[Federal Register Volume 62, Number 60 (Friday, March 28, 1997)]
[Notices]
[Page 14907]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 97-7909]


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FEDERAL COMMUNICATIONS COMMISSION


Notice of Public Information Collections Being Reviewed by the 
Federal Communications Commission

March 24, 1997.
SUMMARY: The Federal Communications Commission, as part of its 
continuing effort to reduce paperwork burden invites the general public 
and other Federal agencies to take this opportunity to comment on the 
following information collection, as required by the Paperwork 
Reduction Act of 1995, Public Law 104-13. An agency may not conduct or 
sponsor a collection of information unless it displays a currently 
valid control number. No person shall be subject to any penalty for 
failing to comply with a collection of information subject to the 
Paperwork Reduction Act (PRA) that does not display a valid control 
number. 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 estimate; (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.

DATES: Persons wishing to comment on this information collection should 
submit comments May 27, 1997.

ADDRESSES: Direct all comments to Dorothy Conway, Federal 
Communications Commission, room 234, 1919 M St., NW., Washington, DC 
20554, or via internet to [email protected].

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: For additional information or copies 
of the information collections contact Dorothy Conway at 202-418-0217 
or via internet at [email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

    OMB Approval Number: 3060-0106.
    Title: Section 43.61 Reports of Overseas Telecommunications 
Traffic.
    Form No.: N/A.
    Type of Review: Extension of an existing collection for which the 
Commission received emergency approval.
    Respondents: Business or other For-Profit.
    Number of Respondents: 40 respondents will file the semi-annual 
traffic report however there are a total of 248 respondents for this 
entire collection.
    Estimated Time Per Response: 80 hours.
    Total Annual Burden: 3,200 hours. This estimate is only for the 
semi-annual traffic report. The Commission requested comments on the 
remainder of the collection in 62 FR 5535 on February 6, 1997. We 
estimate that there will be on average, four equivalent countries in 
any given six-month reporting period for which carriers engaged in 
``facilities resale,'' i.e., private line resellers must report their 
U.S. Outbound and inbound traffic originating or terminating over 
resold U.S. private lines. We also predict that there will be as many 
as ten respondents providing traffic to each of the four equivalent 
countries.
    Needs and Uses: Two times a year, carriers engaged in ``facilities 
resale,'' i.e., private line resellers, must report their U.S. outbound 
and inbound traffic originating or terminating over resold U.S. private 
lines. This requirement applies for three years following a Commission 
(or International Bureau) finding that a particular country offers U.S. 
carriers ``equivalent'' opportunities for resale. We impose the 
reporting requirement in the Section 214 authorizations granted to 
private line resellers.
    We must collect traffic reports from private line resellers on a 
semi-annual basis in addition to the annual reports required under 
Sec. 43.61 of our rules so that the Commission and interested parties, 
including U.S. carriers themselves, can closely monitor the equivalency 
decision's impact on the U.S. settlements deficit resulting from the 
diversion of IMTS traffic to international private lines. If the U.S. 
net settlements deficit changes substantially to the detriment of U.S. 
consumers, we would have the necessary information to investigate the 
situation promptly. Also, the data will enhance the ability of both the 
Commission and interested parties to monitor for unauthorized resale of 
international private lines that are interconnected to the public 
switched network.
    An emergency paperwork reduction analysis was submitted to the 
Office of Management and Budget (OMB) for review under Section 3507(d) 
of the PRA for: (1) This semi-annual reporting requirement; and (2) for 
amending Section 43.61 of the Commission's rules to require that 
carriers include the number of minutes of outbound and inbound traffic 
settled pursuant to each alternative settlement arrangements entered 
under Sec. 64.1002 of the Commission's rules. Comment was requested for 
the inbound/outbound traffic data burden in the Federal Register on 
February 6, 1997 (62 FR 5535).

Federal Communications Commission.
William F. Caton,
Acting Secretary.
[FR Doc. 97-7909 Filed 3-27-97; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6712-01-P