2014-08047. Notice of Public Information Collection(s) Being Reviewed by the Federal Communications Commission, Comments Requested

AGENCY:

Federal Communications Commission.

ACTION:

Notice; request for comments.

SUMMARY:

As part of its continuing effort to reduce paperwork burden 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; 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 Control Number.

DATES:

Written Paperwork Reduction Act (PRA) comments should be submitted on or before June 9, 2014. 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 FCC contact listed below as soon as possible.

ADDRESSES:

Submit your PRA comments 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:

For additional information, contact Leslie F. Smith at [phone], or via the Internet at [e-mail].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

OMB Control Number: 3060-1046.

Title: Implementation of the Pay Telephone Reclassification and Compensation Provisions of the Telecommunications Act of 1996, CC Docket No. 96-128, Order on Reconsideration, FCC 04-251.

Form Number: N/A.

Type of Review: Extension of a currently approved collection.

Respondents: Business or other for-profit.

Number of Respondents: 469 respondents; 3,801 responses.

Estimated Time per Response: 0.50 hours-200 hours.

Frequency of Response: On occasion, annual and quarterly reporting requirements, third party disclosure requirements, and recordkeeping requirement.

Obligation To Respond: Mandatory. Statutory authority for this information collection is contained in 47 U.S.C. 151, 154 and 276.

Total Annual Burden: 73,494 hours.

Total Annual Cost: No cost.

Privacy Act Impact Assessment: No impact(s).

Nature and Extent of Confidentiality: The Commission is not requesting respondents to submit confidential information. Respondents may request confidential treatment of their information that they believe to be confidential pursuant to 47 CFR 0.459 of the Commission's rules.

Needs and Uses: The Commission will submit this expiring information collection (IC) to the OMB during this comment period. The Commission is seeking OMB approval for an extension of this information collection. There is no change in the reporting, recordkeeping and/or third party disclosure requirements. The Commission is reducing its previous burden estimates by 86,690 hours. In the Order on Reconsideration (FCC 04-251), the Commission considered four petitions for reconsideration of our Report and Order. The Report and Order (FCC 03-235) established detailed rules (Payphone Compensation Rules) ensuring that payphone service providers or PSPs are “fairly compensated” for each and every completed payphone-originated call pursuant to section 276 of the Communications Act, as amended (the Act). The Payphone Compensation Rules satisfy section 276 by identifying the party liable for compensation and establishing a mechanism for PSPs to be paid. The Payphone Compensation Rules: (1) Place liability to compensate PSPs for payphone-originated calls on the facilities-based long distance carriers or switch-based resellers (SBRs) from whose switches such calls are completed; (2) define these responsible carriers as “Completing Carriers” and require them to develop their own system of tracking calls to completion, the accuracy of which must be confirmed and attested to by a third-party auditor; (3) require Completing Carriers to file with PSPs a quarterly report and also submit an attestation by the chief financial officer (CFO) that the payment amount for that quarter is accurate and is based on 100% of all completed calls; (4) require quarterly reporting obligations for other facilities-based long distance carriers in the call path, if any, and define these carriers as “Intermediate Carriers;” (5) give parties flexibility to agree to alternative compensation arrangements (ACA) so that small Completing Carriers may avoid the expense of instituting a tracking system and undergoing an audit. The Order on Reconsideration did not change this compensation framework, but rather refined and built upon its approach. While the Commission increased the time carriers must retain certain data and added burden in that regard, the Commission also removed potentially burdensome paperwork requirements by encouraging carriers to comply with the reporting requirements through electronic means. We believe that the clarifications adopted in the Order on Reconsideration significantly decrease the paperwork burden on carriers. Specifically, the Commission did the following: (1) Clarified alternative arrangements for small businesses requiring a Completing Carrier to give the PSP adequate notice of an ACA prior to its effective date with sufficient time for the PSP to object to an ACA, and also prior to the termination of an ACA; (2) clarified any paperwork burdens imposed on carriers allowing Completing Carriers the ability to give PSPs adequate notice of payphone compensation requirements by placing notice on a clearinghouse Web site or through electronic methods; (3) required Completing Carriers and Intermediate Carriers to report only completed calls in their quarterly reports; and (4) extended the time period from 18 to 27 months for Completing Carriers and Intermediate Carriers to retain certain payphone records.

Federal Communications Commission.

Marlene H. Dortch,

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