[Federal Register Volume 63, Number 162 (Friday, August 21, 1998)]
[Notices]
[Pages 44862-44863]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 98-22515]
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FEDERAL COMMUNICATIONS COMMISSION
Public Information Collections Approved by Office of Management
and Budget
August 17, 1998.
The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) has received Office of
Management and Budget (OMB) approval for the following public
information collections pursuant to the Paperwork Reduction Act of
1995, Public Law 104-13. An agency may not conduct or sponsor and a
person is not required to respond to a collection of information unless
it displays a currently valid control number. For further information
contact Shoko B. Hair, Federal Communications Commission, (202) 418-
1379.
Federal Communications Commission
OMB Control No.: 3060-0785.
Expiration Date: 01/31/1999.
Title: Universal Service Worksheet.
Form No.: FCC Form 457.
Respondents: Business or other for-profit.
Estimated Annual Burden: 5000 respondents; 13.69 hours per response
(avg.); 68,450 total annual burden hours for all collections.
Estimated Annual Reporting and Recordkeeping Cost Burden: $4,903.
Frequency of Response: On occasion.
[[Page 44863]]
Description: The Telecommunications Act of 1996 (1996 Act) directed
the Commission to initiate a rulemaking to reform our system of
universal service so that universal service is preserved and advanced
as markets move toward competition. To fulfill that mandate, on March
8, 1996, the Commission adopted a Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (NPRM)
in CC Docket No. 96-45 to implement the congressional directives set
forth in section 254 of the Communications Act of 1934, as amended by
the 1996 Act. Pursuant to section 254(a)(1), the NPRM also referred
numerous issues related to universal service to a Federal-State Joint
Board for recommended decision. On November 8, 1996, the Joint Board
released a Recommended Decision in which it made recommendations to
assist and counsel the Commission in the creation of effective
universal service support mechanisms that would ensure that the goals
of affordable, quality service and access to advanced services are met
by means that enhance competition. On November 18, 1996, the
Commission's Common Carrier Bureau released a Public Notice (DA 96-
1891) seeking public comment on the issues addressed and
recommendations made by the Joint Board in the Recommended Decision. On
May 8, 1997, the Commission released the Report and Order on Universal
Service (Universal Service Order) in CC Docket 96-45 that established
new federal universal service support mechanisms consistent with the
universal service provisions of section 254. On July 31, 1997, OMB
approved the Universal Service Worksheet, FCC Form 457. On March 3,
1998, OMB approved a Universal Service Worksheet revised pursuant to
the Second Order on Reconsideration and Fourth Order on
Reconsideration. OMB recently approved the July 1998 edition of the
Universal Service Worksheet. In the July 1998 worksheet we added to the
Worksheet a new Line 48, where contributors shall report the revenues
derived from charges assessed on end-users to recover contributions to
state or federal universal service support mechanisms. We also revised
Lines 22 and 35 of the Worksheet to require contributors to include on
those lines, respectively, revenues derived from presubscribed
interexchange carrier changes (PICCs) levied on carriers and PICCs
levied on end users. We direct contributors to begin reporting at this
time the revenues derived from such changes, because contributors began
assessing these charges on January 1, 1998, the first day of the
revenue-reporting period for the Worksheet. Section 254(d) provides
that telecommunications carriers that provide interstate
telecommunications services shall contribute to the universal service
support mechanisms. Accordingly, we clarified the paragraph on pages 3-
4 of the revised instructions that carriers that use switches or lines
that are used to provide interstate services, but that do not
themselves provide interstate telecommunications services are not
required to contribute to the universal service support mechanisms. We
also emphasized in the instructions to the Worksheet that the
Commission may make publicly available a list of the entities that file
the Worksheet. Note that a contributor that provides interstate
telecommunications will be exempt from universal service contribution
and filing requirements if that contributor's contribution for the next
four quarters is expected to be less than $100. This determination is
made by using the worksheet. Contributors exempt from filing and
contributing because of de minimis revenues must retain the worksheet
and make it available to the Commission or to the Universal Service
Administrator upon request. FCC Form 457 is used by the Commission and
the Administrator to calculate contributions to the universal service
support mechanisms. Without such information the Commission could not
determine contributions to the support mechanisms and, therefore, could
not fulfill its statutory responsibilities in accordance with the
Communications Act of 1934, as amended. Copies of the revised Universal
Service Worksheet and instructions may be downloaded from the
Commission's Forms Web Page, 222.fcc.gov/formpage.html. Copies also may
be obtained by calling the fax-on-demand line at (202) 418-2830 and
selecting document number 000457. Finally, copies may be obtained from
USAC at (973) 560-4400. Obligation to respond: Mandatory. Public
reporting burden for the collections of information is as noted above.
Send comments regarding the burden estimate or any other aspect of the
collections of information, including suggestions for reducing the
burden to Performance Evaluation and Records Management, Washington,
D.C. 20554.
Federal Communications Commission.
Magalie Roman Salas,
Secretary.
[FR Doc. 98-22515 Filed 8-20-98; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6712-01-P
