[Federal Register Volume 74, Number 139 (Wednesday, July 22, 2009)]
[Notices]
[Pages 36219-36220]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E9-17406]


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FEDERAL COMMUNICATIONS COMMISSION


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

July 15, 2009.
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(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 September 21, 2009. 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, 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].

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: 3060-0233.
    Title: Part 36--Separations.
    Form No.: N/A.
    Type of Review: Extension of a currently approved collection.
    Respondents: Business or other for-profit.
    Number of Respondents: 1,997 respondents; 7,562 responses.
    Estimated Time per Response: 5-22 hours.

[[Page 36220]]

    Frequency of Response: On occasion, annual and quarterly reporting 
requirements, and third party disclosure requirement.
    Obligation to Respond: Required to obtain or retain benefits. 
Statutory authority for this information collection is contained in 47 
U.S.C. sections 151, 154(i) and (j), 221(c) and 410(c).
    Total Annual Burden: 71,283 hours.
    Total Annual Cost: N/A.
    Privacy Act Impact Assessment: N/A.
    Needs and Uses: The Commission will submit this information 
collection to the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) after this 60 
day comment period in order to obtain the full three year clearance 
from them. The Commission is requesting an extension (no change in the 
reporting and third party requirements) of this information collection. 
There is a change in the estimated respondents/responses and the annual 
burden hours. The Commission is reporting a 1,774 adjusted increase in 
the number of responses and a 12,865 hour increase in the total annual 
burden.
    In order to determine which carriers are entitled to universal 
service support, all (both rural and non-rural) incumbent local 
exchange carriers (LECs) must provide the National Exchange Carrier 
Association (NECA) with the loop cost and loop count data required by 
47 CFR 63.611 of the Commission's rules for each of its study areas 
and, if applicable, for each wire center (that term is defined in 47 
CFR part 54).
    Loops are the telephone lines running from the carriers' switching 
facilities to the customer. The loop cost and loop count information is 
to be filed annually with NECA by July 31st of each year, and may be 
updated quarterly pursuant to 47 CFR 63.612. Pursuant to section 
36.613, the information filed on July 31st of each year will be used to 
calculate universal service support for each study area and is filed by 
NECA with the Commission on October 1 of each year. An incumbent LEC is 
defined as a carrier that meets the definition of ``incumbent local 
exchange carrier'' in 47 CFR 51.5 of the Commission's rules.
    Section 63.612(a) also requires non-rural carriers to file loop 
counts (no loop cost data) on a quarterly basis. The Commission 
requires that non-rural carriers submit quarterly loop counts in order 
to ensure that universal service fund (USF) support for non-rural 
carriers is accurately calculated when competitive eligible 
telecommunications (ETCs) are present in the incumbent LECs' operating 
areas. Quarterly loop cost and loop count data filing are voluntary for 
rural carriers. When a competitive ETC, however, is operating in an 
incumbent rural carrier's territory, the incumbent rural carrier is 
required to submit quarterly loop count data. Quarterly filings of loop 
counts are necessary because if an incumbent rural carrier does not 
update its loop count data more often than annually, but its competitor 
does, the competitor's more recent data may include loops captured from 
the incumbent since the incumbent's last filing. Thus, the incumbent 
would continue to receive support based on an overstated number of 
loops. Section 54.307 allows competitive ETCs to receive USF support at 
the same per line support amount that the incumbent LEC receives in the 
same operating territory. In order to receive such support, the 
competitive ETC must file loop count data with the USAC on a quarterly 
basis.
    The reporting requirements are necessary to implement the 
congressional mandate for universal service. The requirements are 
necessary to verify that rural and non-rural LECs are eligible to 
receive universal service support. Information filed with NECA pursuant 
to section 36.611 is used to calculate universal service support 
payments to eligible carriers. Without this information, NECA and USAC 
(Universal Service Administration Company) would not be able to 
calculate such payments to eligible carriers.

Federal Communications Commission.
Marlene H. Dortch,
Secretary.
[FR Doc. E9-17406 Filed 7-21-09; 8:45 am]
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