2014-27524. Information Collection Being Reviewed by the Federal Communications Commission

AGENCY:

Federal Communications Commission.

ACTION:

Notice and request for comments.

SUMMARY:

As part of its continuing effort to reduce paperwork burdens, and as required by the Paperwork Reduction Act (PRA) of 1995 (44 U.S.C. 3501-3520), 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. The FCC may not conduct or sponsor a collection of information unless it displays a currently valid 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.

DATES:

Written PRA comments should be submitted on or before January 20, 2015. 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 [e-mail] and to [e-mail].

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:

For additional information about the information collection, contact Cathy Williams at [phone].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

OMB Control Number: 3060-1053.

Title: Two-Line Captioned Telephone Order, IP Captioned Telephone Service Declaratory Ruling; and Internet Protocol Captioned Telephone Service Reform Order, CG Docket Nos. 13-24 and 03-123.

Form Number: N/A.

Type of Review: Revision of a currently approved collection.

Respondents: Business or other for-profit entities.

Number of Respondents and Responses: 148,006 respondents; 556,010 responses.

Estimated Time per Response: 0.25 hours (15 minutes) to 8 hours.

Frequency of Response: Annual, every five years, on-going, and one-time reporting requirement; Recordkeeping requirement; Third party disclosure requirement.

Obligation To Respond: Required to obtain or retain benefits. The statutory authority for the information collection requirements is found at Sec. 225 [47 U.S.C. 225] Telecommunications Services for Hearing-Impaired Individuals; The Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990, (ADA), Pub. L. 101-336, 104 Stat. 327, 366-69, was enacted on July 26, 1990.

Total Annual Burden: 399,072 hours.

Total Annual Cost: $1,680,000.

Nature and Extent of Confidentiality: An assurance of confidentiality is not offered because this information collection does not require the collection of personally identifiable information by the FCC from individuals.

Privacy Impact Assessment: No impact(s).

Needs and Uses: On August 1, 2003, the Commission released Telecommunication Relay Services and Speech-to-Speech Services for Individuals with Hearing and Speech Disabilities, CC Docket No. 98-67, Declaratory Ruling, 68 FR 55898, September 28, 2003, clarifying that one-line captioned telephone voice carry over (VCO) service is a type of telecommunications relay service (TRS) and that eligible providers of such services are eligible to recover their costs from the Interstate TRS Fund (Fund) in accordance with section 225 of the Communications Act. The Commission also clarified that certain TRS mandatory minimum standards do not apply to one-line captioned telephone VCO service and waived 47 CFR 64.604(a)(1) and (a)(3) for all current and future captioned telephone VCO service providers, for the same period of time beginning August 1, 2003. The waivers were contingent on the filing of annual reports. On July 19, 2005, the Commission released Telecommunication Relay Services and Speech-to-Speech Services for Individuals with Hearing and Speech Disabilities, CC Docket No. 98-67 and CG Docket No. 03-123, Order, 70 FR 54294, September 14, 2005, clarifying that two-line captioned telephone VCO service, like one-line captioned telephone VCO service, is a type of TRS eligible for compensation from the Fund.

On January 11, 2007, the Commission released Telecommunications Relay Services and Speech-to-Speech Services for Individuals with Hearing and Speech Disabilities, CG Docket No. 03-123, Declaratory Ruling, 72 FR 6960, February 14, 2007, granting a request for clarification that Internet Protocol (IP) captioned telephone relay service (IP CTS) is a type of TRS eligible for compensation from the Fund. The Commission also waived certain TRS mandatory minimum standards that do not apply to IP CTS, contingent on the filing of annual reports.

On August 26, 2013, the Commission issued Misuse of Internet Protocol (IP) Captioned Telephone Service; Telecommunications Relay Services and Speech-to-Speech Services for Individuals with Hearing and Speech Disabilities, CG Docket Nos. 13-24 and 03-123, Report and Order, 78 FR 53684, August 30, 2013, to regulate practices relating to the marketing of IP CTS, impose certain requirements for the provision of this service, and mandate registration and certification of IP CTS users. On June 20, 2014, the D.C. Circuit vacated the rule prohibiting compensation to providers for minutes of use generated by equipment consumers received from providers for free or for less than $75 ($75 equipment charge rule) and the rule requiring providers to maintain captions—off as the default setting for IP CTS equipment. Sorenson Communications, Inc. and CaptionCall, LLC v. FCC, 755 F.3d 702 (D.C. Cir. 2014) (D.C. Circuit IP CTS Order).

On August 22, 2014, the Commission issued Telecommunications Relay Services and Speech-to-Speech Services for Individuals with Hearing and Speech Disabilities; Waivers of iTRS Mandatory Minimum Standards, CG Docket No. 03-123, Report and Order, 79 FR 62875, October 21, 2014 (iTRS Waiver Order), to make permanent waivers of certain TRS mandatory minimum standards and eliminate waivers of other TRS mandatory minimum standards for IP CTS and CTS. The Commission also eliminated the requirement that IP CTS and CTS providers file annual reports regarding the TRS mandatory minimum standards.

This notice and request for comments pertains to revisions to the information collection requirements as a result of the iTRS Waiver Order eliminating the requirement that IP CTS and CTS providers file annual reports regarding the TRS mandatory minimum standards and as a result of the D.C. Circuit IP CTS Order vacating the $75 equipment charge rule and the rule requiring providers to maintain captions—off as the default setting for IP CTS equipment.

Federal Communications Commission.

Marlene H. Dortch,

Secretary, Office of the Secretary, Office of the Managing Director.