[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]
BILLING CODE 6712-01-P