[Federal Register Volume 63, Number 22 (Tuesday, February 3, 1998)]
[Notices]
[Pages 5521-5522]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 98-2582]


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FEDERAL COMMUNICATIONS COMMISSION


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

January 26, 1998.
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 by April 6, 1998.

ADDRESSES: Direct all comments to Judy Boley, Federal Communications 
Commission, Room 234, 1919 M St., N.W., Washington, DC 20554 or via 
internet to [email protected].

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: For additional information or copies 
of the information collections contact Judy Boley at 202-418-0214 or 
via internet at [email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

    OMB Approval Number: 3060-0798.
    Form No.: FCC 601.
    Type of Review: Revision of a currently approved collection.
    Respondents: Individuals or households; Business or other for-
profit; Not-for-profit institutions; Farms; Federal Government; State, 
Local or Tribal Government.
    Number of Respondents: 55,669.
    Estimated Time Per Response: 2 hours and 5 minutes.
    Total Annual Burden: 115,959 hours.
    Frequency of Response: On occasion reporting requirement.
    Needs and Uses: FCC 601 will be used as the general application for 
market based licensing and site-by-site licensing in the Wireless 
Telecommunications Radio Services. The purpose of this revision is to 
include the Paging and Cellular Radio Services.
    Use of FCC Forms 405, 489, 490, 464, and 600 in the Paging and 
Cellular services will be eliminated. Schedules D, E, F, and J are 
intended for technical information.
    This long form application is a consolidated application form and 
will be utilized as part of the Universal Licensing System currently 
under development. The goal of producing a consolidated form is to 
create a form with a consistent ``look and feel'' that maximizes the 
collection of data and minimizes narrative responses, free-form 
attachment, and free-form letter requests. A consolidated application 
form will allow common fields, questions, and statements to reside in 
one place and allow the technical data specific to each service to be 
captured in its own schedule. FCC 601 consists of a Main Form 
containing administrative information and a series of Schedules used to 
file technical information. Auction winning respondents are required to 
submit FCC 601 electronically.
    The data collected on this form includes the applicant's Taxpayer 
Identification Number. Use of Taxpayer Identification Number in the 
Universal Licensing System will allow pre-filling of data by searching 
the database and displaying all pertinent data associated to a given 
TIN, as well as for Debt Collection purposes. It will also improve and 
lessen the burden of the volume of data the public would have to enter 
for later filings.

    OMB Control Number: 3060-0560.
    Title: Section 76.911, Petition for reconsideration of 
certification.
    Form Number: N/A.
    Type of Review: Revision of a currently approved collection.
    Respondents: Business or other for-profit; State, Local or Tribal 
Government.
    Number of Respondents: 45.
    Estimated Time Per Response: 2-10 hours.
    Total Annual Burden: 410 hours, calculated as follows: We estimate 
that cable operators and other entities will annually initiate no more 
than 20 petitions for reconsideration of certification. We estimate 
that the average burden to complete all aspects of each petition 
process is 10 hours for each petitioning party and responding party. 
(20 petitions  x  2 parties each  x  10 hours = 400 hours. We also 
estimate that no more than 5 cable operators may, if evidence 
establishing effective competition is not otherwise available, need to 
request from a competitor information regarding the competitor's reach 
and number of subscribers. The burden associated with supplying this 
information is estimated to be 2 hours per request. (5 occurrences  x  
2 hours = 10 hours).
    Cost to Respondent: $410, calculated as follows: Postage and 
stationery costs associated with the petitions is estimated to be $10 
per respondent. (20 petitions  x  2 parties  x  $10 = $400). Postage 
and stationery costs associated with supplying information regarding 
the competitor's reach and number of subscribers is estimated to be $2 
per request. (5  x  $2 = $10).
    Frequency of Response: On occasion reporting requirement.
    Needs and Uses: Section 76.911 states that a cable operator, or 
other interested party, may challenge a franchising authority's 
certification by filing a petition for reconsideration. The petition 
may allege either that the cable operator is not subject to rate 
regulation because effective competition exists, or that the 
franchising authority does not meet the Commission's certification 
standards. The burden associated with the petition process was not 
previously accounted for in this collection; therefore, this collection 
has been revised. Section 76.911(b)(2) also states that if evidence 
establishing effective competition is not otherwise available, then 
cable operators may request from a competitor information regarding the 
competitor's reach and number of subscribers. A competitor must respond 
to such request within 15 days and such responses may be limited to 
numerical totals. Commission staff use the information derived from 
petitions for reconsideration of certification to resolve disputes 
concerning the

[[Page 5522]]

presence or absence of effective competition in franchise areas and to 
determine whether there are grounds for denying franchising authority 
certifications to regulate rates.

Federal Communications Commission.
Magalie Roman Salas,
Secretary.
[FR Doc. 98-2582 Filed 2-2-98; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6712-01-P