[Federal Register Volume 75, Number 99 (Monday, May 24, 2010)]
[Notices]
[Pages 28781-28782]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2010-12350]


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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

National Telecommunications and Information Administration


Proposed Information Collection; Comment Request; Broadband 
Subscription and Usage Supplement to the Census Bureau's Current 
Population Survey

AGENCY: National Telecommunications and Information Administration.

ACTION: Notice.

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SUMMARY: The Department of Commerce, as part of its continuing effort 
to reduce paperwork and respondent burden, invites the general public 
and other Federal agencies to take this opportunity to comment on 
proposed and/or continuing information collections, as required by the 
Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995.

DATES: Written comments must be submitted on or before July 23, 2010.

ADDRESSES: Direct all written comments to Diana Hynek, Departmental 
Paperwork Clearance Officer, Department of Commerce, Room 6625, 14th 
and Constitution Avenue, NW., Washington, DC 20230 (or via the Internet 
at [email protected]).

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Requests for additional information or 
copies of the information collection instrument and instructions should 
be directed to James McConnaughey, Senior Economist, Office of Policy 
and Analysis Development, NTIA, at (202) 482-1880, 
[email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

I. Abstract

    NTIA proposes to add eight questions to the Census Bureau's October 
2010 Current Population Survey (CPS) in order to gather reliable data 
on broadband (also known as high-speed Internet) use by U.S. 
households. President Obama has established a national goal of 
universal, affordable broadband access for all Americans.\1\ To that 
end, the Administration is working with Congress, the Federal 
Communications Commission (FCC), and other stakeholders to develop and 
advance economic and regulatory policies that foster broadband 
deployment and adoption. Current, systematic, and comprehensive data on 
broadband access and non-use by U.S. households is critical to allow 
policymakers not only to gauge progress made to date, but also to 
identify problem areas with a specificity that permits carefully 
targeted and cost effective responses.
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    \1\ See http://www.whitehouse.gov/sites/default/files/20091217-recovery-act-investments-broadband.pdf (last viewed May 11, 2010).
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    The need for comprehensive broadband data has become more pressing. 
The General Accountability Office (GAO), NTIA, and the FCC recently 
issued reports noting the lack of useful broadband data for 
policymakers, and Congress passed legislation--the Broadband Data 
Improvement Act in 2008 and the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act 
in 2009--wholly or partly in response to such criticisms. The 
Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) has ranked 
the United States a disappointing number 15 in household broadband 
access over the past several years despite a period of rapid growth in 
the technology's penetration. The OECD looks to Census data as an 
important input into their inter-country benchmark analyses. Modifying 
the October CPS to include NTIA's requested broadband data will allow 
the Commerce Department and NTIA to respond to congressional concerns, 
congressional directives, and to work with the OECD on its broadband 
methodologies with more recent data.

II. Method of Collection

    Personal visits and telephone interviews, using computer-assisted 
telephone interviewing and computer-assisted personal interviewing.

III. Data

    OMB Control Number: 0660-0021.

[[Page 28782]]

    Form Number(s): None.
    Type of Review: Regular submission (Reinstatement).
    Affected Public: Individuals or households.
    Estimated Number of Respondents: 54,000.
    Estimated Time per Response: 90 seconds.
    Estimated Total Annual Burden Hours: 1,350 hours.
    Estimated Total Annual Cost to Public: $0.

IV. Requests for Comments

    Comments are invited on: (a) Whether the proposed collection of 
information is necessary for the proper performance of the functions of 
the agency, including whether the information shall have practical 
utility; (b) the accuracy of the agency's estimate of the burden 
(including hours and cost) of the proposed collection of information; 
(c) ways to enhance the quality, utility, and clarity of the 
information to be collected; and (d) ways to minimize the burden of the 
collection of information on respondents, including through the use of 
automated collection techniques or other forms of information 
technology.
    Comments submitted in response to this notice will be summarized 
and/or included in the request for OMB approval of this information 
collection; they also will be a matter of public record.

    Dated: May 19, 2010.
Gwellnar Banks,
Management Analyst, Office of the Chief Information Officer.
[FR Doc. 2010-12350 Filed 5-21-10; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510-60-P