2022-18688. Information Collections Being Reviewed by the Federal Communications Commission Under Delegated Authority

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 collection. 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 PRA comments should be submitted on or before October 31, 2022. 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 contact listed below as soon as possible.

ADDRESSES:

Direct all PRA comments to Cathy Williams, FCC, via email to [e-mail] and to [e-mail].

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:

For additional information about the information collection, contact Cathy Williams at [phone].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

OMB Control No.: 3060-0325.

Title: Section 80.605, U.S. Coast Guard Coordination.

Form No.: Not applicable.

Type of Review: Extension of a currently approved collection.

Respondents: Business or other for-profit entities.

Number of Respondents and Responses: 10 respondents and 10 responses.

Estimated Time per Response: 1.1 hours.

Frequency of Response: On occasion reporting requirement and Third party disclosure requirement.

Obligation To Respond: Required to obtain or retain benefits. The statutory authority for this collection of information is contained in Sections 4, 303, 307(e), 309, and 332, 48 Stat. 1066, as amended; 47 U.S.C. 154, 303, 307(e), 309, and 332, unless otherwise noted.

Total Annual Burden: 11 hours.

Annual Cost Burden: None.

Needs and Uses: The information collection requirements contained in Section 80.605 are necessary because applicants are required to obtain written permission from the Coast Guard in the area where radio-navigation/radio-location devices are located. This rule insures that no hazard to marine navigation will result from the grant of applications for non-selectable transponders and shore based radio-navigation aids. The Coast Guard is responsible for making this determination under 14 U.S.C. 18. Section 308(b) of the Communications Act of 1934, as amended, 47 U.S.C. 308(b) mandates that the Commission have such facts before it to determine whether an application should be granted or denied. The potential hazard to navigation is a critical factor in determining whether this type of radio device should be authorized.

OMB Control No.: 3060-0357.

Title: Recognized Private Operating Agency (RPOA), 47 CFR 63.701.

Form Number: N/A.

Type of Review: Extension of a currently approved collection.

Respondents: Business or other for-profit.

Number of Respondents: 5 respondents; 5 responses.

Estimated Time per Response: 2-5 hours.

Frequency of Response: On occasion reporting requirement.

Obligation To Respond: Required to obtain or retain benefits. The statutory authority for this collection is contained in 47 U.S.C. 154(j), 201, 214 and 403.

Total Annual Burden: 19 hours.

Annual Cost Burden: $8,725.

Needs and Uses: This collection will be submitted as an extension after the 60-day comment period to the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) in order to obtain the full three-year clearance.

The Commission requests this information in order to make recommendations to the U.S. Department of State for granting recognized private operating agency (RPOA) status to requesting entities. The Commission does not require entities to request RPOA status. Rather, this is a voluntary application process for use by companies that believe that obtaining RPOA status will be beneficial in persuading foreign governments to allow them to conduct business abroad. RPOA status also permits companies to join the International Telecommunication Union's (ITU's) Telecommunications Sector, which is the standards-setting body of the ITU.

The information furnished in RPOA requests is collected pursuant to 47 CFR 63.701 of the Commission's rules. Entities submit these applications on a voluntary basis. The collection of information is a one-time collection for each respondent. Without this information collection, the Commission's policies and objectives for assisting unregulated providers of enhanced services to enter the market for international enhanced services would be thwarted.

OMB Control No.: 3060-0768.

Title: 28 GHz Band Segmentation Plan Amending the Commission's Rules to Redesignate the 27.5-29.5 GHz Frequency Band, to Reallocate the 29.5 to 30.0 GHz Frequency Band and to Establish Rules and Policies.

Form No.: None.

Type of Review: Extension of a currently approved collection.

Respondents: Business or other for-profit entities.

Number of Respondents/Responses: 17 respondents; 17 responses.

Estimated Time per Response: 2 hours.

Frequency of Response: On occasion reporting requirement; third-party disclosure requirement.

Obligation to Respond: Required to obtain or retain benefits. The statutory authority for this information collection is contained in 47 U.S.C. 154 and 303.

Total Annual Burden: 34 hours.

Annual Cost Burden: $4,950.

Needs and Uses: The Federal Communications Commission (“Commission”) is requesting an extension of the information collection titled, “28 GHz Band” under OMB Control No. 3060-0768 from the Office of Management and Budget (OMB).

The information collection requirements contained in this collection require are as follows: (1) Local Multipoint Distribution Systems (LMDS) licensees to serve copies of their applications on all Non-Geostationary Mobile Satellite Service (NGSO/MSS) applicants (Section 101.147) and (2) NGSO/MSS feeder link earth stations must specify a set of geographic coordinates for location of these earth stations, 15 days after the release of a public notice announcing commencement of LMDS auctions (Section 101.147).

The information is used by the Commission and other applicants and/or licensees in the 28 GHz band to facilitate technical coordination of systems among applicants and/or licensees in the 28 GHz band. Without such information, the Commission could not implement the Commission's band plan. Affected applicants and licensees are required to provide the requested information to the Commission and other third parties whenever they seek authority to provide service in the 28 GHz band. The frequency of filing is, in general, determined by the applicant or licensees. If this information is compiled less frequently or not filed in conjunction with our rules, applicants and licensees will not obtain the authorization necessary to provide telecommunications services. Furthermore, the Commission would not be able to carry out its mandate as required by statute and applicants and licensees would not be able to provide service effectively.

OMB Control No.: 3060-0994.

Title: Flexibility for Delivery of Communications by Mobile Satellite Service Providers in the 2 GHz Band, the L Band, and the 1.6/2.4 GHz Band.

Form No: Not Applicable.

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

Respondents: Business or other for-profit entities.

Number of Respondents: 126 respondents; 126 responses.

Estimated Time per Response: 0.50-50 hours per response.

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

Obligation To Respond: Required to obtain or retain benefits. The statutory authority for this collection is contained in Sections 4(i), 7, 302, 303(c), 303(e), 303(f) and 303(r) of the Communications Act of 1934, as amended; 47 U.S.C. 154(i), 157, 302, 303(c), 303(e), 303(f) and 303(r).

Total Annual Burden: 520 hours.

Annual Cost Burden: $488,360.

Needs and Uses: This collection will be submitted to the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) as an extension following the 60-day comment period in order to obtain the full three-year clearance from OMB.

The purposes of this collection are to obtain information necessary for licensing operators of Mobile-Satellite Service (MSS) networks to provide ancillary services in the U.S. via terrestrial base stations (Ancillary Terrestrial Components, or ATCs); obtain the legal and technical information required to facilitate the integration of ATCs into MSS networks in the L-Band and the 1.6/2.4 GHz Bands; and to ensure that ATC licensees meet the Commission's legal and technical requirements to develop and maintain their MSS networks and operate their ATC systems without causing harmful interference to other radio systems.

This information collection is used by the Commission to license commercial ATC radio communication services in the United States, including low-power ATC. The revised collection is to be used by the Commission to regulate equipment manufacturers and licensees of low-power ATC networks. Without the collection of information that would result from these final rules, the Commission would not have the necessary information to grant entities the authority to operate commercial ATC stations and provide telecommunications services to consumers.

OMB Control No.: 3060-1029.

Title: Data Network Identification Code (DNIC).

Form No.: N/A.

Type of Review: Extension of a currently approved collection.

Respondents: Business or other for-profit entities.

Number of Respondents: 2 respondents; 2 responses.

Estimated Time per Response:.25 hours.

Frequency of Response: On occasion reporting requirement.

Obligation To Respond: Required to obtain or retain benefits. The statutory authority for this collections is contained in 47 U.S.C. 151, 154(i)-(j), 201-205, 211, 214, 219, 220, 303(r), 309 and 403.

Total Annual Burden: 5 hours.

Annual Cost Burden: No cost.

Needs and Uses: This collection will be submitted as an extension (no change in reporting or recordkeeping requirements) after this 60-day comment period to Office of Management and Budget (OMB) in order to obtain the full three-year clearance. A Data Network Identification Code (DNIC) is a unique, four-digit number designed to provide discrete identification of individual public data networks. The DNIC is intended to identify and permit automated switching of data traffic to particular networks. The FCC grants the DNICs to operators of public data networks on an international protocol. The operators of public data networks file an application for a DNIC on the internet-based, International Bureau Filing System (IBFS). The DNIC is obtained free of charge on a one-time only basis unless there is a change in ownership or the owner chooses to relinquish the code to the FCC. The Commission's lack of an assignment of DNICs to operators of public data networks would result in technical problems that prevent the identification and automated switching of data traffic to particular networks.

OMB Control No.: 3060-1108.

Title: Consummation of Assignments and Transfers of Control of Authorization.

Form No.: N/A.

Type of Review: Extension of a currently approved collection.

Respondents: Business or other for-profit entities.

Number of Respondents: 163 respondents; 163 responses.

Estimated Time per Response: 1 hour.

Frequency of Response: On occasion reporting requirement.

Obligation To Respond: Required to obtain or retain benefits. The Commission has authority for this information collection pursuant to 47 U.S.C. 154(i) of the Communications Act of 1934, as amended.

Total Annual Burden: 163 hours.

Annual Cost Burden: $48,900.

Needs and Uses: This collection will be submitted to the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) as an extension after this 60 day comment period has ended in order to obtain the full three-year clearance from OMB.

Without this collection of information, the Commission would not have critical information such as a change in a controlling interest in the ownership of the licensee. The Commission would not be able to carry out its duties under the Communications Act and to determine the qualifications of applicants to provide international telecommunications service, including applicants that are affiliated with foreign entities, and to determine whether and under what conditions the authorizations are in the public interest, convenience, and necessity. Furthermore, without this collection of information, the Commission would not be able to maintain effective oversight of U.S. providers of international telecommunications services that are affiliated with, or involved in certain co-marketing or similar arrangements with, foreign entities that have market power.

Federal Communications Commission.

Sheryl Todd,

Deputy Secretary, Office of the Secretary.