[Federal Register Volume 63, Number 50 (Monday, March 16, 1998)]
[Notices]
[Pages 12802-12804]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 98-6654]


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FEDERAL COMMUNICATIONS COMMISSION


Public Information Collections Approved by Office of Management 
and Budget

March 9, 1998.
    The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) has received Office of 
Management and Budget (OMB) approval for the following public 
information collections pursuant to the Paperwork Reduction Act of 
1995, Pub. L. 104-13. An agency may not conduct or sponsor and a person 
is not required to respond to a collection of information unless it 
displays a currently valid control number. For further information 
contact Shoko B. Hair, Federal Communications Commission, (202) 418-
1379.

Federal Communications Commission

    OMB Control No.: 3060-0411.
    Expiration Date: 02/28/2001.
    Title: Procedures for Formal Complaints Filed Against Common 
Carriers.
    Form No.: FCC Form 485.
    Respondents: Business or other for-profit, states, individuals or 
households, not-for-profit institutions, federal government.
    Estimated Annual Burden: 5345 respondents; 2.06 hours per response 
(avg.); 11,026 total annual burden hours.
    Estimated Annual Reporting and Recordkeeping Cost Burden: $57,000.
    Frequency of Response: On occasion; One-time requirement.
    Description: Sections 206 to 209 of the Communications Act of 1934, 
as amended, provide the statutory framework for our current rules for 
resolving formal complaints filed against common carriers. Section 
208(a) authorizes complaints by any person ``complaining of anything 
done or omitted to be done by any common carrier'' subject to the 
provisions of the Act. Section 208(a) specifically states that ``it 
shall be the duty of the Commission to investigate the matters 
complained of in such manner and by such means as it shall deem 
proper.'' In 1988, Congress added subsection 208(b) to require that any 
complaint filed with the Commission concerning the lawfulness of a 
common carrier's charges, practices, classifications or regulations 
must be resolved by the Commission in a final, appealable order within 
12 months from the date filed, or 15 months from the date filed if 
``the investigation raises questions of fact of * * * extraordinary 
complexity.'' Except in very rare circumstances, formal complaints are 
decided on the basis of a paper record. The Telecommunications Act of 
1996 added and, in some cases, amended key complaint provisions that, 
because of their resolution deadlines, necessitate substantial 
modification of our current rules and policies for processing formal 
complaints filed against common carriers pursuant to Section 208 of the 
Act.
    a. Service. Pursuant to amended rule 47 CFR 1.735, the complainant 
must personally serve the complaint on the defendant, as well as serve 
copies of the complaint with the Mellon Bank, the Secretary of the 
Commission, and the responsible Bureau or Bureaus. Parties must serve 
all pleadings subsequent to the complaint by (1) hand delivery; (2) 
overnight delivery; or (3) facsimile transmission followed by mail 
delivery. (No. of respondents: 760; hours per response: 1 hour; total 
annual burden: 760 hours).
    b. Pleading Content Requirements. See 47 CFR 1.734 for 
specifications for pleadings, briefs and other documents. Pursuant to 
amended rules 47 CFR 1.721, 1.724, 1.726, documents on which a party 
intends to rely must be attached to the complaint, answer, and reply, 
including an inventory of all such documents, with an explanation of 
how the party decided that each particular document was relevant to the 
issues in dispute. Parties are required to attach copies of documents 
rather than identify them, and to explain why and how each document is 
relevant to the matters in dispute. Pursuant to amended rules 47 CFR 
1.721, 1.724, 1.726, and 1.727, the complaint, answer, reply and any 
motions seeking dispositive orders must contain proposed findings of 
fact, conclusions of law, and supporting legal analysis. See 47 CFR 
1.720 for general pleading requirements. See also 47 CFR 1.736 for 
complaints filed pursuant to Section 276 of the Telecommunications Act. 
Pursuant to amended rule 47 CFR 1.721, the complaint must contain a 
verification of payment of the filing fee, a certificate of service, a 
certification that the complainant has discussed the possibility of 
settlement with the defendant, including a statement that the 
complainant mailed a certified letter outlining the allegations that 
form the basis of the complaint it anticipated filing with the 
Commission to the defendant carrier that invited a response within a 
reasonable period of time and a brief summary of all additional steps 
taken to resolve the dispute prior to the filing of the formal 
complaint, and, if damages are claimed, either a computation of damages 
or an explanation why a computation of damages cannot be submitted. 
Pursuant

[[Page 12803]]

to amended rule 47 CFR 1.724, the answer must contain certification 
that the defendant discussed the possibility of settlement with the 
complainant prior to the filing of the formal complaint. Pursuant to 
amended rule 47 CFR 1.727, motions to compel must contain certification 
that attempts to settle the discovery dispute were made prior to filing 
the motion. Pursuant to amended rule 47 CFR 1.725, parties are 
prohibited from filing cross-complaints or counterclaims. A defendant 
to a formal complaint may, however, file claims arising out of the same 
set of facts as such complaint as a separate formal complaint. See 47 
CFR 1.723 for requirements for joinder of complaints and causes of 
action. Any document purporting to be a formal complaint which does not 
state cause of action will be dismissed. Any other pleading filed in a 
formal complaint proceeding not in conformity with the requirements of 
the applicable Commission rules will be deemed defective. See 47 CFR 
1.728. (No. of respondents: 760; hours per response: 3.0 hours; total 
annual burden: 2,280 hours).
    c. Discovery. Pursuant to rule 47 CFR 1.729 complainants must file 
and serve any requests for interrogatories, up to a limit of 10, 
concurrently with their complaints, defendants must file and serve any 
requests for interrogatories, up to a limit of 10, prior to or 
concurrently with their answer, and complainants must file and serve 
any requests for interrogatories that are directed solely at facts 
underlying affirmative defenses asserted by the defendant in its 
answer, up to a limit of 5, within 3 calendar days of service of the 
defendant's answer. Individuals who are provided access to proprietary 
information shall sign a notarized statement affirmatively stating that 
the individual has personally reviewed the Commission's rules and 
understands the limitations they impose on the signing party. Parties 
must maintain a log recording the number of copies made of all 
proprietary materials and the persons to whom the copies have been 
provided. Upon termination of a formal complaint proceeding, all 
originals and reproduction of any proprietary materials disclosed in 
that proceeding, along with the log recording persons who received 
copies of such materials, shall be provided to the producing party. See 
47 CFR 1.731. (No. of respondents: 760; hours per response: 2.25 hours; 
total annual burden: 1,425 hours).
    d. Scanning. Pursuant to amended rule 47 CFR 1.729, the Commission 
may impose a scanning or other electronic formatting requirement for 
submission of large numbers of documents in certain cases. (No. of 
respondents: 38; hours per response: 5 hours; total annual burden: 190 
hours).
    e. Damages. Damages must be specifically requested. See 47 CFR 
1.722. Pursuant to amended rule 47 CFR 1.722, where the Commission has 
ordered parties to attempt to negotiate a damages amount according to 
an approved damages formula, the parties must submit to the Commission, 
within thirty days, the written results of such negotiations. The 
written statement shall contain one of the following: (1) The parties' 
agreement as to the amount of damages; (2) a statement that the parties 
are continuing to negotiate in good faith and a request for an 
extension of time to continue such negotiations; or (3) the bases for 
the continuing dispute and the reasons why no agreement can be reached. 
(No. of respondents: 380; hours per response: 1 hour per filing; total 
annual burden: 380 hours).
    f. Briefs. Pursuant to amended rule 47 CFR 1.732, briefs may be 
prohibited or limited. Where permitted, briefs must contain all claims 
and defenses that the party wants the Commission to address. Each brief 
must attach all documents on which it relies and explain how each 
attachment is relevant to the issues. Brief length has been shortened 
to 25 pages for initial briefs and 10 pages for reply briefs. See also 
47 CFR 1.734 for specifications for briefs and other documents. (No. of 
respondents: 760; hours per response: 3 hours; total annual burden: 
2280 hours).
    g. Designation of Agent for Service. Pursuant to amended rule 47 
CFR 1.47(h), the Commission will maintain a directory of agents 
designated by carriers to receive service of process. The directory 
will list, for both the carrier and its agent(s), names, addresses, 
telephone or voice-mail numbers, facsimile numbers, and Internet e-mail 
addresses if available. In addition, the carrier shall list any other 
names by which it is known or under which it does business. If the 
carrier is an affiliated company, the carrier must also list its 
parent, holding, or management company. Parties are required to notify 
the Commission within one week of any changes in their designated 
agents. Parties will be required to designate their service agent(s) to 
the Commission by filing the required information with the Formal 
Complaints and Investigations Branch of the Common Carrier Bureau. (No. 
of respondents: 4965; hours per response: .25 hours; total annual 
burden: 1,241.25 hours).
    h. Joint Statement of Stipulated Facts and Status Conferences. 
Pursuant to amended rule 47 CFR 1.732(h), parties must file a joint 
statement of stipulated facts, disputed facts and key legal issues at 
least two business days prior to the initial status conference. 
Pursuant to amended rule 47 CFR 1.733(b), parties must file a joint 
statement of proposals agreed to and disputes remaining as the result 
of a meet and confer conference at least two business days prior to the 
scheduled initial status conference. Pursuant to amended rule 47 CFR 
1.733(f), following every status conference, parties must file a joint 
proposed order, including alternative proposed orders where the parties 
are unable to agree, memorializing the oral rulings made during the 
status conference or file a transcript of either the audio recording or 
stenographic transcription of the oral rulings made during the status 
conference. (No. of respondents: 760; hours per response: 2 hours; 
total annual burden: 1520 hours).
    i. Filing of Copies of Proposed Orders on Disks. Pursuant to 
amended rule 1.734(d) all proposed orders must be submitted both as 
hard copies and on computer disk formatted to be compatible with the 
Commission's computer system and using the Commission's current 
wordprocessing software. Each disk should be clearly labelled with the 
submitting party's name, proceeding, type of pleading, and date of 
submission. Each disk should be accompanied by a cover letter. This 
requirement may be waived upon a showing of good cause. (No. of 
respondents: 760; hours per response: .5 hours; total annual burden: 
380 hours).
    j. FCC 485--Intake Form. Pursuant to 47 CFR 1.721(a)(12), the 
complainant must submit a completed intake form with any formal 
complaint to indicate that the complaint satisfies the procedural and 
substantive requirements under the Act and our rules. The completed 
intake form must also identify all relevant statutory provisions, any 
relevant procedural history of the case, and, in the case of a Section 
271(d)(6)(B) complaint, whether the complainant desires to waive the 
90-day resolution deadline. (No. of respondents: 380; hours per 
response: .5 hours per filing; total annual burden: 190 hours). A 
public notice will be issued to announce the availability of FCC Form 
485. The information has been and is currently being used by the 
Commission to determine the sufficiency of the complaint and to resolve 
the merits of the dispute between the parties. Obligation to respond: 
Required to obtain or retain benefits. Public reporting burden for the 
collections of information is as noted above. Send

[[Page 12804]]

comments regarding the burden estimate or any other aspect of the 
collections of information, including suggestions for reducing the 
burden to Performance Evaluation and Records Management, Washington, 
D.C. 20554.

Federal Communications Commission.
Magalie Roman Salas,
Secretary.
[FR Doc. 98-6654 Filed 3-13-98; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6712-01-P