
OMB Control Number: 3060-0384.
Title: Annual Auditor's Certification--Section 64.904.
Form Number: N/A.
Type of Review: Extension of a currently approved collection.
Respondents: Business or other for-profit entities.
Number of Respondents: 19.
Estimated Time Per Response: 500 hours (avg.).
Frequency of Response: Annual.
Total Annual Burden: 9,500 hours.
Estimated Cost to Respondents: $11,400,000.
Needs and Uses: Local exchange carriers required to file cost
allocation manuals must have performed annually, by an independent
auditor, an audit that provides a positive option on whether the
applicable data shown in the carrier's annual report presents fairly
the information of the carrier required to be set forth in accordance
with the carrier's cost allocation manual, the Commission's Joint Cost
Orders, and applicable Commission rules in Parts 32 and 64 in force as
of the date of the auditor's reports. This requirement assists the
Commission in effectively carrying out its responsibilities.
OMB Control Number: 3060-0484.
Title: Amendment of Part 63 of the Commission's Rules to Provide
for Notification of Common Carriers of Service Disruptions--Section
63.100.
Form Number: N/A.
Type of Review: Extension of a currently approved collection.
Respondents: Business or other for-profit entities.
Number of Respondents: 208.
Estimated Time Per Response: 5 hours (avg.).
Frequency of Response: On occasion reporting requirements.
Total Annual Burden: 1,040 hours.
Estimated Cost to Respondents: None.
Needs and Uses: 47 CFR Section 63.100 requires that any local
exchange or interexchange common carrier that operates transmission or
switching facilities and provides access service or interstate or
international telecommunications service that experiences an outage on
any facilities which it owns or operates must notify the Commission if
such service outage continues for 30 minutes or more. An initial and a
final report are required for each outage. Local exchange or
interexchange common carriers or competitive access providers that
operate either transmission or switching facilities and provide access
service or interstate or international telecommunications service must
report outages that affect 30,000 or more customers or that affect
special facilities, and report fire-related incidents impacting 1,000
or more lines. With such reports the FCC can monitor and take effective
action to ensure network reliability.
OMB Control Number: 3060-0421.
Title: New Service Reporting Requirements Under Price Cap
Regulation.
Form Number: N/A.
Type of Review: Extension of a currently approved collection.
Respondents: Businesses or other for profit entities.
Number of Respondents: 16.
Estimated Time Per Response: 20 hours (avg.).
Frequency of Response: Annually.
Total Annual Burden: 320 hours.
Estimated Cost to Respondents: None.
Needs and Uses: Price cap carriers filing new service tariffs are
subject to an annual reporting requirement which commences six months
after initiation of new services. The net revenue data report is useful
to the public and the Commission in determining the reasonableness of
rates for new services. These reports are used to compare actual
operating results with projections.
OMB Control Number: 3060-0687.
Title: Access to Telecommunications Equipment and Services by
Persons with Disabilities, CC Docket No. 87-124.
Form Number: N/A.
Type of Review: Extension of a currently approved collection.
Respondents: Businesses or other for profit entities.
Number of Respondents: 806,100.
Estimated Time Per Response: 2.028 hours (avg.).
Frequency of Response: On occasion reporting requirements; Third
party disclosure.
Total Annual Burden: 1,635,000 hours.
Estimated Cost to Respondents: $638,500.
Needs and Uses: The Commission requires that telephones with
electro-magnetic coil hearing aid compatibility be stamped with the
letters HAC. Section 68.112(b)(3)(E) requires that employers with
fifteen or more employees provide emergency telephones for use by
employees with hearing disabilities and that the employers
``designate'' such telephones for emergency use. Section 68.224(a)
requires a notice to be contained on the surface of the packaging of a
non-hearing aid compatible telephone that the telephone is not hearing
aid compatible. The requirements were
[[Page 57687]]
implemented to assist the Commission in carrying out its
responsibilities.
OMB Control Number: 3060-0804.
Title: Universal Service--Health Care Providers Universal Service
Program.
Form Numbers: FCC Form 465, FCC Form 466, FCC Form 467, and FCC
Form 468.
Type of Review: Extension of a currently approved collection.
Respondents: Businesses or other for profit entities; Not for
profit institutions.
Number of Respondents: 73,000 (Form 465: 12,000; Form 466: 15,000;
Form 467: 12,000; and Form 468: 34,000).
Estimated Time Per Response: Form 465: 2.5 hours; Form 466: 1.5
hours; Form 467: 1.5 hours; and Form 468: 1.5 hours.
Frequency of Response: On occasion reporting requirements.
Total Annual Burden: 121,500 hours (Form 465: 30,000 hours; Form
466: 22,500 hours; Form 467: 18,000 hours; and Form 468: 51,000 hours).
Estimated Cost to Respondents: None.
Needs and Uses: The Commission adopted rules providing support for
all telecommunications services, limited distance charges, and Internet
access for all eligible health care providers. Health care providers
who want to participate in the universal service program must file the
following forms. FCC Form 465 to request eligible services; FCC Form
466 to certify that the most cost effective method of providing the
services has been requested; FCC Form 467 to confirm the receipt of the
requested services; and FCC Form 468 to ensure that the proper amount
of universal service support has been calculated. All the information
is used to administer the universal service health care program.
OMB Control Number: 3060-0540.
Title: Tariff Filing Requirements for Nondominant Common Carriers.
Form Number: N/A.
Type of Review: Extension of a currently approved collection.
Respondents: Businesses or other for-profit entities.
Number of Respondents: 2,000.
Estimated Time Per Response: 10.5 hours (avg.).
Frequency of Response: On occasion reporting.
Total Annual Burden: 21,000 hours.
Estimated Cost to Respondents: $1,130,000.
Needs and Uses: Domestic nondominant carriers must file tariffs
pursuant to 47 U.S.C. Section 203; implementing regulations are found
at 47 CFR Sections 61.20-61.23. The information collected pursuant to
the nondominant tariff filing rules is used to comply with Section 203
of the Communications Act of 1934, as amended, which requires that
carriers file schedules indicating the rates, terms, and conditions of
their service offerings. The information collected pursuant to the
tariff filing requirements is used by the Commission to determine
whether the rates, terms, and conditions of service offered are just
and reasonable as the Act requires. These tariff filing requirements
enable the Commission and the public to ensure that the service
offerings of communications common carriers comply with the
requirements of the Act.
OMB Control Number: 3060-0856.
Title: Universal Service--Schools and Libraries Universal Service
program Reimbursement Forms.
Form Number: FCC Form 472, FCC Form 473, and FCC Form 474.
Type of Review: Extension of a currently approved collection.
Respondents: Businesses or other for-profit entities.
Number of Respondents: 61,800 (Form 472: 50,000; Form 473: 9,300;
and Form 474: 2,500).
Estimated Time Per Response: Form 472: 1.5 hours; Form 473: 1.0
hours; and Form 474: 1.5 hours.
Frequency of Response: Annually; On occasion reporting
requirements.
Total Annual Burden: 88,050 hours (Form 472: 75,000 hours; Form
473: 9,300 hours; and Form 474: 3,750 hours).
Estimated Cost to Respondents: None.
Needs and Uses: The Commission adopted rules providing universal
service support for all telecommunications services, Internet access,
and internal connections for all eligible schools and libraries. The
Telecommunications Act of 1996 contemplates that discounts on eligible
services shall be provided to schools and libraries, and that service
providers shall seek reimbursement for the amount of the discounts.
FCC Form 472--Billed Entity Applicant Reimbursement Form. The
information to be collected in the Billed Entity Applicant
Reimbursement Form is necessary to enable the fund administrator, the
SLC, to pay universal service support to service providers who provide
discounted services to eligible schools, libraries, and consortia of
those entities. The information is to be collected from each Form 471
Billed Entity Applicant (Applicant) that received a funding Commitment
Decisions Letter from the administrator and filed a Form 486 to
indicate the applicant intended to prepare and submit to the SLC an
invoice for reimbursement. The information to be collected on the
Billed Entity Applicant Reimbursement Form should be completed by an
applicant to seek reimbursement for payments on approved services and/
or products delivered to the applicant from the actual service start
date, as reported in the applicant's Form 486 Column (E), through no
later than December 31, 1998. This information is necessary to identify
the amount of the discounts due and owing from the service provider to
the applicant, so that the service provider may reimburse this amount
to the applicant.
FCC Form 473--Submission of Service Provider Annual Certification
Form. The Service Provider Annual Certification Form is to be submitted
by each service provider or vendor, hereinafter collectively referred
to as service providers, that was assigned a service provider
identification number (SPIN) by the Universal Service Administrative
Company (USAC) and that participates in the universal service support
mechanism for schools and libraries. The purpose of the Annual
Certification Form is to confirm that, for each Invoice Form submitted
by the service provider, the Invoice form is in compliance with the
FCC's rules governing the schools and libraries universal service
support mechanism, and the Invoice Form is true, accurate, and
complete. FCC Form 474--Submission of Service Provider Invoice Form.
The Service Provider Invoice Form is to be used by all service
providers or vendors, hereinafter collectively referred to as service
providers, who were assigned a SPIN by the USAC and participate in the
universal service support mechanism for schools and libraries. The
purpose of the Invoice Form is for the service provider/vendor to seek
reimbursement for the cost of discounts. The information to be
collected on the Service Provider Invoice Form must be received by the
SLC before a service provider participating in the universal service
program for schools and libraries can receive payment for the
discounted portion of its bill for eligible services to eligible
entities. All of the information collected is used to administer the
universal service schools and libraries program.
OMB Control Number: 3060-0843.
Title: Carrier Identification Codes Blocking Data Request.
Form Number: N/A.
Type of Review: Extension of a currently approved collection.
Respondents: Business or other for-profit entities.
Number of Respondents: 6.
[[Page 57688]]
Estimated Time Per Response: 8 hours (avg.).
Frequency of Response: One-time requirement.
Total Annual Burden: 48 hours.
Estimated Cost to Respondents: None.
Needs and Uses: The five regional Bell Operating Companies and GTE
are required to submit reports to the Common Carrier Bureau describing
their progress in phasing out three-digit Carrier Identification codes
(CICs). This data are critical to the general and specific
implementation and oversight responsibilities that the Commission bears
under the Communications Act to evaluate the status of development of
competition in the provision of local exchange telecommunications
services. The data request will be used to evaluate the status of
developing competition in the long distance telecommunications markets.
The information will be used by the Commission to determine whether the
phase-out of three-digit CICs is being implemented.
OMB Control Number: 3060-0816.
Title: Local Competition in the Local Exchange Telecommunications
Services Report.
Form Number: N/A.
Type of Review: Extension of a currently approved collection.
Respondents: Business or other for-profit entities.
Number of Respondents: 20.
Estimated Time Per Response: 900 hours (avg.).
Frequency of Response: Quarterly; On occasion reporting
requirements.
Total Annual Burden: 18,000 hours.
Estimated Cost to Respondents: None.
Needs and Uses: The Telecommunications Act of 1996 directed the
Commission to undertake various initiatives to implement new statutory
directives concerning the development of local exchange competition.
Central to these directives are new Section 251, governing incumbent
local exchange carrier (LEC) provision of interconnection to
competitors, and new Section 271 which provides a means whereby Bell
Operating Companies (BOCs)--long prohibited from entering various
telecommunications markets--may now do so upon submission of qualifying
applications. Pursuant to its new statutory obligations and in its
general capacity as chief federal regulatory agency tasked with
implementing the 1996 Communications Act amendments, the Commission
must evaluate the status and development--nationwide--of local
competition, i.e., competition in the provision of local exchange
telecommunications services. Certain companies were asked to
voluntarily submit information to the Commission to evaluate the status
and development of developing competition in the local exchange
telecommunications markets. The request is limited to technical queries
about the nature and extent of carrier-provided access facilities;
switch ports and non-switched service lines; number of customers
purchasing specific services; state operations data; total carrier-
handled switched local, intrastate toll, and interstate toll minutes;
and number of local telephone numbers ported as of end-of-year 1997.
The information is used by Commission economists and carrier analysts
to advise the Commission about the efficacy of Commission rules and
policies adopted to implement the Telecommunications Act of 1996.
OMB Control Number: 3060-0853.
Title: Receipt of Service Confirmation Form--Universal Service for
Schools and Libraries.
Form Number: FCC Form 486.
Type of Review: Extension of a currently approved collection.
Respondents: Business or other for-profit entities.
Number of Respondents: 30,000.
Estimated Time Per Response: 1.5 hours (avg.)
Frequency of Response: On occasion reporting requirements.
Total Annual Burden: 45,000 hours.
Estimated Cost to Respondents: None.
Needs and Uses: The Commission adopted rules providing support for
all telecommunications services, Internet access, and internal
connections for all eligible schools and libraries. To participate in
the program schools and libraries must confirm that they are actually
receiving the services eligible for support. FCC Form 486, Receipt of
Service Confirmation Form, is used by all billed entities who filed a
FCC Form 471 on behalf of an eligible school, library, library
consortium, or consortium of multiple entities, to inform the SLC when
they begin receiving or have received service from the service
provider. The FCC Form 486 is also used to confirm that technology
plans of entities receiving universal service support pursuant to an
SLC-approved funding commitment have been approved, indicating that the
eligible entities applying for universal service support have a plan in
place to utilize the services for which they have contracted, and to
indicate the name of the authorized reviewing body, contact name, and
contact telephone number. The FCC Form 486 is used to implement the
congressional mandate for universal service.
Federal Communications Commisison.
Magalie Roman Salas,
Secretary.
[FR Doc. 98-28770 Filed 10-27-98; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6712-01-P
