[Federal Register Volume 63, Number 175 (Thursday, September 10, 1998)]
[Notices]
[Pages 48506-48507]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 98-24195]


=======================================================================
-----------------------------------------------------------------------

FEDERAL COMMUNICATIONS COMMISSION


Public Information Collections Approved by Office of Management 
and Budget

August 28, 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.: 3060-0842.
    Expiration Date: 02/28/99.
    Title: Revenue Benchmark Data Request.
    Form No.: N/A.
    Respondents: Business or other for-profit.
    Estimated Annual Burden: 16 respondents; 250 hours per response 
(avg.); 4000 total annual burden hours for all collections.
    Estimated Annual Reporting and Recordkeeping Cost Burden: $0.
    Frequency of Response: One-time requirement.
    Description: Pursuant to Congress's directive in the 
Telecommunications Act of 1996 that the Commission establish support 
mechanisms to ensure the delivery of affordable telecommunication 
service to all Americans, the Commission determined on May 8, 1997 that 
universal service support for rural, insular, and high cost areas 
should be based on forward-looking economic costs. As part of the 
forward-looking economic cost methodology, the Commission determined 
that it would select two revenue benchmarks to calculate the amount of 
federal universal service support that eligible non-rural carriers 
should receive. The data request solicits information from non-rural 
local exchange carriers to calculate the revenue benchmarks that will 
determine the level of universal service support. The data request 
solicits information on annual data for 1996 through first Quarter 
1998; interstate switched access revenues for July 1998; Intrastate 
Switched Access Revenues for July 1998; Residential, single-Line 
business, and Multi-Line Business Local Service Revenues for July 1998; 
and Residential, Single-Line Business, and Multi-Line Business Local 
Service and IntraLATA Toll Revenues for July 1998. The data request was 
issued in CC Dockets 96-45 and 97-160; DA 98-1576. The data request 
will be used to assist the Commission in implementing the forward-
looking economic cost methodology used to estimate the amount of 
universal service support that will be provided to eligible non-rural 
carriers beginning July 1, 1999. Obligation to respond: Mandatory.

    OMB Control No.: 3060-0843.
    Expiration Date: 2/28/99.
    Title: Carrier Identification Codes Blocking Data Request.
    Form No.: N/A.
    Respondents: Business or other for-profit.
    Estimated Annual Burden: 6 respondents; 8 hours per response 
(avg.); 48 total annual burden hours.
    Estimated Annual Reporting and Recordkeeping Cost Burden: $0.
    Frequency of Response: One-time requirement.
    Description: The five regional Bell Operating Companies and GTE are 
required to submit reports to the Common Carrier Bureau describing 
their progress in phasing out three-digit Carrier Identification Codes 
(CICs). This data is critical to the general and specific 
implementation and oversight responsibilities that the Commission bears 
under the Communications Act to evaluate the status and development of 
competition in the provision of local exchange telecommunications 
services. The data request will be used to evaluate the status of 
developing competition in the long distance telecommunications markets. 
The information will be used by the Commission to determine whether the 
phase-out of three-digit CICs is being implement. Statutory authority 
for information collection from carriers and other entities is set out 
in the following sections of the Communications Act: Sections 4(i), 
215, and 218. Obligation to respond: Mandatory.

    OMB Control No.: 3060-0816.
    Expiration Date: 02/28/99.
    Title: Local Competition in the Local Exchange Telecommunications 
Services Report.
    Form No.: N/A.
    Respondents: Business or other for-profit.
    Estimated Annual Burden: 20 respondents; 900 hours per response 
(avg.); 18,000 total annual burden hours for all collections.
    Estimated Annual Reporting and Recordkeeping Cost Burden: $0.
    Frequency of Response: On occasion; quarterly.
    Description: The Telecommunications Act of 1996 (1996 Act) directed 
the Commission to undertake various initiatives to implement new 
statutory directives concerning the development of local exchange 
competition. Central to these directives are new Section 251, governing 
incumbent local exchange carrier (LEC) provision of interconnection to 
competitors, and new Section 271 which provides a means whereby Bell 
Operating Companies (BOCs)--long prohibited from entering various 
telecommunications market--may now do so upon submission of qualifying 
applications. Pursuant to its new statutory obligations and in its 
general capacity as chief federal regulatory agency tasked with 
implementing the 1996 Communications Act amendments, the Commission 
must evaluate the status and development--nationwide--of local 
competition, i.e., competition in the provision of local exchange 
telecommunications services. Approximately twenty telecommunications 
companies including Bell Operating Companies are asked to voluntarily 
submit information to the Commission to evaluate the status and 
development of developing competition in the local exchange 
telecommunications markets. The request is limited to technical queries 
about the nature and extent of carrier-provided access facilities; 
switch ports and non-switched service lines; number of customers 
purchasing specific services; state operations data; total carrier-
handled switched local, intrastate toll, and interstate toll minutes; 
and number of local telephone numbers ported as of end-of-year 1997. 
The information will be used by Commission economists and carrier 
analysts to advise the Commission about the efficacy of Commission 
rules and policies adopted to implement the Telecommunications Act of 
1996. Obligation to respond: Voluntary.

    OMB Control No.: 3060-0774.
    Expiration Date: 11/30/98.
    Title: Federal-State Joint Board on Universal Service--CC Docket 
No. 96-

[[Page 48507]]

45, 47 CFR 36.611-36.612 and 47 CFR Part 54.
    Form No.: N/A.
    Respondents: Business or other for-profit, individuals or 
households; not-for-profit institutions; state, local or tribal 
government.
    Estimated Annual Burden: 5,565,451 respondents; .32 hours per 
response (avg.); 1,801,570 total annual burden hours for all 
collections.
    Estimated Annual Reporting and Recordkeeping Cost Burden: $0.
    Frequency of Response: On occasion, annually, one-time 
requirements.
    Description: Congress directed the Commission to implement a new 
set of universal service support mechanisms that are explicit and 
sufficient to advance the universal service principles enumerated in 
Section 254 of the Telecommunications Act of 1996 and such other 
principles as the Commission believes are necessary and appropriate for 
the protection of the public interest, convenience and necessity, and 
are consistent with the Act. In the various Orders issued in CC Docket 
No. 96-45, the Commission adopted rules that are designed to implement 
the universal service provisions of section 254. Specifically, the 
Orders address: (1) universal service principles; (2) services eligible 
for support; (3) affordability; (4) carriers eligible for universal 
service support; (5) support mechanisms for rural, insular, and high 
cost areas; (6) support for low-income consumers; (7) support for 
schools, libraries, and health care providers; (8) interstate 
subscriber for schools, libraries, and health care providers; (8) 
interstate subscriber line charge and common line cost recovery; and 
(9) administration of support mechanisms. The reporting and 
recordkeeping requirements contained in CC Docket No. 96-45 are 
designed to implement Section 254. The requirements are necessary to 
ensure the integrity of the program. All the collections are necessary 
to implement the congressional mandate for universal service. The 
reporting and recordkeeping requirements are necessary to verify that 
the carriers and other respondents are eligible to receive universal 
service support. OMB extended approval for the collections. Obligation 
to respond: Mandatory.

------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                                           Total annual 
Rule section/title  (47 CFR)      Hours per response          burden    
------------------------------------------------------------------------
a. 36.611(a) & 36.612--       20........................          26,800
 Submission and Updating                                                
 information to NECA.                                                   
b. 54.101(c)--Demonstration   50........................             100
 of exceptional                                                         
 circumstances for toll-                                                
 limitation grace period.                                               
c. 54.201(a)(2)--Submission   4.........................             400
 of eligibility criteria.                                               
d. 54.201(b)(c)--Submission   1.........................           3,400
 of eligibility criteria.                                               
e. 54.201(d)(2)--             50........................          65,000
 Advertisement of services &                                            
 charges.                                                               
f. 54.205(a)--Advance notice  .5........................              50
 of relinquishment of                                                   
 universal service.                                                     
g. 54.207(c)(1)--Submission   125.......................           6,250
 of proposal for redefining                                             
 a rural service area.                                                  
h. 54.307(b)--Reporting of    2.5 (avg.)................           4,100
 expenses & number of lines                                             
 served.                                                                
i. 54.401(b)(1)-(2)--         2.........................             100
 Submission of disconnection                                            
 waiver request.                                                        
j. 54.401(d)--Lifeline        1.........................           1,300
 certification to the                                                   
 Administrator.                                                         
k. 54.407(c)--Lifeline        80........................         104,000
 recordkeeping.                                                         
l. 54.409(a)-(b)--Consumer    5 min.....................         440,000
 qualification for Lifeline.                                            
m. 54.409(b)--Consumer        5 min.....................          44,000
 notification of Lifeline                                               
 discontinuance.                                                        
n. 54.418(b)--Link Up         80........................         104,000
 recordkeeping.                                                         
o. 54.501(d)(4) & 54.516--    41 (avg.).................         372,000
 Schools & Libraries                                                    
 recordkeeping.                                                         
p. 54.504(b)-(c), 54.507(d)   2.........................         100,000
 & 54.509(a)--Description of                                            
 services requested &                                                   
 certification.                                                         
q. 54.519--State              4.........................             200
 telecommunications networks.                                           
r. 54.601(b)(4) & 54.609(b)-- 100.......................         340,000
 Calculating support for                                                
 health care providers.                                                 
  s. 54.601(b)(3) & 54.619--  21 (avg.).................         160,000
   Shared facility record-                                              
   keeping.                                                             
t. 54.607(b)(1)-(2)--         3.........................             150
 Submission of proposed                                                 
 rural rate.                                                            
u. 54.603--Streamlined        1.........................          16,000
 application process for                                                
 schools and libraries and                                              
 for rural health care                                                  
 providers.                                                             
v. 54.603(b)(1), 54.615(c)-   1.........................          11,000
 (d) & 54.623(d)--                                                      
 Description of services                                                
 requested and certification.                                           
w. 54.619(d)--Submission of   40........................              40
 rural health care report.                                              
x. 54.701(f)(1) & (f)(2)--    40........................              40
 Submission of annual report                                            
 & CAM.                                                                 
y. 54.701(g)--Submission of   10........................              40
 quarterly report.                                                      
z. 54.707--Submission of      .25.......................             850
 state commission                                                       
 designation.                                                           
aa. Obligation to notify      1.........................           1,700
 underlying carrier.                                                    
bb. Demonstration of          4.........................             200
 reasonable steps.                                                      
                                                         ---------------
    Total Annual Burden       ..........................       1,801,570
     Hours.                                                             
------------------------------------------------------------------------

    All the collections are necessary to implement the congressional 
mandate for universal service. The reporting and recordkeeping 
requirements are necessary to verify that the carriers and other 
respondents are eligible to receive universal service support.
    Public reporting burden for the collections of information is as 
noted above. Send 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, DC 20554.

Federal Communications Commission.
Magalie Roman Salas,
Secretary.
[FR Doc. 98-24195 Filed 9-9-98; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6712-01-P