[Federal Register Volume 68, Number 223 (Wednesday, November 19, 2003)]
[Notices]
[Page 65244]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 03-28938]


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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

Census Bureau


Submission for OMB Review; Comment Request

    DOC has submitted to the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) for 
clearance the following proposal for collection of information under 
the provisions of the Paperwork Reduction Act (44 U.S.C. chapter 35).
    Agency: U.S. Census Bureau.
    Title: Current Population Survey, February 2004 Cell Phone Use 
Supplement.
    Form Number(s): CPS-263(L), BC-1428.
    Agency Approval Number: None.
    Type of Request: New collection.
    Burden: 630 hours.
    Number of Respondents: 37,800.
    Average Hours Per Response: 1 minute.
    Needs and Uses: The U.S. Census Bureau requests OMB approval of the 
collection of information pertaining cell phone usage to be conducted 
as a supplement to the February 2004 Current Population Survey (CPS). 
The CPS is collected monthly by the U.S. Census Bureau for the Bureau 
of Labor Statistics (BLS).
    Federal statistical agencies conduct telephone surveys more often 
than in the past. This trend is a result of the rising costs of in-
person surveys as well as improvements in telephone sampling 
methodology (list-assisted designs). Government agencies, however, must 
pay particular attention to coverage issues that could affect the 
samples' representation of the universe. One of the coverage issues in 
telephone surveys, as they are currently done, is the failure to 
include households that only have cell phone service. While this is a 
small population at this point, we know it is growing. Furthermore, the 
majority of households have both regular landline telephones plugged 
into the wall and cell phone service, but we do not know how they use 
their phones. It is possible they get most of their calls on a cell 
phone and only use the landline telephone to take messages or connect 
computers and fax machines. For these reasons we need good estimates of 
the size of the population with different types of telephone service. 
The data obtained on the demographic characteristics of those 
households will allow us to evaluate the level of undercoverage and its 
possible effect on estimates.
    The information will be used by survey methodologists in both the 
public and private sector to further evaluate telephone survey designs 
and to develop better methods of sampling.
    Affected Public: Individuals or households.
    Frequency: One-time.
    Respondent's Obligation: Voluntary.
    Legal Authority: Title 13 U.S.C., Section 182 and Title 29 U.S.C., 
Sections 1-9.
    OMB Desk Officer: Susan Schechter, (202) 395-5103.
    Copies of the above information collection proposal can be obtained 
by calling or writing Diana Hynek, Departmental Paperwork Clearance 
Officer, (202) 482-0266, Department of Commerce, room 6625, 14th and 
Constitution Avenue, NW., Washington, DC 20230 (or via the Internet at 
[email protected]).
    Written comments and recommendations for the proposed information 
collection should be sent within 30 days of publication of this notice 
to Susan Schechter, OMB Desk Officer either by fax (202-395-7245) or e-
mail ([email protected]).

    Dated: November 14, 2003.
Madeleine Clayton,
Management Analyst, Office of the Chief Information Officer.
[FR Doc. 03-28938 Filed 11-18-03; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510-07-P