[Federal Register Volume 77, Number 14 (Monday, January 23, 2012)]
[Notices]
[Page 3265]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2012-1163]



[[Page 3265]]

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FEDERAL COMMUNICATIONS COMMISSION


Information Collection Being Reviewed by the Federal 
Communications Commission

AGENCY: Federal Communications Commission.

ACTION: Notice and request for comments.

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SUMMARY: As part of its continuing effort to reduce paperwork burden 
and as required by the Paperwork Reduction Act (PRA) of 1995 (44 U.S.C. 
3501-3520), the Federal Communications Commission invites the general 
public and other Federal agencies to take this opportunity to comment 
on the following information collection(s). 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; (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; and (e) 
ways to further reduce the information burden for small business 
concerns with fewer than 25 employees.
    The FCC may not conduct or sponsor a collection of information 
unless it displays a currently valid OMB 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 OMB control number.

DATES: Written Paperwork Reduction Act (PRA) comments should be 
submitted on or before March 23, 2012. 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: Submit your PRA comments to Judith B. Herman, Federal 
Communications Commission, via the Internet at [email protected]. 
To submit your PRA comments by email send them to: [email protected].

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Judith B. Herman, Office of Managing 
Director, (202) 418-0214.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 
    OMB Control Number: 3060-0298.
    Title: Part 61--Tariffs (Other than the Tariff Review Plan).
    Form Number: N/A.
    Type of Review: Revision of a currently approved collection.
    Respondents: Business or other for-profit entities.
    Number of Respondents: 3,210 respondents; 7,350 responses.
    Estimated Time per Response: 20-50 hours.
    Frequency of Response: On occasion, annual and biennial and one 
time reporting requirements.
    Obligation to Respond: Required to obtain or retain benefits. 
Statutory authority for this information collection is contained in 47 
U.S.C. 151-155, 201-205, 208, 251-271, 403, 502, and 503 of the 
Communications Act of 1934, as amended.
    Total Annual Burden: 215,600 hours.
    Total Annual Cost: $1,411,150.
    Privacy Impact Assessment: N/A.
    Nature and Extent of Confidentiality: The information requested is 
not of a confidential nature. Respondents who believe certain 
information to be of a proprietary nature may solicit confidential 
treatment in accordance with the procedures described in 47 CFR 0.459 
of the Commission's rules.
    Needs and Uses: The Commission is seeking OMB approval for a 
revision of this information collection in order to obtain the full 
three year approval from OMB. There is a significant increase to the 
Commission's previous burden estimates.
    On November 18, 2011, the Commission adopted the USF/ICC 
Transformation Order that requires or permits incumbent and competitive 
local exchange carriers as part of transitioning regulation of 
interstate and intrastate switched access rates and reciprocal 
compensation rates to bill-and-keep under section 251(b)(5) of the 
Communications Act of 1934, as amended, to file tariffs with state 
commissions and the FCC. This transition affects different switched 
access rates at specified timeframes and establishes an Access Recovery 
Charge by which carriers will be able to assess end users a monthly 
charge to recover some or all of the revenues they are permitted to 
recover resulting from reductions in intercarrier compensation rates. 
We estimate that 40 rate-of-return LECs will need to make an additional 
interstate access tariff filing annually and that 330 competitive and 
incumbent LECs will have to make a one-time filing to allow them to 
assess charges for Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP). We also 
estimate that an additional 2,840 competitive and incumbent LECs will 
have to file intrastate tariffs annually. Finally, we estimate that 
2,840 competitive and incumbent LECs will have to make a one-time 
intrastate tariff filing to establish VoIP rates of interstate rate 
levels.
    The information collected through a carrier's tariff is used by the 
Commission and state commissions to determine whether services offered 
are just and reasonable as the Act requires. The tariffs and any 
supporting documentation are examined in order to determine if the 
services are offered in a just and reasonable manner.

Federal Communications Commission.
Bulah P. Wheeler,
Deputy Manager, Office of the Secretary, Office of Managing Director.
[FR Doc. 2012-1163 Filed 1-20-12; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6712-01-P