2011-28746. Information Collection Approved by the Office of Management and Budget

AGENCY:

Federal Communications Commission.

ACTION:

Notice.

SUMMARY:

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 (44 U.S.C. 3501-3520). An agency may not conduct or sponsor a collection of information unless it displays a currently valid OMB control number, and no person is required to respond to a collection of information unless it displays a currently valid control number. Comments concerning the accuracy of the burden estimates and any suggestions for reducing the burden should be directed to the person listed in the FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT section below.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:

Gregory Hlibok, Disability Rights Office, Consumer and Governmental Affairs Bureau, at [phone] (voice and videophone), or email: [e-mail]<mailto:[e-mail].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

OMB Control No.: 3060-1150.

OMB Approval Date: 10/20/2011.

Expiration Date: 10/31/2014.

Title: Structure and Practices of the Video Relay Service Program, Second Report and Order, CG Docket No. 10-51.

Form No.: N/A.

Estimated Annual Burden: 11 respondents; 54 responses; .5 hours to 50 hours per response; 900 burden hours per year; $0 annual cost burden.

Obligation to Respond: Required to obtain or retain benefits. The statutory authority for this information collection is found at sections 225. The law was enacted on July 26, 1990, as Title IV of the Americans with Disabilities Act, Public Law 101-336, 104 Stat. 327, 366-60.

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 (PII) from individuals.

Needs and Uses: On July 28, 2011, in document FCC 11-118, the Commission released a Second Report and Order, published at 76 FR 47469, August 5, 2011, adopting the final rules that amend the Commission's process for certifying Internet-based Telecommunications Relay Service (iTRS) providers as eligible for payment from the Interstate TRS Fund (Fund) for their provision of iTRS, as proposed in the Commission's April 2011 Further Notice of Proposed Rulemaking in the Video Relay Service (VRS) reform proceeding, CG Docket No. 10-51, published at 76 FR 24437, May 2, 2011. The Commission adopted the newly revised certification process to ensure that iTRS providers receiving certification are qualified to provide iTRS in compliance with the Commission's rules, and to eliminate waste, fraud and abuse through improved oversight of such providers.

The Second Report and Order contains information collection requirements with respect to the following four requirements, all of which aims to ensure that providers are qualified to receive compensation from the Fund for the provision of iTRS and that the services are provided in compliance with the Commission's rules with no or minimal service interruption.

(A) Required Evidence for Submission for Eligibility Certification. The Second Report and Order requires that potential iTRS providers must provide full and detailed information in its application for certification that show its ability to comply with the Commission's rules. The Second Report and Order requires that applicants must provide a detailed description of how the applicant will meet all non-waived mandatory minimum standards applicable to each form of TRS offered, including documentary and other evidence, and in the case of VRS, such documentary and other evidence shall demonstrate that the applicant leases, licenses or has acquired its own facilities and operates such facilities associated with TRS call centers and employs their own communications assistants (CAs), on a full or part-time basis, to staff such call centers at the date of the application. Such evidence shall include but not be limited to:

1. For VRS applicants operating five or fewer call centers within the United States, a copy of each deed or lease for each call center operated by the applicant within the United States;

2. For VRS applicants operating more than five call centers within the United States, a copy of each deed or lease for a representative sampling (taking into account size (by number of CAs) and location) of five call centers operated by the applicant within the United States; and

3. For VRS applicants operating call centers outside of the United States, a copy of each deed or lease for each call center operated by the applicant outside of the United States;

4. For all applicants, a list of individuals or entities that hold at least a 10 percent equity interest in the applicant, have the power to vote 10 percent or more of the securities of the applicant, or exercise de jure or de facto control over the applicant, a description of the applicant's organizational structure, and the names of its executives, officers, members of its board of directors, general partners (in the case of a partnership), and managing members (in the case of a limited liability company);

5. For all applicants, a list of the number of applicant's full-time and part-time employees involved in TRS operations, including and divided by the following positions: executives and officers; video phone installers (in the case of VRS), CAs, and persons involved in marketing and sponsorship activities;

6. Where applicable, a description of the call center infrastructure, and for all core call center functions (automatic call distribution, routing, call setup, mapping, call features, billing for compensation from the Fund, and registration) a statement whether such equipment is owned, leased or licensed (and from whom if leased or licensed) and proofs of purchase, leases or license agreements, including a complete copy of any lease or license agreement for automatic call distribution;

7. For all applicants, copies of employment agreements for all of the provider's executives and CAs need not be submitted with the application, but must be retained by the applicant and submitted to the Commission upon request; and

8. For all applicants, a list of all sponsorship arrangements relating to Internet-based TRS, including any associated written agreements;

(B) Submission of Annual Report. The Second Report and Order requires that providers submit annual reports that include updates to the information listed under Section A above or certify that there are no changes to the information listed under Section A above.

(C) Requiring Providers to Seek Prior Authorization of Voluntary Interruption of Service. The Second Report and Order requires that a VRS provider seeking to voluntarily interrupt service for a period of 30 minutes or more in duration must first obtain Commission authorization by submitting a written request to the Commission's Consumer and Governmental Affairs Bureau (CGB) at least 60 days prior to any planned service interruption, with detailed information of:

(1) Its justification for such interruption;

(2) Its plan to notify customers about the impending interruption; and

(3) Its plans for resuming service, so as to minimize the impact of such disruption on consumers through a smooth transition of temporary service to another provider, and restoration of its service at the completion of such interruption.

(D) Reporting of Unforeseen Service Interruptions. With respect to brief, unforeseen service interruptions or in the event of a VRS provider's voluntary service interruption of less than 30 minutes in duration, the Second Report and Order requires that the affected provider submit a written notification to CGB within two business days of the commencement of the service interruption, with an explanation of when and how the provider has restored service or the provider's plan to do so imminently. In the event the provider has not restored service at the time such report is filed, the provider must submit a second report within two business days of the restoration of service with an explanation of when and how the provider has restored service.

On October 17, 2011, in document FCC 11-155, the Commission released a Memorandum Opinion and Order (MO&O), published at 76 FR 67070, October 31, 2011, addressing the petition for reconsideration filed by Sorenson Communications, Inc. (Sorenson). Sorenson concurrently filed a PRA comment challenging two aspects of the information collection requirements as being too burdensome. In response, the Commission modified the information collection requirements contained in the July 28, 2011 Second Report and Order. Specifically, in the MO&O, the Commission revised the language in the rules to require that providers that operate five or more domestic call centers only submit copies of proofs of purchase, leases or license agreements for technology and equipment used to support their call center functions for five of their call centers that constitute a representative sample of their centers, rather than requiring copies for all call centers. Further, the Commission clarified that the rule requiring submission of a list of all sponsorship arrangements relating to iTRS only requires that a certification applicant include on the list associated written agreements, and does not require the applicant to provide copies of all written agreements.

Therefore, the information collection requirement for A. Required Evidence for Submission for Eligibility Certification, paragraphs (6) and (8) listed above is revised to read as follows:

6. A description of the technology and equipment used to support their call center functions—including, but not limited to, automatic call distribution, routing, call setup, mapping, call features, billing for compensation from the TRS Fund, and registration—and for each core function of each call center for which the applicant must provide a copy of technology and equipment proofs of purchase, leases or license agreements in accordance with paragraphs (a)-(d) listed below, a statement whether such technology and equipment is owned, leased or licensed (and from whom if leased or licensed);

(a) For VRS providers operating five or fewer call centers within the United States, a copy of each proof of purchase, lease or license agreement for all technology and equipment used to support their call center functions, for each call center operated by the applicant within the United States;

(b) For VRS providers operating more than five call centers within the United States, a copy of each proof of purchase, lease or license agreement for technology and equipment used to support their call center functions for a representative sampling (taking into account size (by number of communications assistants) and location) of five call centers operated by the applicant within the United States; a copy of each proof of purchase, lease or license agreement for technology and equipment used to support their call center functions for all call centers operated by the applicant within the United States must be retained by the applicant for three years from the date of the application, and submitted to the Commission upon request;

(c) For VRS providers operating call centers outside of the United States, a copy of each proof of purchase, lease or license agreement for all technology and equipment used to support their call center functions for each call center operated by the applicant outside of the United States; and

(d) A complete copy of each lease or license agreement for automatic call distribution.

8. For all applicants, a list of all sponsorship arrangements relating to Internet-based TRS, including on that list a description of any associated written agreements; copies of all such arrangements and agreements must be retained by the applicant for three years from the date of the application, and submitted to the Commission upon request.

Federal Communications Commission.

Marlene H. Dortch,

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