[Federal Register Volume 78, Number 78 (Tuesday, April 23, 2013)]
[Notices]
[Pages 23928-23930]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2013-09444]


=======================================================================
-----------------------------------------------------------------------

FEDERAL COMMUNICATIONS COMMISSION


Information Collection(s) Being Submitted for Review and Approval 
to the Office of Management and Budget (OMB)

AGENCY: Federal Communications Commission.

ACTION: Notice and request for comments.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------

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: 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; the 
accuracy of the Commission's burden estimates; ways to enhance the 
quality, utility, and clarity of the information collected; 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 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 May 23, 2013. 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][email protected] and to Judith B. Herman, Federal 
Communications Commission, via the Internet at [email protected]. 
To submit your PRA

[[Page 23929]]

comments by email send them to: 
[email protected][email protected].

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

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 
    OMB Control Number: 3060-0496.
    Title: ARMIS Operating Data Report.
    Report No.: FCC Report 43-08.
    Type of Review: Extension of a currently approved collection.
    Respondents: Business or other for-profit.
    Number of Respondents: 55 respondents; 55 responses.
    Estimated Time per Response: 139 hours.
    Frequency of Response: Annual reporting requirements.
    Obligation to Respond: Mandatory. Statutory authority for this 
information collection is contained in 47 U.S.C. 11, 219(b) and 220 of 
the Communications Act of 1934, as amended.
    Total Annual Burden: 7,645 hours.
    Total Annual Cost: N/A.
    Privacy Act Impact Assessment: N/A.
    Nature and Extent of Confidentiality: In most cases, ARMIS reports 
do not require submission of any confidential or commercially-sensitive 
data. The areas in which detailed information is required are fully 
subject to regulation. If a respondent finds it necessary to submit a 
confidential or commercially-sensitive data request, 47 CFR 0.459 of 
the Commission's rules contains the procedures for requesting 
confidential treatment of data.
    Needs and Uses: The Commission will submit this expiring 
information collection after this comment period to obtain the full, 
three year clearance from the Office of Management and Budget (OMB). 
The Commission is requesting approval for an extension (no change in 
the reporting requirement). There is no change to the Commission's 
previous burden estimates.
    The ARMIS (Automated Reporting Management Information System) 
reporting requirements were established by the Commission in 1987 to 
facilitate the timely and efficient analysis of carrier operating costs 
and rates of return that provide an improved basis for audits and other 
oversight functions; and to enhance the Commission's ability to 
quantify the effects of alternative policy proposals. Additional ARMIS 
Reports were added in 1991 and 1992. Certain incumbent local exchange 
carriers (LECs) were required to submit the ARMIS Reports to the 
Commission annually on or before April 1. See Reporting Requirements of 
Certain Class A and Tier 1 Telephone Companies (Parts 31, 43, 67 and 69 
of the Commission's rules) CC Docket No. 86-182, Order, 2 FCC Rcd 5770 
(1987), modified on recon. 3 FCC Rcd 6375 (1988); see also 47 CFR Part 
43, Sections 43.21.
    The information contained in FCC Report 43-08 has helped the 
Commission fulfill its regulatory responsibilities. These data 
facilitate the timely and efficient analysis of revenue requirements, 
rates of return and price caps, provide an improved basis for auditing 
and other oversight functions, and enhance the Commission's ability to 
quantify the effects of policy proposals. Automated reporting of these 
data also augments the Commission's ability to process and analyze the 
extensive amount of data provided in the reports.
    The Commission has granted AT&T, Verizon, legacy Qwest and other 
similarly-situated carriers forbearance from FCC Report 43-08, except 
for Table III, columns FC, FD, FE and FI, business line count 
information. See Petition of AT&T Inc. for Forbearance under 47 U.S.C. 
160 from Enforcement of Certain of the Commission's Cost Assignment 
Rules, WC Docket Nos. 07-21, 05-342, Memorandum Opinion and Order, 23 
FCC Rcd 7302 (2008) (AT&T Cost Assignment Forbearance Order), pet. for 
recon pending, pet.for review pending, NASUCA v. FCC, Case No. 08-1226 
(D.C. Cir. Filed June 23, 2008); Service Quality, Customer 
Satisfaction, Infrastructure and Operating Data Gathering, WC Docket 
Nos. 08-190, 07-139, 07-204, 07-273, 07-21, Memorandum Opinion and 
Order and Notice of Proposed Rulemaking, 23 FCC Rcd 13747 (2008) 
(Verizon/Qwest Cost Assignment Forbearance Order), pet. for recon. 
pending, pet. for review pending, NASCUA v. FCC, Case No. 08-1353 (D.C. 
Cir. Filed Nov. 4, 2008).
    Despite this forbearance, the Commission seeks OMB approval for the 
extension of this information collection for three years because 
petitions for reconsideration and review of those forbearance decisions 
are currently pending before the Commission and the U.S. Court of 
Appeals for the D.C. Circuit.
    OMB Control Number: 3060-0816.
    Title: Local Telephone Competition and Broadband Reporting (Report 
and Order, WC Docket No. 07-38, FCC 08-89; Order on Reconsideration, WC 
Docket No. 07-38 FCC 08-148).
    Form Number: FCC Form 477.
    Type of Review: Extension of a currently approved collection.
    Respondents: Business or other for-profit entities, not-for-profit 
institutions and state, local or tribal government.
    Number of Respondents: 1,980 respondents; 3,960 responses.
    Estimated Time per Response: 296 hours.
    Frequency of Response: Semi-annual reporting requirement.
    Obligation to Respond: Mandatory. Statutory authority for this 
information collection is contained in 47 U.S.C. 4(i), 201, 218-220, 
251-252, 271, 303(r), 332, and 403 of the Communications Act of 1934, 
as amended and section 706 of the Telecommunications Act of 1996, as 
amended, codified in section 1302 of the Broadband Data Improvement 
Act, 47 U.S.C. section 1302.
    Total Annual Burden: 1,172,160 hours.
    Total Annual Cost: N/A.
    Privacy Impact Assessment: N/A.
    Nature and Extent of Confidentiality: The Commission will continue 
to allow respondents to certify, on the first page of the each 
submission, that some data contained in that submission are privileged 
or confidential commercial or financial information and that disclosure 
of such information would likely cause substantial harm to the 
competitive position of the entity making the submission. If the 
Commission receives a request for, or proposes to disclose the 
information, the respondent would be required to show, pursuant to 
Commission rules for withholding from public inspection information 
submitted to the Commission, that the information in question is 
entitled to confidential treatment. We will retain our current policies 
and procedures regarding the confidential treatment of submitted FCC 
Form 477 data, including use of the aggregated, non-company specific 
data in our published reports.
    Needs and Uses: The Commission will submit this expiring 
information collection after this comment period to obtain the full, 
three year clearance from the Office of Management and Budget (OMB). 
The Commission is requesting approval for an extension (no change in 
the reporting requirements. There are changes to the Commission's 
previous burden estimates. The Commission has increased the estimated 
average time per response for this information collection from 289 
hours to 296 hours. The adjustment is also due to the increased number 
of respondents and their types of operations, (e.g., interconnected 
VoIP service providers with multi-state operations.) There is no change 
to the FCC Form 477.
    FCC Form 477 gathers information on the development of local 
telephone competition including telephone services and interconnected 
Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) services, and on the deployment of 
broadband also

[[Page 23930]]

known as advanced telecommunications services.
    The data are necessary to evaluate the status of competition in 
local telecommunications services markets and to evaluate the status of 
broadband deployment. The information is used by the FCC staff to 
advice the Commission about the efficacy of Commission rules and 
policies adopted to implement the Telecommunications Act of 1996.

Federal Communications Commission.
Gloria J. Miles,
Federal Register Liaison, Office of the Secretary, Office of Managing 
Director.
[FR Doc. 2013-09444 Filed 4-22-13; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6712-01-P