[Federal Register Volume 67, Number 210 (Wednesday, October 30, 2002)]
[Notices]
[Pages 66154-66156]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 02-27568]


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FEDERAL COMMUNICATIONS COMMISSION


Public Information Collections Approved by Office of Management 
and Budget

October 22, 2002.
    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 Paul J. Laurenzano, Federal Communications Commission, (202) 
418-1359 or via the Internet at [email protected].
    OMB Control No.: 3060-0989.
    Expiration Date: 11/30/2002.
    Title: Procedures for Applicants Requiring Section 214 
Authorization for Domestic Interstate Transmission Lines Acquired 
Through Corporate Control, 47 CFR Sections 63.01, 63.03, and 63.04.
    Form No.: N/A.
    Estimated Annual Burden: 35 responses; 1,655 total annual hours; 3-
65 hours per respondent.
    Needs and Uses: The Implementation of Further Streamlining Measures 
for Domestic Section 214 Authorizations Report and Order released March 
21, 2002, provides presumptive streamlining categories, allows for 
joint applications for international and domestic transfers of control, 
clarifies confusion about content of applications, provides timelines 
for streamlined transaction review, provides a pro forma transaction 
process, allows asset acquisitions to be treated as transfers of 
control and deletes obsolete sections of the Commission's rules. The 
information will be used to ensure that applicants comply with the 
requirements of 47 U.S.C. section 214.

    OMB Control No.: 3060-0793.
    Expiration Date: 10/31/2005.
    Title: Federal-State Joint Board on Universal Service, CC Docket 
No. 96-45, Procedures for Self-Certifying as a Rural Carrier.
    Form No.: N/A.

[[Page 66155]]

    Estimated Annual Burden: 10 responses; 10 total annual hours; 1 
hour per response.
    Needs and Uses: In the Universal Service Order, the Commission 
determined that rural and non-rural carriers will receive federal 
universal service support determined by separate mechanisms, at least 
until January 1, 2001. The Commission stated that it would define rural 
carriers as those carriers that meet the statutory definition of a 
rural telephone company in section 153(37) of the Communications Act. 
In addition, the Commission determined that local exchange carriers 
(LECs) should self-certify their status as a rural company each year to 
the Commission and their state commission.
    In a Tenth Report and Order (Report and Order) issued on November 
2, 1999, the Commission adopted the proposals made that carriers who 
serve under 100,000 access lines should not have to file the annual 
rural certification letter unless their status has changed since their 
last filing. Carriers with more than 100,000 access lines, that seek 
rural status, need to file rural certifications for their year 2001 
status and thereafter, should re-certify only if their status has 
changed. The Commission found that the relaxed re-certification 
requirements will reduce administrative burdens for carriers seeking 
rural certification and for the Commission. Statutory authority for 
this information collection is section 254 of the Telecommunications 
Act.

    OMB Control No.: 3060-0742.
    Expiration Date: 08/31/2005.
    Title: Telephone Number Portability (47 CFR part 52, subpart C, 
Sections 52.21-52.33) and CC docket no. 95-116.
    Form No.: N/A.
    Estimated Annual Burden: 1,925 responses; 13,613 total annual 
hours; $77,000 cost burden; .50--149 hours per response.
    Needs and Uses: 47 CFR part 52, subpart C implements the statutory 
requirement that LECs provide number probability. In a MO&O on 
reconsideration, issued in CC docket no. 95-116, the Commission 
implements new and/or modified requirements. (1) In order to calculate 
a multi-region carrier's share of LNP administration costs, the agency 
needs a certification if that carrier cannot divide its revenue by LNP 
region and instead chooses to allocate such revenue by subscriber 
percentages. (2) To ensure that a non-LNP capable incumbent local 
exchange carrier participating in an extended area service calling plan 
with an LNP-capable carrier complies with LNP cost recovery law and 
rules, the agency needs the collection by tariff if such a carrier 
seeks to recover its query and LNP administration costs.

    OMB Control No.: 3060-0540.
    Expiration Date: 09/30/2005.
    Title: Tariff Filing Requirements for Nondominant Common Carriers.
    Form No.: N/A.
    Estimated Annual Burden: 2,000 responses; 21,000 total annual 
burden; $1,260,000 cost burden; 10.5 hours per response.
    Needs and Uses: Nondominant carriers must file tariffs pursuant to 
the requirements contained in 47 CFR sections 61.20-61.23. These tariff 
filing rules for nondominant carriers were originally adopted to comply 
with the decision of the United States Court of Appeals for the 
District of Columbia Circuit, which required all nondominant carriers 
to file tariffs with the Commission. See AT&T v. FCC, 978 F.2d 727 
(D.C. Cir. 1992). See also Southwestern Bell Corp. v. FCC, 43 F.3d 1515 
(D.C. Cir. 1995).
    The information collected pursuant to the nondominant tariff filing 
rules is used to comply with section 203 of the Communications Act of 
1934, 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. If the information were not 
filed, the Commission would not be able to carry out its 
responsibilities as required by the Act.

    OMB Control No.: 3060-0463.
    Expiration Date: 09/30/2005.
    Title: Telecommunications Services for Individuals with Hearing and 
Speech Disabilities and the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990, 47 
CFR Part 64 (Sections 64.601-64.605).
    Form No.: N/A.
    Estimated Annual Burden: 5,052 responses; 26,831 total annual 
hours; 6 hours per response.
    Needs and Uses: The Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 (ADA), 
Pub. L. 101-336, 104 Stat. 327, 366-69, was enacted on July 26, 1990. 
The purpose of the ADA is to provide a clear and comprehensive national 
mandate to end discrimination against individuals with disabilities and 
to bring persons with disabilities into the economic and social 
mainstream of American life; to provide enforceable standards 
addressing discrimination against individuals with disabilities; and to 
ensure that the Federal government play a central role in enforcing 
these standards on behalf of individuals with disabilities. Title IV of 
the ADA adds section 225 to the Communications Act of 1934. Section 225 
requires the Commission to promulgate regulations that require all 
domestic telephone common carriers to provide telecommunications relay 
services (TRS). 47 CFR part 64, subpart F implements certain provisions 
of the ADA. It contains the operational, technical, and functional 
standards required of all TRS providers and the procedures for state 
certification. Although section 225 of the ADA imposes on all common 
carriers providing interstate or intrastate telephone services an 
obligation to provide to hearing and speech-impaired individuals 
telecommunications services that enable them to communicate with 
hearing individuals, and charges the Commission with regulatory 
oversight, states may seek to establish intrastate relay services that 
satisfy federal requirements. Pursuant to section 64.602, any violation 
of subpart F by any common carrier engaged in intrastate communications 
will be subject to the same remedies, penalties, and procedures as are 
applicable to a violation of the Communications Act by a common carrier 
engaged in interstate communications.

    OMB Control No.: 3060-0169.
    Expiration Date: 06/30/2005.
    Title: Sections 43.51 and 43.53--Reports and Records of 
Communications Common Carriers and Affiliates.
    Form No.: N/A.
    Estimated Annual Burden: 374 responses; 6,029 total annual hours; 
83-101 hours per response.
    Needs and Uses: Sections 211 and 215 of the Communications Act of 
1934, as amended, 47 U.S.C. sections 211 and 215 require that the FCC 
examine transactions of any common carriers relating to the activities 
of that carrier which may affect the charges and/or services rendered 
under the Act. The reports required by sections 43.51 and 43.53 are the 
means by which the FCC gathers information concerning the activities of 
carriers which it examines. See 43.51 also requires carriers to 
maintain copies of certain contracts, to have them readily accessible 
to Commission staff and members of the public upon request and to 
forward individual contracts to the Commission as requested.

    OMB Control No.: 3060-0687.

[[Page 66156]]

    Expiration Date: 10/30/2005.
    Title: Access to Telecommunications Equipment and Services by 
Persons with Disabilities, CC Docket No. 87-124.
    Form No.: N/A.
    Estimated Annual Burden: 1,268 responses; 25,000 total annual 
hours; $272,000 cost burden; 9.86 hours per response.
    Needs and Uses: Title II of the Communications Act of 1934, as 
amended, 47 U.S.C. section 201 et. al., provides the statutory 
authority for the Commission to promulgate the rules and regulations 
contained in part 68 of FCC Rules, 47 CFR part 68. Requirements in part 
68 are necessary to prevent degradation of the telephone network. The 
following collections are necessary to inform consumers who purchase 
and/or use telephone equipment to determine whether the telephone is 
hearing aid compatible.
    Pursuant to section 68.300(b), all registered telephone 
manufactured in the U.S. or imported for use in the U.S. that are 
hearing aid compatible must be stamped with the letters HAC. The 
provision applies to all telephones manufactured or imported as of 
March 1, 1997 for use in the United States. The provision excludes 
telephones used with public mobile services or private radio services, 
and secure telephones.
    Section 68.112(b)(3) 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. The ``designation'' might be a sign or a 
written notice to employees, or some other means of designation. The 
type of designation is left up to the employer.
    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 contained therein is not hearing aid compatible, as defined 
in sections 68.4(a)(3) and 68.316, or if offered for sale without a 
surrounding package, shall be fixed with a written statement that the 
telephone is not hearing aid-compatible, as defined by sections 
68.4(a)(3) and 68.316. Section 68.224(b) also requires that the 
telephone equipment be accompanied by instructions in accordance with 
Sec.  68.218(b)(5) of the rules.

Federal Communications Commission.
Marlene H. Dortch,
Secretary.
[FR Doc. 02-27568 Filed 10-29-02; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6712-01-P