2011-10804. Information Collection(s) Being Reviewed by the Federal Communications Commission

AGENCY:

Federal Communications Commission.

ACTION:

Notice and Request for comments.

SUMMARY:

The Federal Communications Commission, as part of its continuing effort to reduce paperwork burden invites the general public and other Federal agencies to take this opportunity to comment on the following information collection(s), as required by the Paperwork Reduction Act (PRA) of 1995. Comments are requested concerning: (a) 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; (b) the accuracy of the Commission's burden estimates; (c) ways to enhance the quality, utility, and clarity of the information collected; (d) 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 (e) 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 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 July 5, 2011. 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:

Direct all PRA comments to the Federal Communications Commission. To submit your PRA comments by e-mail send them to: [e-mail].

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:

For additional information, contact Cathy Williams at 202-418-2918 or via the Internet at [e-mail].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

OMB Control Number: 3060-0169.

Title: Section 43.51 and 43.53, Reports and Records of Communications Common Carriers and Affiliates.

Form No.: N/A.

Type of Review: Extension of a currently approved collection.

Respondents: Business or other for-profit.

Number of Respondents: 63 respondents; 1,218 responses.

Estimated Time Per Response: .25 hours to 25 hours.

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

Obligation to Respond: Required to obtain or retain benefits. Statutory authority for this information collection is contained in 47 U.S.C. sections 151-154, 160, 161, 201-205, 211, 218, 220, 226, 303(g), 303(r), and 332.

Total Annual Burden: 5,247 hours.

Total Annual Cost: N/A.

Privacy Act Impact Assessment: N/A.

Nature and Extent of Confidentiality: In general, there is no need for confidentiality. However, respondents may request materials or information submitted to the Commission be withheld from public inspection under 47 CFR 0.459 of the Commission's rules.

Needs and Uses: The Commission will submit this expiring information collection to the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) after this 60 day comment period in order to obtain the full three year clearance from them. The Commission is requesting OMB approval for an extension (no change in the reporting, recordkeeping and/or third party disclosure requirements).

There is no change in the Commission's previous burden estimates.

Sections 43.51 and 43.53 require common carriers to submit reports so that the FCC can monitor various activities of these carriers to determine the impact on the just and reasonable rates required by the Communications Act of 1934, as amended.

Section 43.51 requires that any communications common carrier described in paragraph 43.51(b) of the Commissions' rules file with the Commission, within 30 days of execution a copy of each contract, agreement, concession, license, authorization, operating agreement or other agreement to which it is a party and any amendments.

Section 43.53 requires each communications common carrier engage directly in the transmission or reception of telegraph communications between the continental United States and any foreign country to file a report with the Commission within 30 days of the date of any arrangement concerning the division of the total telegraph charges on such communications other than transiting.

OMB Control Number: 3060-1120.

Title: Service Quality Measure Plan for Interstate Special Access Quarterly Reporting Requirements.

Form No.: N/A.

Type of Review: Revision of a currently approved collection.

Respondents: Business or other for-profit.

Number of Respondents: 3 respondents; 12 responses.

Estimated Time Per Response: 25 hours.

Frequency of Response: Quarterly reporting requirement, recordkeeping requirement and third party disclosure requirement.

Obligation to Respond: Required to obtain or retain benefits. Statutory authority for this information collection is contained in 47 U.S.C. sections 151,152, 154(i), 154(j), 201-204, 214, 220(a), 251, 252, 271, 272, and 303(r).

Total Annual Burden: 300 hours.

Total Annual Cost: N/A.

Privacy Act Impact Assessment: N/A.

Nature and Extent of Confidentiality: The Commission anticipates that the Bell Operating Companies (BOCs) which are AT&T, Quest and Verizon, may request confidentiality protection for the special access performance information.

Needs and Uses: The Commission will submit this information collection to the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) after this 60 day comment period in order to obtain the full three year clearance from them. The Commission is requesting OMB approval for a revision of this information collection.

The Commission previously adopted two new information collection requirements that received OMB approval. The monthly usage information requirement has expired, pursuant to the terms of the Section 272 Sunset Order. The burden for the monthly reporting requirement has been eliminated and we now seek continued OMB approval for the special access performance metric information requirement (quarterly reporting requirement) will be extended (continued).

The Commission has established a new framework to govern the provision of in-region, long-distance services that allows the BOCs to provide in-region, interstate, long distance services either directly or through affiliates that are neither section 272 separate affiliates nor rule 64.1903 affiliates, see Section 272 Sunset Order, FCC 07-159.

Because the BOCs are no longer required to comply with the section 272 structural safeguards, the Commission established special access performance metrics reporting requirements, i.e., ordering, provisioning, and repair and maintenance to ensure that the BOCs and their independent incumbent LEC affiliates do not engage in non-price discrimination in the provision of special access services to unaffiliated entities.

The information gleaned from these performance metrics will provide the Commission and other interested parties with reasonable tools to monitor each BOC's performance in providing these special access services to itself and its competitors.

OMB Control Number: 3060-XXXX.

Title: Sections 15.713, 15.714, 15.715 and 15.717, TV White Space Broadcast Bands.

Form No.: N/A.

Type of Review: New collection.

Respondents: Business or other for-profit.

Number of Respondents: 2,000 respondents; 2,000 responses.

Estimated Time Per Response: 2 hours.

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

Obligation to Respond: Required to obtain or retain benefits. Statutory authority for this information collection is contained in 154(i), 302, 303(c), 303(f), and 307.

Total Annual Burden: 4,000 hours.

Total Annual Cost: $100,000.

Privacy Act Impact Assessment: N/A.

Nature and Extent of Confidentiality: The Commission is not requesting respondents to submit confidential information to the Commission. Respondents may request that portions of their information remain confidential in accordance with 47 CFR 0.459 of the Commission's rules.

Needs and Uses: The Commission will submit this new information collection to the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) after this 60 day comment period in order to obtain the full three year clearance from them. The Commission is reporting a program change increase of 4,000 total annual burden hours and an increase of $100,000 in annual costs.

On November 14, 2008, the Commission adopted a Second Report and Order and Memorandum Opinion and Order, FCC 08-260, ET Docket No. 04-186, that established rules to allow new and unlicensed wireless devices to operate in the broadcast television spectrum at locations where that spectrum is not being used by licensed services (this unused TV spectrum is often termed “television white spaces”). The rules will allow for the use of unlicensed TV band devices in the unused spectrum to provide broadband data and other services for consumers and businesses.

Subsequently on September 23, 2010, the Commission adopted a Second Memorandum Opinion and Order finalizing the rules to make the unused spectrum in the TV bands available for unlicensed broadband wireless devices. This action resolved on reconsideration certain legal and technical issues in order to provide certainty concerning the rules for operation of unlicensed transmitting devices in the television broadcast frequency bands (unlicensed TV bands devices or “TVBDs”). Resolution of these issues will now allow manufacturers to begin marketing unlicensed communications devices and systems that operate on frequencies in the TV bands in areas where they are not used by licensed services (“TV white spaces”).

In the Second Report and Order the Commission decided to designate one or more database administrators from the private sector to create and operate TV bands databases. The TV band database administrators will act on behalf of the FCC, but will offer a privately owned and operated service. Each database administrator will be responsible for operation of their database and coordination of the overall functioning of the database with other administrators, and will provide database access to TVBDs.

The Commission also decided that operators of venues using unlicensed wireless microphones will be required to register their sites with the Commission which will transmit the information to the database administrators. The registration request must be filed at least 30 days in advance and the requests will be made public to provide an opportunity for public comment or objections

Federal Communications Commission.

Marlene H. Dortch,

Secretary,

Office of the Secretary,

Office of Managing Director.