2020-26095. Information Collection Being Reviewed by the Federal Communications Commission  

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    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 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.

    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 January 25, 2021. 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 PRA@fcc.gov and to Cathy.Williams@fcc.gov.

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    FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:

    For additional information about the information collection, contact Cathy Williams at (202) 418-2918.

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    SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

    OMB Control Number: 3060-1166.

    Title: Section 1.21001, Participation in Competitive Bidding for Support; Start Printed Page 75322Section 1.21002, Prohibition of Certain Communications During the Competitive Bidding Process.

    Form Number: N/A.

    Type of Review: Revision of a currently approved collection.

    Respondents: Business or other for-profit entities, not-for-profit institutions, and state, local or tribal governments.

    Number of Respondents and Responses: 750 respondents and 750 responses.

    Estimated Time per Response: 1.5 hours.

    Frequency of Response: On occasion reporting requirement.

    Obligation to Respond: Required to obtain or retain benefits. Statutory authority for this information collection 47 U.S.C. 154, 254 and 303(r).

    Total Annual Burden: 1,125 hours.

    Total Annual Cost: No cost.

    Nature and Extent of Confidentiality: Information collected in each application to participate in an auction for universal service support will be made available for public inspection, and the Commission is not requesting that respondents submit confidential information to the Commission as part of the pre-auction application process. However, to the extent that a respondent seeks to have certain information collected in an application to participate in an auction for universal service support or in a report of a prohibited communication withheld from public inspection, the respondent may request confidential treatment of such information pursuant to section 0.459 of the Commission's rules, 47 CFR Section 0.459.

    Privacy Act Impact Assessment: No impact(s).

    Needs and Uses: The information required by section 1.21001 of the Commission's rules that is collected under this information collection is used by the Commission to determine whether applicants are eligible to participate in auctions for Universal Service Fund support. The reports of prohibited communications made or received by an auction applicant required by section 1.21002 of the Commission's rules that are collected under this information collection enable the Commission to ensure that no bidder gains an unfair advantage over other bidders in its auctions for universal service support and thus enhance the competitiveness and fairness of Commission's auctions for universal service support.

    On November 18, 2011, the Commission released an order comprehensively reforming and modernizing the universal service and intercarrier compensation systems to ensure that robust, affordable voice and broadband service, both fixed and mobile, are available to Americans throughout the nation. Connect America Fund et al., Order and Further Notice of Proposed Rulemaking, FCC 11-161 (USF/ICC Transformation Order). In the USF/ICC Transformation Order, the Commission, among other things, created (1) the Connect America Fund (CAF), to help make broadband available to homes, businesses, and community anchor institutions in areas that do not, or would not otherwise, have broadband, (2) the Mobility Fund, to ensure the availability of mobile broadband networks in areas where a private-sector business case, (3) the Remote Areas Fund (RAF), to ensure that Americans living in the most remote areas in the nation, where the cost of deploying traditional terrestrial broadband networks is extremely high, can obtain affordable access through alternative technology platforms, including satellite and unlicensed wireless services. The USF/ICC Transformation Order directed that support under CAF Phase II, the Mobility Fund, and the RAF be awarded by competitive bidding. The Commission adopted rules to implement the reforms it adopted in the USF/ICC Transformation Order, including rules in Part 1, Subpart AA of the Commission's rules governing competitive bidding for universal service support generally. See 47 CFR 1.21001-1.21004.

    On October 27, 2020, the Commission adopted a Report and Order in which it, among other things, amended its existing Part 1, Subpart AA general universal service competitive bidding rules to codify policies and procedures applicable to the universal service auction application process that have been adopted in its recent universal service auctions, better align provisions in the universal service competitive bidding rules with like provisions in the Commission's spectrum auction rules, and make other updates for consistency, clarification, and other purposes that would apply in all universal service auctions. Establishing a 5G Fund for Rural America, Report and Order, FCC 20-150 (5G Fund Report and Order). The amended Part 1, Subpart AA rules adopted in the 5G Fund Report and Order apply to applicants seeking to participate in future Commission auctions for universal service support.

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    Federal Communications Commission.

    Marlene Dortch,

    Secretary, Office of the Secretary.

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    [FR Doc. 2020-26095 Filed 11-24-20; 8:45 am]

    BILLING CODE 6712-01-P

Document Information

Published:
11/25/2020
Department:
Federal Communications Commission
Entry Type:
Notice
Action:
Notice and request for comments.
Document Number:
2020-26095
Dates:
Written PRA comments should be submitted on or before January 25, 2021. 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.
Pages:
75321-75322 (2 pages)
Docket Numbers:
OMB 3060-1166, FRS 17255
PDF File:
2020-26095.pdf