2013-31181. Information Collection Being Reviewed by the Federal Communications Commission Under Delegated Authority, Comments Requested

AGENCY:

Federal Communications Commission.

ACTION:

Notice; request for comments.

SUMMARY:

As part of its continuing effort to reduce paperwork burden(s) and as required by the Paperwork Reduction Act (PRA) of 1995 (44 U.S.C. 3501-3520), the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) invites the general public and other Federal agencies to take this opportunity to comment on the following information collection(s). 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(s); 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 further ways to reduce the information burden for 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 Paperwork Reduction Act (PRA) that does not display a valid OMB Control Number.

DATES:

Written Paperwork Reduction Act (PRA) comments should be submitted on or before February 28, 2014. If you anticipate that you will be submitting PRA comments, but find it difficult to do so within the period of time allowed by this notice, you should advise the FCC contact listed below as soon as possible.

ADDRESSES:

Submit your PRA comments to Nicholas A. Fraser, Office of Management and Budget (OMB), via fax at: [phone] or via the Internet at [e-mail] and to Leslie F. Smith, Office of Managing Director (OMD), Federal Communications Commission (FCC), via the Internet at [e-mail]. To submit your PRA comments by email, send them to: [e-mail].

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:

Leslie F. Smith, Office of Managing Director (OMD), Federal Communications Commission (FCC), [phone], or via the Internet at [e-mail].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

OMB Control Number: 3060-1043.

Title: Telecommunications Relay Services and Speech-to-Speech Services for Individuals with Hearing and Speech Disabilities, CG Docket No. 03-123, FCC 04-137.

Form Number: N/A.

Type of Review: Extension of a currently approved collection.

Respondents: Business or other for-profit entities.

Number of Respondents and Responses: 7 respondents; 8 responses.

Estimated Time per Response: 8 hours.

Frequency of Response: Annual reporting requirement.

Obligation to Respond: Required to obtain or retain benefits. The statutory authority for the information collection requirement is contained in section 225 of the Communications Act of 1934, as amended [47 U.S.C. 225], Telecommunications Services for Hearing-Impaired and Speech-Impaired Individuals; The Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 (ADA), Public Law 101-336, 104 Stat. 327, 366-69, was enacted on July 26, 1990.

Total Annual Burden: 64 hours.

Total Annual Cost: No cost(s).

Privacy Impact Assessment: No impact(s).

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 from individuals. While the Commission does not require that respondents submit confidential information to the Commission, if the Commission does request applicants to submit information that the respondents believe is confidential, respondents may do so under 47 CFR Section 0.459 of the Commission's rules.

Needs and Uses: These reporting requirements enable the Commission to collect waiver reports from Telecommunications Relay Service (TRS) providers requesting waivers from certain TRS mandatory minimum standards. On June 30, 2004, the Commission released a Report and Order and Order on Reconsideration in Telecommunications Relay Services and Speech-to-Speech Services for Individuals with Hearing and Speech Disabilities, FCC 04-137, published at 69 FR 53346, September 1, 2004, and at 69 FR 53382, September 1, 2004. In the Report and Order, the Commission harmonized the expiration dates of waivers for Video Relay Service and Internet-Protocol (IP) Relay providers of the following TRS mandatory minimum requirements, amongst others: (1) 47 CFR Section 64.604(a)(3)(vi)-call release; and (2) 47 CFR Section 64.604(b)(3)-equal access to interexchange carriers. The Commission also conditioned these waivers on providers submitting annual reports to the Commission, in a narrative form, detailing: (1) The provider's plan or general approach to meet the waived standards; (2) any additional costs that would be required to meet the standards; (3) the development of any new technology that may affect the particular waivers; (4) the progress made by the provider to meet the standards; (5) the specific steps taken to resolve any technical problems that prohibit the provider from meeting the standards; and (6) any other factors relevant to whether the waiver should continue in effect. On January 11, 2007, the Commission released a Declaratory Ruling in Telecommunications Relay Services and Speech-to-Speech Services for Individuals with Hearing and Speech Disabilities; Internet-based Captioned Telephone Service, FCC 06-182, published at 72 FR 6960, February 14, 2007. The ruling applied several of the waivers to IP captioned telephone relay service, also conditioned on the filing of annual reports, as described above.

Federal Communications Commission.

Gloria J. Miles,

Federal Register Liaison, Office of the Secretary, Office of Managing Director.