[Federal Register Volume 73, Number 56 (Friday, March 21, 2008)]
[Notices]
[Pages 15155-15156]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E8-5834]


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FEDERAL COMMUNICATIONS COMMISSION


Notice of Public Information Collection(s) Being Submitted for 
Review to the Office of Management and Budget

March 11, 2008.
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

[[Page 15156]]

following information collection(s), as required by the Paperwork 
Reduction Act (PRA) of 1995, 44 U.S.C. 3501-3520. 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 Paperwork Reduction Act (PRA) comments should be 
submitted on or before May 20, 2008. If you anticipate that you will be 
submitting PRA comments, but find it difficult to do so within the 
period of time allowed by this notice, you should advise the FCC 
contact listed below as soon as possible.

ADDRESSES: Direct all PRA comments to Nicholas A. Fraser, Office of 
Management and Budget, (202) 395-5887, or via fax at 202-395-5167 or 
via internet at [email protected] and to [email protected], Federal Communications Commission, or an e-mail to 
[email protected]. To view a copy of this information collection request 
(ICR) submitted to OMB: (1) Go to the Web page http://www.reginfo.gov/public/do/PRAMain, (2) look for the section of the Web page called 
``Currently Under Review'', (3) click on the downward-pointing arrow in 
the ``Select Agency'' box below the ``Currently Under Review'' heading, 
(4) select ``Federal Communications Commission'' from the list of 
agencies presented in the ``Select Agency'' box, (5) click the 
``Submit'' button to the right of the ``Select Agency'' box, and (6) 
when the list of FCC ICRs currently under review appears, look for the 
title of this ICR (or its OMB Control Number, if there is one) and then 
click on the ICR Reference Number to view detailed information about 
this ICR.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: For additional information, contact 
Judith B. Herman at 202-418-0214 or via the Internet at [email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: OMB Control Number: 3060-0999.
    Title: Section 20.19, Hearing Aid-Compatible Mobile Handsets 
(Hearing Aid-Compatibility Act).
    Form Nos.: N/A.
    Type of Review: Revision of a currently approved collection.
    Respondents: Business or other for-profit.
    Number of Respondents: 925 respondents; 950 responses.
    Estimated Time Per Response: 1.5-4 hours.
    Frequency of Response: On occasion and annual reporting 
requirements and third party disclosure requirement.
    Obligation To Respond: Required to obtain or retain benefits.
    Total Annual Burden: 12,600 hours.
    Total Annual Cost: N/A.
    Privacy Act Impact Assessment: N/A.
    Nature and Extent of Confidentiality: In submitting the information 
requested in the reports, respondents may need to disclose confidential 
information to satisfy the requirements. However, covered entities 
would be free to request that such materials submitted to the 
Commission be withheld from public inspection (see 47 CFR 0.459 of the 
Commission's rules).
    Needs and Uses: The Commission will submit this information 
collection to the OMB after this 60 day comment period as a revision to 
obtain the full three-year clearance from them. There is an increase in 
the estimated burden hours.
    Commission rules require digital wireless phone manufacturers and 
service providers to make available a certain number of digital 
wireless handset models that meet specific performance levels set forth 
in an established technical standard. The phones must be made available 
according to an implementation schedule specified in Commission rules.
    The Commission adopted and released a First Report and Order on 
February 28, 2008 (FCC 08-68) in which the Commission modified the 
deployment benchmarks for hearing aid-compatible phones, and imposed 
new requirements on manufacturers and service providers to ensue their 
product lines are current and include handset models with varying 
levels of functionality and are periodically refreshed. The Commission 
also requires manufacturers and service providers to continue to file 
reports on the status of their compliance with these requirements, and 
it modified the content and timing of these reports (service providers 
are to file the new reports annually beginning on January 2009 and 
manufacturers will file in January 2009 and then annually beginning in 
July 2009). The requirement to provide certain information in 
conjunction with product labeling remains, although the details of the 
information required has changed slightly, especially with regard to 
phones that have Wi-Fi air interface capability. Finally, the 
Commission requires manufacturers and service providers which already 
have public Web sites to publish up-to-date information on their Web 
sites regarding their hearing aid-compatible models and to keep that 
information current.
    The reporting criteria will assist the Commission staff in 
monitoring the progress of implementation by phone manufacturers and 
wireless carriers, and it will provide valuable information to the 
public concerning hearing aid-compatible handsets. The reports will 
permit the Commission to continue to stay abreast of ongoing standards 
work, testing, and other pertinent information associated with 
achieving digital wireless compatibility with hearing aids and cochlear 
implants. This information will help to ensure that the Commission's 
decisions relating to hearing aid compatibility with wireless phones 
are fair to all involved and reflect the actual status of technology. 
The technical standard for hearing aid compatibility is required by the 
Hearing Aid Compatibility (HAC) Act of 1988, and will be used by 
covered entities and the Commission as a compliance guide.

Federal Communications Commission.
Marlene H. Dortch,
Secretary.
 [FR Doc. E8-5834 Filed 3-20-08; 8:45 am]
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