[Federal Register Volume 74, Number 190 (Friday, October 2, 2009)]
[Notices]
[Pages 50967-50968]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E9-23768]


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FEDERAL COMMUNICATIONS COMMISSION


Notice of Public Information Collection Being Submitted to the 
Office of Management and Budget for Review and Approval, Comments 
Requested

September 28, 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 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: Persons wishing to comment on this information collection should 
submit comments on November 2, 2009. 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 PRA comments to Nicholas A. Fraser, Office of 
Management and Budget (OMB), via fax at (202) 395-5167, or via the 
Internet at [email protected] and to Judith B. Herman, 
Federal Communications Commission (FCC). To submit your comments by e-
mail send then to: [email protected]. To view a copy of this information 
collection request (ICR) submitted to OMB: (1) Go to 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 FCC list appears, look for the title of this ICR (or its 
OMB Control Number, if there is one) and then click on the ICR.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Judith B. Herman, 202-418-0214. For 
additional information about the information collection(s) send an e-
mail to [email protected] or contact Judith B. Herman, 202-418-0214.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
    OMB Control No: 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.
     Frequency of Response: On occasion, annual and quarterly reporting 
requirements and third party disclosure requirements.
     Obligation to Respond: Required to obtain or retain benefits. 
Statutory authority for 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.
     Privacy Act Impact Assessment: N/A
     Nature and Extent of Confidentiality: No assurance of 
confidentiality has been given regarding the information.
     Need and Uses: The Commission will submit this information 
collection to the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) during this 30 
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/or third party disclosure 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 hours.
    In order to determine which carriers are entitled to universal 
service support,

[[Page 50968]]

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 carrier's switching 
facilities to the customer. The loop cost and loop count information is 
to be field 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 by October 1 of each year. An incumbent LEC is 
define 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 carriers (ETCs) are present in the incumbent LECs' 
operating areas. Quarterly loop cost and loop count data filings 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 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. E9-23768 Filed 10-1-09; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE: 6712-01-S