01-28683. Public Information Collections Approved by Office of Management and Budget

November 6, 2001.

The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) has received Office of Management and Budget (OMB) approval for the following public information collections pursuant to the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, Public Law 104-13. An agency may not conduct or sponsor and a person is not required to respond to a collection of information unless it displays a currently valid control number. For further information contact Shoko B. Hair, Federal Communications Commission, [phone].

Federal Communications Commission

OMB Control No.: 3060-0997.

Expiration Date: 04/30/2002.

Title: 47 CFR Section 52.15(k), Numbering Utilization and Compliance Audit Program.

Form No.: N/A.

Respondents: Business or other for-profit.

Estimated Annual Burden: 25 respondents; 33 hour per response (avg.); 825 total annual burden hours.

Estimated Annual Reporting and Recordkeeping Cost Burden: $0.

Frequency of Response: On occasion; Third Party Disclosure.

Description: The state of the nation's numbering resources has a direct effect on the growth of competition in the telecommunications industry. The nation's numbering resources are depleting rapidly. Under the Communications Act of 1934, as amended by the Telecommunications Act of 1996, Congress granted the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) exclusive jurisdiction over the United States' portion of the North American Numbering Plan (NANP). Consistent with this authority, the FCC adopted an audit requirement to preserve numbering resources. The purpose of the audits is to monitor telecommunications carriers' compliance with FCC rules and to verify the accuracy and validity of the numbering data submitted to the FCC. The audits will also allow the FCC to identify inefficiencies in the manner in which carriers use numbers, including excessive use of certain categories of numbers (e.g., administrative, aging, or intermediate numbers). By ensuring compliance with FCC rules and providing in-depth information, these audits will help preserve the nation's numbering resources. The FCC staff developed a standardized audit program consisting of audit procedures and guidelines, a internal control questionnaire, and a corresponding data request, for the independent auditor to follow in conducting audits. The independent auditor would conduct audits using these tools. The audit procedures generally require the audited carrier to respond to requests for information from the independent auditor. The independent auditor will report its audit findings to the FCC. The FCC will use the audit results to determine whether the audited carriers are complying with the FCC's rules, and whether the audited carriers' numbering data submitted to the FCC, e.g., FCC Form 502, is accurate and valid. To the extent that the FCC finds evidence of potential violations, possible enforcement action may be taken. Obligation to respond: Mandatory.

Public reporting burden for the collections of information are as noted above. Send comments regarding the burden estimates or any other aspect of the collections of information, including suggestions for reducing the burden to Performance Evaluation and Records Management, Washington, DC 20554.

Federal Communications Commission.

Magalie Roman Salas,

Secretary.