[Federal Register Volume 78, Number 242 (Tuesday, December 17, 2013)]
[Notices]
[Pages 76295-76296]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2013-29872]
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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: 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 estimate; 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 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 February 18, 2014. 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 Benish Shah, 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: Benish Shah, Office of Managing
Director, (202) 418-7866.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
OMB Control Number: 3060-0057.
Title: Application for Equipment Authorization, FCC Form 731.
Form Number: FCC 731.
Type of Review: Extension of currently approved collection.
Respondents: Business or other for profit.
Number of Respondents: 3,740 respondents; 22,250 responses.
Time per Response: 35 hours.
Frequency of Response: On occasion reporting requirement and third
party disclosure requirement.
Obligation to Respond: Required to obtain or retain benefits.
Statutory authority for this information collection is contained in the
47 U.S.C. 154(i), 301, 302, 303(e), 303(f) and 303(r).
Total Annual Burden: 778,750 hours.
Total Annual Costs: $ 34,465,000.
Privacy Act Impact Assessment: No impact(s).
Nature and Extent of Confidentiality: Minimal exemption from the
Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) under 5 U.S.C. 552(b)(4) and FCC
rules under 47 CFR 0.457(d) is granted for trade secrets which may be
submitted as attachments to the application FCC Form 731. No other
assurances of confidentiality are provided to respondents.
Needs and Uses: The Commission will submit this expiring
information collection (IC) to the OMB during this comment period.
There is an increase in respondents/burden estimates in this
information collection.
[[Page 76296]]
Commission rules require that manufacturers of certain radio
frequency (RF) equipment file FCC Form 731 to obtain approval prior to
marketing their equipment. Manufacturers may then market their RF
equipment based on a showing of compliance with technical standards
established in the FCC Rules for each type of equipment or device
operated under the applicable FCC Rule part. The following types of
equipment are regulated (a) the RF equipment is regulated under certain
rule sections of 47 CFR Part 15 and Part 18, and (b) in addition, rules
governing certain RF equipment operating in the licensed services also
require equipment authorization as established in the procedural rules
in 47 CFR Part 2. The RF equipment manufacturers comply with the
information collection requirements by (a) Filing FCC Form 731
electronically with the Commission, or (b) Submitting the information
to a Telecommunications Certification Body (TCB), which acts on behalf
of the FCC to issue grants of certification and may issue grants more
expeditiously than the FCC. The TCBs have flexibility in the format in
which they require the collection of information (i) TCBs may require
applicants to submit the required information in FCC Form 731 format or
in another format selected by the TCB, but (ii) whatever the
information collection method, the information required is governed by
the procedural rules in 47 CFR Part 2 and a showing of compliance with
the FCC technical standards for the specific type of equipment. RF
manufacturer applicants for equipment certification may also request
``expedited authorization'' to market their equipment by: (a) Choosing
to pay the fee levied by a TCB, and (b) submitting their request to a
TCB in order for expedited authorization to market. The TCB processes
the RF equipment manufacturer's application as follows: (i) the TCB
receives and reviews the RF manufacturer's information submission/
application; and (ii) the TCB enters the information into the FCC
Equipment Authorization System database using an interface that
provides the TCB with the tools to issue a standardized Grant of
Equipment Authorization. Whichever method the RF manufacturers choose
to submit their information-via either the FCC on FCC Form 731 or the
TCB, FCC Rules require that applicants supply the following data: (a)
demographic information including Grantee name and address, contact
information, etc; (b) information specific to the equipment including
FCC Identifier, equipment class, technical specifications, etc; and (c)
attachments that demonstrate compliance with FCC Rules that may include
any combination of the following based on the applicable Rule parts for
the equipment for which authorization is requested: (1) Identification
of equipment (47 CFR 2.925); (2) attestation statements that may be
required for specific equipments; (3) external photos of the equipment
for which authorization is requested; (4) block diagram of the device;
(5) schematics; (6) test report; (7) test setup photos; (8) Users
Manual; (9) Internal Photos; (10) Parts List/Tune Up Information; (11)
RF Exposure Information; (12) Operational Description; (13) Cover
Letters; and, (14) Software Defined Radio/Cognitive Radio Files.
In general, an applicant's submission is as follows: (a) FCC Form
731 includes approximately two pages covering the demographic and
equipment identification information; and (b) applicants must supply
additional documentation and other information, as described above,
demonstrating conformance with FCC Rules, which may range from 100-1000
pages. The supplemental information is essential to control potential
interference to radio communications, which the FCC may use, as is
necessary, to investigate complaints of harmful interference. In
response to new technologies and in allocating spectrum, the Commission
may establish new technical operating standards: (a) RF equipment
manufacturers must meet the new standards to receive an equipment
authorization, and (b) RF equipment manufacturers must still comply
with the Commission's requirements in FCC Form 731 and demonstrate
compliance as required by 47 CFR Part 2 of FCC Rules. Thus, this
information collection applies to a variety of RF equipment: (a) that
is currently manufactured, (b) that may be manufactured in the future,
and (c) that operates under varying technical standards. On July 8,
2004, the Commission adopted a Report and Order, Modification of Parts
2 and 15 of the Commission's Rules for Unlicensed Devices and Equipment
Approval, ET Docket No. 03-201, FCC 04-165. The change requires that
all paper filings required in 47 CFR Sections 2.913, 2.926(c),
2.929(c), and 2.929(d) of the rules are outdated and now must be filed
electronically via the Internet on FCC Form 731. The Commission
believes that electronic filing speeds up application processing and
supports the Commission in further streamlining to reduce cost and
increase efficiency. Information on the procedures for electronically
filing equipment authorization applications can be obtained from the
Commission's rules, and from the Internet at: <http://transition.fcc.gov/oet/ea/ea_app_info.html.
Federal Communications Commission.
Marlene H. Dortch,
Secretary, Office of the Secretary, Office of Managing Director.
[FR Doc. 2013-29872 Filed 12-16-13; 8:45 am]
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