2023-19073. Information Collections Being Submitted for Review and Approval to Office of Management and Budget

AGENCY:

Federal Communications Commission.

ACTION:

Notice and request for comments.

SUMMARY:

As part of its continuing effort to reduce paperwork burdens, as required by the Paperwork Reduction Act (PRA) of 1995, the Federal Communications Commission (FCC or the Commission) invites the general public and other Federal Agencies to take this opportunity to comment on the following information collection. Pursuant to the Small Business Paperwork Relief Act of 2002, the FCC seeks specific comment on how it might “further reduce the information collection burden for small business concerns with fewer than 25 employees.” The Commission 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 comments and recommendations for the proposed information collection should be submitted on or before October 5, 2023.

ADDRESSES:

Comments should be sent to www.reginfo.gov/​public/​do/​PRAMain. Find this particular information collection by selecting “Currently under 30-day Review—Open for Public Comments” or by using the search function. Your comment must be submitted into www.reginfo.gov per the above instructions for it to be considered. In addition to submitting in www.reginfo.gov also send a copy of your comment on the proposed information collection to Nicole Ongele, FCC, via email to [e-mail] and to [e-mail]. Include in the comments the OMB control number as shown in the SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION below.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:

For additional information or copies of the information collection, contact Nicole Ongele at (202) 418–2991. To view a copy of this information collection request (ICR) submitted to OMB: (1) go to the web page http://www.reginfo.gov/​public/​do/​PRAMain, (2) look for the section of the web page called “Currently Under Review,” (3) click on the downward-pointing arrow in the “Select Agency” box below the “Currently Under Review” heading, (4) select “Federal Communications Commission” from the list of agencies presented in the “Select Agency” box, (5) click the “Submit” button to the right of the “Select Agency” box, (6) when the list of FCC ICRs currently under review appears, look for the Title of this ICR and then click on the ICR Reference Number. A copy of the FCC submission to OMB will be displayed.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

As part of its continuing effort to reduce paperwork burdens, as required by the Paperwork Reduction Act (PRA) of 1995 (44 U.S.C. 3501–3520), the FCC invited the general public and other Federal Agencies to take this opportunity to comment on the following information collection. 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; and (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. Pursuant to the Small Business Paperwork Relief Act of 2002, Public Law 107–198, see 44 U.S.C. 3506(c)(4), the FCC seeks specific comment on how it might “further reduce the information collection burden for small business concerns with fewer than 25 employees.”

OMB Control Number: 3060–XXXX.

Title: Federal Advisory Committee Demographic Data.

Form Number: FCC Form 5649.

Type of Review: New information collection.

Respondents: Individuals or Households.

Number of Respondents and Responses: 525 respondents, 525 responses.

Estimated Time per Response: 0.166 hours.

Frequency of Response: On occasion and biennial reporting requirements.

Obligation to Respond: Voluntary.

Total Annual Burden: 87 hours.

Total Annual Cost: No Cost.

Needs and Uses: This collection will be submitted as a new collection after this 60-day comment period to the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) in order to obtain the full three-year clearance. Consistent with Executive Order 14035, the FCC developed this form for members and applicants to voluntarily complete. The FCC will review, analyze and evaluate the demographic data received and the information will assist in the FCC's efforts to pursue opportunities, consistent with applicable law, to increase diversity, equity, inclusion and accessibility on its external advisory committees. Review, analysis, and evaluation of this data, in the aggregate, will inform the FCC's assessment of the membership of and applications to its federal advisory committees.

OMB Control Number: 3060–1247.

Title: Part 32 Uniform System of Accounts.

Form Number: N/A.

Type of Review: Extension of a currently approved collection.

Respondents: Business or other for-profit entities.

Number of Respondents and Responses: 949 respondents; 1,944 responses.

Estimated Time per Response: 20–40 hours.

Frequency of Response: On occasion, and annual reporting requirements; recordkeeping requirements.

Obligation to Respond: Required to obtain or retain benefits. Statutory authority for this information collection is contained in sections 10, 201, 219–220, 224, and 403 of the Communications Act of 1934, as amended; 47 U.S.C. 160, 201, 219–220, 224, and 403.

Total Annual Burden: 69,820 hours.

Total Annual Cost: No cost.

Needs and Uses: On February 24, 2017, the Commission released the Part 32 Order, WC Docket No. 14–130, CC Docket No. 80–286, FCC 17–15, which minimized the compliance burdens imposed by the Uniform System of Accounts (USOA) on price cap and rate- of-return telephone companies, while ensuring that the Commission retains access to the information it needs to fulfill its regulatory duties. The Commission consolidated Class A and Class B accounts by eliminating the current classification of carriers, which divides incumbent LECS into two classes for accounting purposes based on annual revenues. Carriers subject to Part 32's USOA are now only required to keep Class B accounts.

Pursuant to the Part 32 Order, price cap carriers may elect to use generally accepted accounting principles (GAAP) for all regulatory accounting purposes if they: (1) Establish an “Implementation Rate Difference” (IRD) which is the difference between pole attachment rates calculated under Part 32 and under GAAP as of the last full year preceding the carrier's initial opting out of Part 32 accounting requirements; and (2) adjust their annually-computed GAAP-based pole attachment rates by the IRD for a period of 12 years after the election. Alternatively, price cap carriers may elect to use GAAP accounting for all purposes other than those associated with pole attachment rates and continue to use the Part 32 accounts and procedures applicable to pole attachment rates for up to 12 years. A price cap carrier may be required to submit pole attachment accounting data to the Commission for three years following the effective date of the rule permitting a price cap carrier to elect GAAP accounting. If a pole attacher informs the Commission of a suspected problem with pole attachment rates, the Commission will require the price cap carrier to file its pole attachment data for the state in question. This requirement may be extended for an additional three years, if necessary.

The Commission reduced the accounting requirements for telephone companies with a continuing obligation to comply with Part 32 in a number of areas. Telephone companies may: (1) Carry an asset at its purchase price when it was acquired, even if its value has increased or declined when it goes into regulated service; (2) reprice an asset at market value after a merger or acquisition consistent with GAAP; (3) use GAAP principles to determine Allowance-for-Funds-Used-During Construction; and (4) employ the GAAP standard of materiality. Rate-of-return carriers receiving cost-based support must determine materiality consistent with the general materiality guidelines promulgated by the Auditing Standards Board. Price cap carriers with a continuing Part 32 accounting obligation must maintain continuing property records necessary to track substantial assets and investments in an accurate, auditable manner. The carriers must make such property information available to the Commission upon request. Carriers subject to Part 32 must continue to comply with the USOA's depreciation procedures and its rules for cost of removal-and-salvage accounting.

Pursuant to the October 24, 2018 Rate-of-Return Business Data Services Report and Order, WC Docket No. 17–144, FCC 18–146, rate-of-return carriers currently receiving model-based or other fixed high-cost support may voluntarily elect to transition their business services offerings from rate-of-return to incentive regulation. Thus, electing carriers that choose to use GAAP instead of the Uniform System of Accounts are relieved of virtually all of the filing and recordkeeping requirements of the Uniform System of Accounts, with the sole exception of the same data provisioning requirements for the calculation of pole attachment rates as price cap carriers.

OMB Control Number: 3060–1285.

Title: Compliance with the Non-IP Call Authentication Solution Rules; Robocall Mitigation Database (RMD).

Form Number: N/A.

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

Respondents: Business or other for-profit entities.

Number of Respondents and Responses: 12,800 respondents; 12,800 responses.

Estimated Time per Response: 0.5–6 hours.

Frequency of Response: Recordkeeping requirement and on occasion reporting requirement.

Obligation to Respond: Mandatory and required to obtain or retain benefits. Statutory authority for these collections are contained in sections 227b, 251(e), and 227(e) of the Communications Act of 1934.

Total Annual Burden: 39,663 hours.

Total Annual Cost: No Cost.

Needs and Uses: The Pallone-Thune Telephone Robocall Abuse Criminal Enforcement and Deterrence (TRACED) Act directs the Commission to require, no later than 18 months from enactment, all voice service providers to implement STIR/SHAKEN caller ID authentication technology in the internet protocol (IP) portions of their networks and implement an effective caller ID authentication framework in the non-IP portions of their networks. Among other provisions, the TRACED Act also directs the Commission to create extension mechanisms for voice service providers. On September 29, 2020, the Commission adopted its Call Authentication Trust Anchor Second Report and Order. See Call Authentication Trust Anchor, WC Docket No. 17–97, Second Report and Order, 36 FCC Rcd 1859 (adopted Sept. 29, 2020). The Second Report and Order implemented section 4(b)(1)(B) of the TRACED Act, in part, by requiring a voice service provider maintain and be ready to provide the Commission upon request with documented proof that it is participating, either on its own or through a representative, including third party representatives, as a member of a working group, industry standards group, or consortium that is working to develop a non-internet Protocol caller identification authentication solution, or actively testing such a solution. The Second Report and Order also implemented the extension mechanisms in section 4(b)(5) by, in part, requiring voice service providers to certify in the Robocall Mitigation Database that they have either implemented STIR/SHAKEN or a adopted a robocall mitigation program and describe that program in a filed plan. On May 19, 2022, the Commission adopted similar obligations for gateway providers. See Advanced Methods to Target and Eliminate Unlawful Robocalls, Call Authentication Trust Anchor, CG Docket No. 17–59, WC Docket No. 17–97, Sixth Report and Order et al., FCC 22–27 (adopted May 19, 2022). Specifically, like voice service providers, gateway providers were required to maintain and be ready to provide the Commission upon request with documented proof that it is participating, either on its own or through a representative, including third party representatives, as a member of a working group, industry standards group, or consortium that is working to develop a non-internet Protocol caller identification authentication solution, or actively testing such a solution. Gateway providers were also required to implement both STIR/SHAKEN on the IP portions of their networks as well as a robocall mitigation program. They must also certify to their implementation and describe their robocall mitigation program in the Robocall Mitigation Database. On March 16, 2023, the Commission adopted an Order imposing largely the same obligations that applied to gateway providers on a new class of providers: non-gateway intermediate providers. See Call Authentication Trust Anchor, Sixth Report and Order and Further Notice of Proposed Rulemaking, WC Docket No. 17–97, FCC 23–18 (adopted March 16, 2023). In that action, the Commission also required all voice service providers to adopt a robocall mitigation program and file a description of that program in the Robocall Mitigation Database as well as requiring all classes of providers to file additional information in the Robocall Mitigation Database. On May 18, 2023, the Commission adopted an Order modifying some of these requirements. See Call Authentication Trist Anchor, et al., WC Docket No. 17–97 et al., Seventh Report and Order et al., FCC 23–37 (adopted May 18, 2023).

Federal Communications Commission.

Marlene Dortch,

Secretary, Office of the Secretary.