[Federal Register Volume 77, Number 39 (Tuesday, February 28, 2012)]
[Notices]
[Pages 12052-12053]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2012-4574]


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FEDERAL COMMUNICATIONS COMMISSION


Information Collection Being Submitted for Review and Approval to 
the Office of Management and Budget

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. 
3502-3520), 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 estimates; (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 collection burden on 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 29, 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 Nicholas A. Fraser, Office of 
Management and Budget (OMB), via fax at 202-395-5167 or via Internet at 
[email protected] and 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, FCC, at 202-418-0214.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 
    OMB Control Number: 3060-XXXX.
    Title: Application for Mobility Fund Phase I Support.
    Form No.: FCC Form 180.
    Type of Review: New collection.
    Respondents: Business or other for-profit, not-for-profit 
institutions, and state, local or tribal government.
    Number of Respondents: 250 respondents; 250 responses.
    Estimated Time per Response: 1.5 hours.
    Frequency of Response: On occasion reporting requirement.
    Obligation To Respond: Required to obtain or retain benefits. 
Statutory authority for this information collection is contained in 47 
U.S.C. sections 154, 254 and 303(r).
    Total Annual Burden: 375 hours.
    Total Annual Cost: N/A.
    Privacy Act Impact Assessment: N/A.
    Nature and Extent of Confidentiality: No questions of a 
confidential nature are asked.
    Needs 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 OMB approval for a new 
information collection.
    On November 18, 2011, the Commission released the Connect America 
Fund & Intercarrier Compensation Reform Order, FCC 11-161, which 
adopted rules to govern the Connect America Fund Mobility Fund 
(Mobility Fund). In adopting the rules, the Commission comprehensively 
reformed and modernized the universal service and intercarrier 
compensation systems to ensure that all Americans have access to 
robust, affordable broadband and advanced mobile services. Concluding 
that mobile voice and broadband services provide unique consumer 
benefits; and that promoting the universal availability of such 
services is a vital component of the Commission's universal service 
mission, the Commission created the Mobility Fund. Mobility Fund Phase 
I support will be awarded through a nationwide

[[Page 12053]]

reverse auction. For Phase I of the Mobility Fund, the Commission 
provided up to $300 million in one-time support to immediately 
accelerate deployment of networks for mobile broadband services in 
unserved areas. The Commission also established a separate and 
complementary one-time Tribal Mobility Fund Phase I to award up to $50 
million in additional universal service funding to Tribal Areas, 
including Alaska, to accelerate mobile broadband availability in these 
remote and underserved areas. The Commission will use a two-stage 
application process similar to the one used in spectrum license 
auctions. Based on the Commission's experience with auctions and 
consistent with the record, this two-stage collection of information 
balances the need to collect information essential to conduct a 
successful auction with administrative efficiency.
    Under section 1.21001(c) of the Commission's rules, an applicant 
may be required, as a prerequisite to participating in competitive 
bidding, to post a bond or place funds on deposit with the Commission. 
If a deposit is required, applicants may be required to submit FCC Form 
159 and/or an attachment to its newly created FCC Form 180. FCC Form 
159 is a remittance advice form that applicants/licensees file when 
making payment(s) to the Commission, including auction payments. The 
OMB Control number for the FCC Form 159 is 3060-0589.
    OMB Control Number: 3060-XXXX.
    Title: Application to Participate in an Auction for Mobility Fund 
Phase I Support.
    Form No.: FCC Form 680.
    Type of Review: New collection.
    Respondents: Business or other for-profit, not-for-profit 
institutions, and state, local or tribal government.
    Number of Respondents: 250 respondents; 250 responses.
    Estimated Time per Response: 1.5 hours.
    Frequency of Response: On occasion reporting requirement.
    Obligation to Respond: Required to obtain or retain benefits. 
Statutory authority for this information collection is contained in 47 
U.S.C. sections 154, 254 and 303(r).
    Total Annual Burden: 375 hours.
    Total Annual Cost: N/A.
    Privacy Act Impact Assessment: N/A.
    Nature and Extent of Confidentiality: No questions of a 
confidential nature are asked.
    Needs 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 OMB approval for a new 
information collection.
    On November 18, 2011, the Commission released the Connect America 
Fund & Intercarrier Compensation Reform Order, FCC 11-161, which 
adopted rules to govern the Connect America Fund Mobility Fund 
(Mobility Fund). In adopting the rules, the Commission comprehensively 
reformed and modernized the universal service and intercarrier 
compensation systems to ensure that all Americans have access to 
robust, affordable broadband and advanced mobile services. Concluding 
that mobile voice and broadband services provide unique consumer 
benefits; and that promoting the universal availability of such 
services is a vital component of the Commission's universal service 
mission, the Commission created the Mobility Fund. Mobility Fund Phase 
I support will be awarded through a nationwide reverse auction. For 
Phase I of the Mobility Fund, the Commission provided up to $300 
million in one-time support to immediately accelerate deployment of 
networks for mobile broadband services in unserved areas. The 
Commission also established a separate and complementary one-time 
Tribal Mobility Fund Phase I to award up to $50 million in additional 
universal service funding to Tribal Areas, including Alaska, to 
accelerate mobile broadband availability in these remote and 
underserved areas. The Commission will use a two-stage application 
process similar to the one used in spectrum license auctions. Based on 
the Commission's experience with auctions and consistent with the 
record, this two-stage collection of information balances the need to 
collect information essential to conduct a successful auction with 
administrative efficiency.
    The Commission needs to use the information collected in 
determining whether the winning bidders are qualified to receive 
Mobility Fund support. After the auction has concluded, a winning 
bidder will be required to file the newly created FCC Form 680 to 
qualify for and receive support. Those applications will be subject to 
a review of the applicants' eligibility and qualifications to receive 
support. Commission staff will review the information collected and 
will determine whether applicants claiming status to receive support 
are eligible for the status claimed. Without such information, the 
Commission could not determine whether to provide the support to the 
winning bidder.

Federal Communications Commission.
Marlene H. Dortch,
Secretary, Office of the Secretary, Office of Managing Director.
[FR Doc. 2012-4574 Filed 2-27-12; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6712-01-P