[Federal Register Volume 64, Number 167 (Monday, August 30, 1999)] [Notices] [Pages 47189-47190] From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov] [FR Doc No: 99-22403] ======================================================================= ----------------------------------------------------------------------- FEDERAL COMMUNICATIONS COMMISSION Notice of Public Information Collection(s) Being Reviewed by the Federal Communications Commission, Comments Requested August 20, 1999. 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, 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: Written comments should be submitted on or before October 29, 1999. 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, 445 12th Street, SW, Room 1-A804, Washington, DC 20554 or via the 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 the Internet at [email protected]. SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: OMB Control Number: 3060-0734. Title: Implementation of the Telecommunications Act of 1996: Accounting Safeguards Under the Telecommunications Act of 1996. Form Number: SEC 10-K. Type of Review: Revision. Respondents: Business or other for-profit entities. Number of Respondents: 168 respondents. Estimated Time Per Response: 1074.6 hours per response (avg.). Total Annual Burden: 180,547 hours. Estimated Annual Reporting and Recordkeeping Cost Burden: $633,000. Frequency of Response: Annually, Biennially, On occasion, Recordkeeping. Needs and Uses: In Accounting Safeguards Under the Telecommunications Act of 1996, Report and Order in CC Docket No. 96- 150 (Report and Order), the Commission addressed the accounting safeguards necessary to satisfy the requirements of section 260 and 271 through 276 of the Telecommunications Act of 1996. The Report and Order prescribed the way incumbent local exchange carriers (ILECs), including the Bell Operating Companies (BOCs), must account for transactions with affiliates involving, and allocate costs incurred in the provision of, both regulated telecommunications services and nonregulated services, including telemessaging, interLATA telecommunications and information services, telecommunications equipment and customer premises equipment manufacturing, electronic publishing, alarm monitoring services and payphone service. The Commission concluded that its current cost allocation rules generally satisfy the 1996 Act's accounting safeguards requirements when ILECs, including the BOCs, provide services permitted under sections 260 and 271 through 276 on an in-house basis. The Commission also concluded that its current affiliate transactions rules generally satisfy the 1996 Act's accounting safeguards requirements when ILECs, including the BOCs, are required to, or choose to, use an affiliate to provide services permitted under sections 260 and 271 through 276. In the Report and Order, the Commission also modified its affiliate transaction rules to provide greater protection against subsidization of competitive activities by subscribers to regulated telecommunications services. Section 274(F) establishes a reporting requirement for separate electronic publishing affiliates created pursuant to section 274. In the Report and Order, the Commission concluded that its rules should require those section 274 affiliates that already file an SEC Form 10-K to file a copy with this Commission. For those section 274 affiliates that were not required to file a Form 10-K with the SEC, the Commission required them to file an identical form with us. In CC Docket No. 98-81, released June 30, 1999, the Commission modified the holding in the [[Page 47190]] Report and Order and concluded that the information contained in the limited version of the SEC Form 10-K, with certain modifications, is sufficient to enable the Commission to monitor electronic publishing affiliates' compliance with the section 274 requirements. The Commission concludes that the information contained in the limited version of SEC Form 10-K, with certain modifications, will enable the Commission to monitor the electronic publishing affiliate's compliance with the section 274 requirements. The Commission modify the limited Form 10-K filing requirements to exclude Item 5 and include Item 10. The information collections will enable the Commission to ensure that the subscribers to regulated telecommunications services do not bear the costs of these new nonregulated services and that transactions between affiliates and carriers will be at prices that do not ultimately result in unfair rates being charged to ratepayers. Federal Communications Commission. Magalie Roman Salas, Secretary. [FR Doc. 99-22403 Filed 8-27-99; 8:45 am] BILLING CODE 6712-01-P