2017-26163. 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 of 1995 (PRA), 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 Office of Management and Budget (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 comments should be submitted on or before February 5, 2018. 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 contacts 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:

As part of its continuing effort to reduce paperwork burdens, and as required by the PRA, 44 U.S.C. 3501-3520, the FCC 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.

OMB Control No.: 3060-1156.

Title: 47 CFR 43.82, Annual International Circuit Capacity Reports.

Form No.: N/A.

Type of Review: Revision of a currently approved information collection.

Respondents: Business or other for-profit.

Number of Respondents: 65 respondents; 185 responses.

Estimated Time per Response: 1-14 hours.

Frequency of Response: Annual reporting requirement.

Obligation to Respond: Required to obtain or retain benefits. The Commission's statutory authority for this information collection under Sections 1, 4(i), 4(j), 11, 201-205, 214, 219-220, 303(r), 309, and 403 of the Communications Act as amended, 47 U.S.C. 151, 154(i), 154(j), 161, 201-205, 214, 219-220, 303(r), 309, and 403, the Cable Landing License Act of 1921, 47 U.S.C. 34-39, and 3 U.S.C. 301.

Total Annual Burden: 1,085 hours.

Annual Cost Burden: $2,400.

Privacy Act Impact Assessment: No impact(s).

Nature and Extent of Confidentiality: In general, there is no need for confidentiality with this collection of information. The Commission, however, will allow filing entities to seek confidential treatment of their data.

Needs and Uses: The Federal Communications Commission (Commission) is requesting that the

Office of Management and Budget (OMB) approve a revision of an existing information collection, titled “47 CFR 43.62, Annual Reporting Requirements for U.S. Providers of International Services and Circuits.” The purpose of the revision is to obtain OMB approval of the annual reporting requirements under the newly adopted 47 CFR 43.82 which will require that entities holding capacity on submarine cables file electronically annual circuit capacity reports, in a format set out in a Filing Manual.

The Commission is requesting a revision of OMB Control No. 3060-1156 in order to obtain final approval for the requirements in 47 CFR 43.82, the filing manual, and the electronic filing of the data.

Previously, U.S. providers of international services were required to file annual traffic and revenue reports and circuit capacity reports as required by 47 CFR 43.62. The Commission has adopted rules changes that eliminate the traffic and revenue reports and further streamline the circuit capacity reports. Upon OMB approval of this collection, 47 CFR 43.62 will be eliminated and replaced with 47 CFR 43.82 for the filing of circuit capacity reports.

The current title of OMB Control No. 3060-1156 is “47 CFR 43.62, Annual Reporting Requirements for U.S. Providers of International Services and Circuits.” The Commission would like to change the title to “47 CFR 43.82, Annual International Circuit Capacity Reports” in order to more accurately describe the information collection requirements under 47 CFR Section 43.82.

The uses to which the Commission puts the information from the annual circuit capacity report, and the Registration Form are as follows:

(a) Annual Circuit Capacity Reports [Section 43.82 (a)]

The circuit capacity reports are comprised of two parts. First, licensees of a submarine cable extending between the United States and a foreign point as of December 31 of the reporting period report the available capacity and planned capacity of the cable—the cable operators report. Second, each cable landing licensee and common carrier that holds capacity on the U.S. end of a submarine cable extending between the United States and a foreign point as of December 31 of the reporting period (“capacity holders”) reports its available capacity on the U.S. end of every submarine cable between the United States and any foreign point on which it holds capacity as of that date—the capacity holders report. A holding of capacity is an interest in the U.S. end of an international submarine cable through cable ownership, an indefeasible right of use (IRU), or an inter-carrier lease (ICL).

The Commission uses the circuit capacity data for such purposes as analyzing international transport markets in merger reviews. More importantly, these data are essential for our national security and public safety responsibilities in regulating communications, an important linchpin of the Commission's statutory authority. Submarine cables are critical infrastructure and the circuit capacity data are important for the Commission's contributions to the national security and defense of the United States. The Commission uses the data, for example, to have a complete understanding of the ownership and use of submarine cable capacity and to assist in the protection, restoration, and resiliency of the infrastructure during national security or public safety emergencies, such as hurricanes. The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) filed comments stating that it also finds this information to be critical to its national and homeland security functions, and states that this information, when combined with other data sources, is used to protect and preserve national security and for its emergency response purposes.

There are no alternative reliable third party commercial sources for the reported data. Although some sources collect general capacity information from cable owners, neither the FCC nor DHS has found any alternative sources for capacity holder data. Commercial source data may include capacity information, but the data are not verified by company officials and do not include capacity holder data. Although the Commission obtains the ownership and location of individual cables through the licensing process, distribution of a cable's capacity among providers is not required to be reported under our current submarine cable licensing rules and is provided only annually through the Circuit Capacity Reports. Further, the Commission's licensing rules do not require an applicant to include the entities that have acquired capacity on the cable through an IRU or ICL.

(b) Registration Form [Section 43.82 (b)]

The Registration Form provides basic information about the filing and about the entity itself—such as address, phone number, email address, and the international Section 214 authorizations and cable landing licenses held by the filer. This information will assist in keeping track of who holds international circuit capacity and how to contact them. The Registration Form also includes a certification by the filing entity to certify the accuracy and completeness of its report. The Registration Form provides the means by which the filing entity may request confidential treatment of the data filed in the report.

(c) Filing Manual [Section 43.82(c)]

The Filing Manual sets forth instructions on how to file the reports.

Federal Communications Commission.

Marlene H. Dortch,

Secretary, Office of the Secretary.