2020-13061. 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 (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.

DATES:

Written comments should be submitted on or before August 17, 2020. 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:

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.

As part of its continuing effort to reduce paperwork burdens, and as required by the PRA of 1995 (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 Number: 3060-0463.

Title: Telecommunications Relay Services and Speech-to-Speech Services for Individuals with Hearing and Speech Disabilities; Structure and Practices of the Video Relay Service Program; Misuse of internet Protocol (IP) Captioned Telephone Service, CG Docket Nos. 03-123, 10-51, and 13-24.

Form Number: N/A.

Type of Review: Revision of a currently approved collection.

Respondents: Business or other for-profit entities; Individuals or household; State, Local and Tribal Government.

Number of Respondents and Responses: 5,072 respondents; 7,989 responses.

Estimated Time per Response: 0.1 hours (6 minutes) to 80 hours.

Frequency of Response: Annually, semi-annually, monthly, on occasion, and one-time reporting requirements; Recordkeeping and Third-Party Disclosure requirements.

Obligation to Respond: Required to obtain or retain benefit. The statutory authority for the information collection requirements is found at section 225 of the Communications Act, 47 U.S.C. 225. The law was enacted on July 26, 1990, in Title IV of the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990, Public Law 101-336, 104 Stat. 327, 366-69.

Total Annual Burden: 14,445 hours.

Total Annual Cost: $291,700.

Nature and Extent of Confidentiality: Confidentiality is an issue to the extent that individuals and households provide personally identifiable information, which is covered under the FCC's updated system of records notice (SORN), FCC/CGB-1, “Informal Complaints, Inquiries, and Requests for Dispute Assistance.” As required by the Privacy Act, 5 U.S.C. 552a, the Commission also published a SORN, FCC/CGB-1 “Informal Complaints, Inquiries, and Requests for Dispute Assistance,” in the Federal Register on August 15, 2014 (79 FR 48152) which became effective on September 24, 2014.

Privacy Impact Assessment: The FCC completed a Privacy Impact Assessment (PIA) on June 28, 2007. It may be reviewed at https://www.fcc.gov/​general/​privacy-act-information#pia. The Commission is in the process of updating the PIA to incorporate various revisions to it as a result of revisions to the SORN.

Needs and Uses: On December 21, 2001, the Commission released the 2001 TRS Cost Recovery Order, document FCC 01-371, published at 67 FR 4203, January 29, 2002, in which the Commission, among other things:

(1) Required internet-based TRS providers to submit certain projected TRS-related cost and demand data to the TRS Fund administrator to be used to calculate the rate; and

(2) directed the TRS Fund administrator to expand its data collection forms accordingly.

In 2003, the Commission released the 2003 Second Improved TRS Order, published at 68 FR 50973, August 25, 2003, which among other things required that TRS providers offer certain local exchange carrier (LEC)-based improved services and features where technologically feasible, including a speed dialing requirement which may entail voluntary recordkeeping for TRS providers to maintain a list of telephone numbers. See also 47 CFR 64.604(a)(3)(vi)(B).

In 2007, the Commission released the Section 225/255 VoIP Report and Order, published at 72 FR 43546, August 6, 2007, extending the disability access requirements that apply to telecommunications service providers and equipment manufacturers under 47 U.S.C. 225, 255 to interconnected voice over internet protocol (VoIP) service providers and equipment manufacturers. As a result, under rules implementing section 225 of the Act, interconnected VoIP service providers are required to publicize information about telecommunications relay services (TRS) and 711 abbreviated dialing access to TRS. See also 47 CFR 64.604(c)(3).

In 2007, the Commission also released the 2007 Cost Recovery Report and Order and Declaratory Ruling, published at 73 FR 3197, January 17, 2008, in which the Commission:

(1) Adopted a new cost recovery methodology for interstate traditional TRS and interstate STS based on the Multi-state Average Rate Structure (MARS) plan, under which interstate TRS compensation rates are determined by weighted average of the states' intrastate compensation rates, and which includes for STS additional compensation approved by the Commission for STS outreach;

(2) adopted a new cost recovery methodology for interstate captioned telephone service (CTS), as well as internet Protocol captioned telephone service (IP CTS), based on the MARS plan;

(3) adopted a cost recovery methodology for internet Protocol (IP) Relay based on a price cap like methodology;

(4) adopted a cost recovery methodology for VRS that adopted tiered rates based on call volume;

(5) clarified the nature and extent that certain categories of costs are compensable from the Fund; and

(6) addressed certain issues concerning the management and oversight of the Fund, including prohibiting financial incentives offered to consumers to make relay calls.

The 2007 TRS Cost Recovery Order requires that state relay administrators and TRS providers submit to the TRS Fund administrator the following information annually, for intrastate traditional TRS, STS, and CTS:

(1) The per-minute compensation rate(s) and other compensation received for the provision of TRS;

(2) whether the rate applies to session minutes or conversation minutes, which are a subset of session minutes;

(3) the number of intrastate session minutes; and

(4) the number of intrastate conversation minutes.

Also, STS providers must file a report annually with the TRS Fund administrator and the Commission on their specific outreach efforts directly attributable to the additional compensation approved by the Commission for STS outreach.

In 2011, to help prevent waste, fraud, and abuse, the Commission adopted three VRS orders to curtail these harmful practices. Each of these orders (collectively, the 2011 VRS Orders) included information collection requirements.

On April 6, 2011, in document FCC 11-54, the Commission released the 2011 Fraud Prevention Order, published at 76 FR 30841, May 27, 2011, which included several measures designed to eliminate the waste, fraud and abuse, while ensuring that VRS remains a viable and a valuable communication tool for Americans who use it on a daily basis.

On July 28, 2011, in document FCC 11-118 the Commission released the VRS Certification Order, published at 76 FR 47469, August 5, 2011, amending its rules for certifying internet-based TRS providers as eligible for payment from the Interstate TRS Fund (Fund) for their provision of internet-based TRS.

On October 17, 2011, in document FCC 11-155, the Commission released the Second VRS Certification Order, published at 76 FR 67070, October 31, 2011, addressing three petitions related to the VRS Certification Order by revising the burdens contained in the requirements for the submission of documentation of a provider's VRS equipment and technologies and the submission of documentation regarding sponsorship arrangements.

The following are the final information collection requirements contained in the 2011 VRS Orders:

(1) The Chief Executive Officer (CEO), Chief Financial Officer (CFO), or other senior executive of a TRS provider shall certify, under penalty of perjury, that: (1) Minutes submitted to the Interstate TRS Fund (Fund) administrator for compensation were handled in compliance with the Commission's rules and are not the result of impermissible financial incentives to generate calls, and (2) cost and demand data submitted to the Fund administrator related to the determination of compensation rates are true and correct.

(2) VRS providers shall: (a) Submit to the Commission and the TRS Fund administrator a call center report twice a year and (b) notify the Commission and the TRS Fund administrator at least 30 days prior to any change to their call centers' locations.

(3) VRS providers shall submit detailed call data records (CDRs) and speed of answer compliance data to the Fund administrator.

(4) TRS providers shall use an automated record keeping system to capture the CDRs and shall submit such data electronically in standardized form to the TRS Fund administrator.

(5) internet-based TRS providers shall retain the CDRs that are used to support payment claims submitted to the Fund administrator for a minimum of five years, in an electronic format.

(6) VRS providers shall: (a) Maintain copies of all third-party contracts or agreements and make them available to the Commission and the TRS Fund administrator upon request; and (b) describe all agreements in connection with marketing and outreach activities in their annual submissions to the TRS Fund administrator.

(7) TRS providers shall provide information about their TRS whistleblower protections to all employees and contractors, in writing.

In 2018, the Commission released the IP CTS Modernization Order, published at 83 FR 30082, June 27, 2018, in which the Commission:

(1) Determined that it would transition the methodology for IP CTS cost recovery from the MARS plan to cost-based rates and adopted interim rates; and

(2) added two cost reporting requirements for IP CTS providers: (i) In annual cost data filings and supplementary information provided to the TRS Fund administrator, IP CTS providers that contract for the supply of services used in the provision of TRS, shall include information about payments under such contracts, classified according to the substantive cost categories specified by the TRS Fund administrator; and (ii) in the course of an audit or otherwise upon demand, IP CTS providers must make available any relevant documentation. 47 CFR 64.604(c)(5)(iii)(D)(1), (6).

Federal Communications Commission.

Marlene Dortch,

Secretary.