[Federal Register Volume 63, Number 208 (Wednesday, October 28, 1998)]
[Notices]
[Pages 57686-57688]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 98-28770]


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FEDERAL COMMUNICATIONS COMMISSION


Notice of Public Information Collection(s) Being Reviewed by the 
Federal Communications Commission

October 20, 1998.
SUMMARY: The Federal Communications Commissions, 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, Pub. L. 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 December 28, 1998. 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 comments to Les Smith, Federal Communications 
Commissions, 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 Les Smith at 202-418-0217 or via 
internet at [email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
    OMB Control Number: 3060-0384.
    Title: Annual Auditor's Certification--Section 64.904.
    Form Number: N/A.
    Type of Review: Extension of a currently approved collection.
    Respondents: Business or other for-profit entities.
    Number of Respondents: 19.
    Estimated Time Per Response: 500 hours (avg.).
    Frequency of Response: Annual.
    Total Annual Burden: 9,500 hours.
    Estimated Cost to Respondents: $11,400,000.
    Needs and Uses: Local exchange carriers required to file cost 
allocation manuals must have performed annually, by an independent 
auditor, an audit that provides a positive option on whether the 
applicable data shown in the carrier's annual report presents fairly 
the information of the carrier required to be set forth in accordance 
with the carrier's cost allocation manual, the Commission's Joint Cost 
Orders, and applicable Commission rules in Parts 32 and 64 in force as 
of the date of the auditor's reports. This requirement assists the 
Commission in effectively carrying out its responsibilities.

    OMB Control Number: 3060-0484.
    Title: Amendment of Part 63 of the Commission's Rules to Provide 
for Notification of Common Carriers of Service Disruptions--Section 
63.100.
    Form Number: N/A.
    Type of Review: Extension of a currently approved collection.
    Respondents: Business or other for-profit entities.
    Number of Respondents: 208.
    Estimated Time Per Response: 5 hours (avg.).
    Frequency of Response: On occasion reporting requirements.
    Total Annual Burden: 1,040 hours.
    Estimated Cost to Respondents: None.
    Needs and Uses: 47 CFR Section 63.100 requires that any local 
exchange or interexchange common carrier that operates transmission or 
switching facilities and provides access service or interstate or 
international telecommunications service that experiences an outage on 
any facilities which it owns or operates must notify the Commission if 
such service outage continues for 30 minutes or more. An initial and a 
final report are required for each outage. Local exchange or 
interexchange common carriers or competitive access providers that 
operate either transmission or switching facilities and provide access 
service or interstate or international telecommunications service must 
report outages that affect 30,000 or more customers or that affect 
special facilities, and report fire-related incidents impacting 1,000 
or more lines. With such reports the FCC can monitor and take effective 
action to ensure network reliability.

    OMB Control Number: 3060-0421.
    Title: New Service Reporting Requirements Under Price Cap 
Regulation.
    Form Number: N/A.
    Type of Review: Extension of a currently approved collection.
    Respondents: Businesses or other for profit entities.
    Number of Respondents: 16.
    Estimated Time Per Response: 20 hours (avg.).
    Frequency of Response: Annually.
    Total Annual Burden: 320 hours.
    Estimated Cost to Respondents: None.
    Needs and Uses: Price cap carriers filing new service tariffs are 
subject to an annual reporting requirement which commences six months 
after initiation of new services. The net revenue data report is useful 
to the public and the Commission in determining the reasonableness of 
rates for new services. These reports are used to compare actual 
operating results with projections.

    OMB Control Number: 3060-0687.
    Title: Access to Telecommunications Equipment and Services by 
Persons with Disabilities, CC Docket No. 87-124.
    Form Number: N/A.
    Type of Review: Extension of a currently approved collection.
    Respondents: Businesses or other for profit entities.
    Number of Respondents: 806,100.
    Estimated Time Per Response: 2.028 hours (avg.).
    Frequency of Response: On occasion reporting requirements; Third 
party disclosure.
    Total Annual Burden: 1,635,000 hours.
    Estimated Cost to Respondents: $638,500.
    Needs and Uses: The Commission requires that telephones with 
electro-magnetic coil hearing aid compatibility be stamped with the 
letters HAC. Section 68.112(b)(3)(E) requires that employers with 
fifteen or more employees provide emergency telephones for use by 
employees with hearing disabilities and that the employers 
``designate'' such telephones for emergency use. Section 68.224(a) 
requires a notice to be contained on the surface of the packaging of a 
non-hearing aid compatible telephone that the telephone is not hearing 
aid compatible. The requirements were

[[Page 57687]]

implemented to assist the Commission in carrying out its 
responsibilities.

    OMB Control Number: 3060-0804.
    Title: Universal Service--Health Care Providers Universal Service 
Program.
    Form Numbers: FCC Form 465, FCC Form 466, FCC Form 467, and FCC 
Form 468.
    Type of Review: Extension of a currently approved collection.
    Respondents: Businesses or other for profit entities; Not for 
profit institutions.
    Number of Respondents: 73,000 (Form 465: 12,000; Form 466: 15,000; 
Form 467: 12,000; and Form 468: 34,000).
    Estimated Time Per Response: Form 465: 2.5 hours; Form 466: 1.5 
hours; Form 467: 1.5 hours; and Form 468: 1.5 hours.
    Frequency of Response: On occasion reporting requirements.
    Total Annual Burden: 121,500 hours (Form 465: 30,000 hours; Form 
466: 22,500 hours; Form 467: 18,000 hours; and Form 468: 51,000 hours).
    Estimated Cost to Respondents: None.
    Needs and Uses: The Commission adopted rules providing support for 
all telecommunications services, limited distance charges, and Internet 
access for all eligible health care providers. Health care providers 
who want to participate in the universal service program must file the 
following forms. FCC Form 465 to request eligible services; FCC Form 
466 to certify that the most cost effective method of providing the 
services has been requested; FCC Form 467 to confirm the receipt of the 
requested services; and FCC Form 468 to ensure that the proper amount 
of universal service support has been calculated. All the information 
is used to administer the universal service health care program.

    OMB Control Number: 3060-0540.
    Title: Tariff Filing Requirements for Nondominant Common Carriers.
    Form Number: N/A.
    Type of Review: Extension of a currently approved collection.
    Respondents: Businesses or other for-profit entities.
    Number of Respondents: 2,000.
    Estimated Time Per Response: 10.5 hours (avg.).
    Frequency of Response: On occasion reporting.
    Total Annual Burden: 21,000 hours.
    Estimated Cost to Respondents: $1,130,000.
    Needs and Uses: Domestic nondominant carriers must file tariffs 
pursuant to 47 U.S.C. Section 203; implementing regulations are found 
at 47 CFR Sections 61.20-61.23. The information collected pursuant to 
the nondominant tariff filing rules is used to comply with Section 203 
of the Communications Act of 1934, as amended, which requires that 
carriers file schedules indicating the rates, terms, and conditions of 
their service offerings. The information collected pursuant to the 
tariff filing requirements is used by the Commission to determine 
whether the rates, terms, and conditions of service offered are just 
and reasonable as the Act requires. These tariff filing requirements 
enable the Commission and the public to ensure that the service 
offerings of communications common carriers comply with the 
requirements of the Act.
    OMB Control Number: 3060-0856.
    Title: Universal Service--Schools and Libraries Universal Service 
program Reimbursement Forms.
    Form Number: FCC Form 472, FCC Form 473, and FCC Form 474.
    Type of Review: Extension of a currently approved collection.
    Respondents: Businesses or other for-profit entities.
    Number of Respondents: 61,800 (Form 472: 50,000; Form 473: 9,300; 
and Form 474: 2,500).
    Estimated Time Per Response: Form 472: 1.5 hours; Form 473: 1.0 
hours; and Form 474: 1.5 hours.
    Frequency of Response: Annually; On occasion reporting 
requirements.
    Total Annual Burden: 88,050 hours (Form 472: 75,000 hours; Form 
473: 9,300 hours; and Form 474: 3,750 hours).
    Estimated Cost to Respondents: None.
    Needs and Uses: The Commission adopted rules providing universal 
service support for all telecommunications services, Internet access, 
and internal connections for all eligible schools and libraries. The 
Telecommunications Act of 1996 contemplates that discounts on eligible 
services shall be provided to schools and libraries, and that service 
providers shall seek reimbursement for the amount of the discounts.
    FCC Form 472--Billed Entity Applicant Reimbursement Form. The 
information to be collected in the Billed Entity Applicant 
Reimbursement Form is necessary to enable the fund administrator, the 
SLC, to pay universal service support to service providers who provide 
discounted services to eligible schools, libraries, and consortia of 
those entities. The information is to be collected from each Form 471 
Billed Entity Applicant (Applicant) that received a funding Commitment 
Decisions Letter from the administrator and filed a Form 486 to 
indicate the applicant intended to prepare and submit to the SLC an 
invoice for reimbursement. The information to be collected on the 
Billed Entity Applicant Reimbursement Form should be completed by an 
applicant to seek reimbursement for payments on approved services and/
or products delivered to the applicant from the actual service start 
date, as reported in the applicant's Form 486 Column (E), through no 
later than December 31, 1998. This information is necessary to identify 
the amount of the discounts due and owing from the service provider to 
the applicant, so that the service provider may reimburse this amount 
to the applicant.
    FCC Form 473--Submission of Service Provider Annual Certification 
Form. The Service Provider Annual Certification Form is to be submitted 
by each service provider or vendor, hereinafter collectively referred 
to as service providers, that was assigned a service provider 
identification number (SPIN) by the Universal Service Administrative 
Company (USAC) and that participates in the universal service support 
mechanism for schools and libraries. The purpose of the Annual 
Certification Form is to confirm that, for each Invoice Form submitted 
by the service provider, the Invoice form is in compliance with the 
FCC's rules governing the schools and libraries universal service 
support mechanism, and the Invoice Form is true, accurate, and 
complete. FCC Form 474--Submission of Service Provider Invoice Form. 
The Service Provider Invoice Form is to be used by all service 
providers or vendors, hereinafter collectively referred to as service 
providers, who were assigned a SPIN by the USAC and participate in the 
universal service support mechanism for schools and libraries. The 
purpose of the Invoice Form is for the service provider/vendor to seek 
reimbursement for the cost of discounts. The information to be 
collected on the Service Provider Invoice Form must be received by the 
SLC before a service provider participating in the universal service 
program for schools and libraries can receive payment for the 
discounted portion of its bill for eligible services to eligible 
entities. All of the information collected is used to administer the 
universal service schools and libraries program.
    OMB Control Number: 3060-0843.
    Title: Carrier Identification Codes Blocking Data Request.
    Form Number: N/A.
    Type of Review: Extension of a currently approved collection.
    Respondents: Business or other for-profit entities.
    Number of Respondents: 6.

[[Page 57688]]

    Estimated Time Per Response: 8 hours (avg.).
    Frequency of Response: One-time requirement.
    Total Annual Burden: 48 hours.
    Estimated Cost to Respondents: None.
    Needs and Uses: 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 are critical to the general and specific 
implementation and oversight responsibilities that the Commission bears 
under the Communications Act to evaluate the status of 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 implemented.

    OMB Control Number: 3060-0816.
    Title: Local Competition in the Local Exchange Telecommunications 
Services Report.
    Form Number: N/A.
    Type of Review: Extension of a currently approved collection.
    Respondents: Business or other for-profit entities.
    Number of Respondents: 20.
    Estimated Time Per Response: 900 hours (avg.).
    Frequency of Response: Quarterly; On occasion reporting 
requirements.
    Total Annual Burden: 18,000 hours.
    Estimated Cost to Respondents: None.
    Needs and Uses: The Telecommunications Act of 1996 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 markets--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. Certain companies were 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 is 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.

    OMB Control Number: 3060-0853.
    Title: Receipt of Service Confirmation Form--Universal Service for 
Schools and Libraries.
    Form Number: FCC Form 486.
    Type of Review: Extension of a currently approved collection.
    Respondents: Business or other for-profit entities.
    Number of Respondents: 30,000.
    Estimated Time Per Response: 1.5 hours (avg.)
    Frequency of Response: On occasion reporting requirements.
    Total Annual Burden: 45,000 hours.
    Estimated Cost to Respondents: None.
    Needs and Uses: The Commission adopted rules providing support for 
all telecommunications services, Internet access, and internal 
connections for all eligible schools and libraries. To participate in 
the program schools and libraries must confirm that they are actually 
receiving the services eligible for support. FCC Form 486, Receipt of 
Service Confirmation Form, is used by all billed entities who filed a 
FCC Form 471 on behalf of an eligible school, library, library 
consortium, or consortium of multiple entities, to inform the SLC when 
they begin receiving or have received service from the service 
provider. The FCC Form 486 is also used to confirm that technology 
plans of entities receiving universal service support pursuant to an 
SLC-approved funding commitment have been approved, indicating that the 
eligible entities applying for universal service support have a plan in 
place to utilize the services for which they have contracted, and to 
indicate the name of the authorized reviewing body, contact name, and 
contact telephone number. The FCC Form 486 is used to implement the 
congressional mandate for universal service.

Federal Communications Commisison.
Magalie Roman Salas,
Secretary.
[FR Doc. 98-28770 Filed 10-27-98; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6712-01-P