[Federal Register Volume 81, Number 191 (Monday, October 3, 2016)]
[Rules and Regulations]
[Pages 67922-67923]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2016-23450]


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FEDERAL COMMUNICATIONS COMMISSION

47 CFR Part 54

[WC Docket Nos. 11-42, 09-197 and 10-90; FCC 16-38]


Lifeline and Link Up Reform and Modernization, Telecommunications 
Carriers Eligible for Universal Service Support, Connect America Fund

AGENCY: Federal Communications Commission.

ACTION: Final rule; announcement of effective date.

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SUMMARY: In this document, the Federal Communications Commission 
(Commission) announces that the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) 
has approved, for a period of three years, the information collection 
requirements associated with certain of the provision of the rules 
adopted as part of the Commission's Third Further Notice of Proposed 
Rulemaking, Order on Reconsideration, and Further Report and Order, 
(Lifeline Third Reform Order). This notice is consistent with the 
Lifeline Third Reform Order, which stated that the Commission would 
publish a document in the Federal Register announcing OMB approval and 
the effective date of those rules.

DATES: The rule amendments to 47 CFR 54.202(a)(6), (d), and (e), and 
54.205(c) published at 81 FR 33025, May 24, 2016, will become effective 
October 3, 2016. The rule amendments to 47 CFR 54.101, 54.401(a)(2), 
(b), (c), (f), 54.403(a), 54.405(e)(1), (e)(3) through (e)(5), 
54.407(a), (c)(2), (d), 54.408, 54.409(a)(2), 54.410(b) through (e), 
(g) through (h), 54.411, 54.416(a)(3), 54.420(b), and 54.422(b)(3) will 
become effective December 2, 2016 . The rule amendments to 47 CFR 
54.410(f) will become effective January 1, 2017.
    The rule amendments to 47 CFR 54.400(l) are applicable October 3, 
2016. The rule amendments to 47 CFR 54.400(f), (j), and (m) through (o) 
are applicable December 2, 2016.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Christian Hoefly, Wireline Competition 
Bureau, Telecommunications Access Policy Division at (202) 418-3607 or 
at [email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: This document announces that, on September 
20, 2016, OMB approved, for a period of three years, the information 
collection requirements contained in the Commission's Order, FCC 16-38, 
published at 81 FR 33025, May 24, 2016. The OMB Control Number is 3060-
0819. The Commission publishes this notice as an announcement of the 
effective date rules requiring OMB approval. If you have any comments 
on the burden estimates listed below, or how the Commission can improve 
the collections and reduce any burdens caused thereby, please contact 
Nicole Ongele, Federal Communications Commission, Room 1-A620, 445 12th 
Street SW., Washington, DC 20554. Please include the OMB Control 
Number, 3060-0819, in your correspondence. The Commission will also 
accept your comments via email at [email protected].
    To request material in accessible formation for people with 
disabilities (Braille, large print, electronic files, audio format), 
send an email to [email protected] or call the Consumer and Governmental 
Affairs Bureau at (202) 418-0530 (voice), (202) 418-0432 (TTY).

Synopsis

    As required by the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 (44 U.S.C. 
3507), the FCC is notifying the public that it received OMB approval on 
September 20, 2016, for the information collection requirements 
contained in the Commission's rules in 47 CFR part 54.
    Under 5 CFR part 1320, an agency may not conduct or sponsor a 
collection of information unless it displays a current, 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 
that does not display a current, valid OMB Control Number. The OMB 
Control Number is 3060-0819.
    The foregoing notice is required by the Paperwork Reduction Act of 
1995, Public Law 104-13, October 1, 1995, and 44 U.S.C. 3507.
    The total annual reporting burdens and costs for the respondents 
are as follows:
    OMB Control Number: 3060-0819.
    OMB Approval Date: 9/20/2016.
    OMB Expiration Date: 9/30/2019.
    Title: Lifeline and Link Up Reform and Modernization, 
Telecommunications Carriers Eligible for Universal Service Support, 
Connect America Fund.
    Form Number: FCC Forms 497, 481 & 555.
    Type of Review: Revision of a currently approved collection.

[[Page 67923]]

    Respondents: Individuals or households and business or other for-
profit.
    Number of Respondents and Responses: 21,162,260 respondents; 
23,956,240 responses.
    Estimated Time per Response: 0.0167 hours-250 hours.
    Frequency of Response: Annual and on occasion reporting 
requirements and third party disclosure requirement.
    Obligation To Respond: Required to obtain or retain benefits. 
Statutory authority is contained in Section 1 through 4, 201 through 
205, 254, 303(r) and 403 of the Communications Act of 1934, as amended, 
47 U.S.C. 151 through 154, 201 through 205, 254, 303(r) and 403, and 
section 706 of the Telecommunications Act of 1996, 47 U.S.C. 1302.
    Total Annual Burden: 13,484,412 hours.
    Total Annual Cost: $937,500.
    Privacy Act Impact Assessment: Yes. The Commission completed a 
Privacy Impact Assessment (PIA) for some of the information collection 
requirements contain in this collection. The PIA was published in the 
Federal Register at 78 FR 73535 on December 6, 2013. The PIA may be 
reviewed at: http://www.fcc.gov/omd/privacyact/Privacy_Impact_Assessment.html.
    Nature and Extent of Confidentiality: Some of the requirements 
contained in this information collection does affect individuals or 
households, and thus, there are impacts under the Privacy Act. The 
FCC's system of records notice (SORN), FCC/WCB-1, ``Lifeline Program.'' 
The Commission will use the information contained in FCC/WCB-1 to cover 
the personally identifiable information (PII) that is required as part 
of the Lifeline Program (``Lifeline''). As required by the Privacy Act 
of 1974, as amended, 5 U.S.C. 552a, the Commission also published a 
SORN, FCC/WCB-1 ``Lifeline Program'' in the Federal Register on 
December 6, 2013 (78 FR 73535).
    Also, respondents may request materials or information submitted to 
the Commission or to the Universal Service Administrative Company (USAC 
or Administrator) be withheld from public inspection under 47 CFR 0.459 
of the FCC's rules. We note that USAC must preserve the confidentiality 
of all data obtained from respondents; must not use the data except for 
purposes of administering the universal service programs; and must not 
disclose data in company-specific form unless directed to do so by the 
Commission.
    Needs and Uses: On April 27, 2016, the Commission released the 
Lifeline Third Reform Order modernizing its low-income universal 
service support mechanisms. This revised information collection 
addresses requirements to carry out the programs to which the 
Commission committed itself in the Lifeline Third Reform Order. Under 
this information collection, the Commission seeks to revise the 
information collection to comply with the Commission's new rules, 
adopted in the Lifeline Third Reform Order, regarding phasing out 
support for mobile voice over the next six years, requiring Eligible 
Telecommunications Carriers (ETCs) to certify compliance with the new 
minimum service requirements, creating a new ETC designation for 
Lifeline Broadband Providers (LBPs), updating the obligations to 
advertise Lifeline offerings, modifying the non-usage de-enrollment 
requirements within the program, moving to rolling annual subscriber 
recertification, and streamlining the first-year ETC audit 
requirements. Also, the Commission seeks to update the number of 
respondents for all the existing information collection requirements, 
thus increasing the total burden hours for some requirements and 
decreasing the total burden hours for other requirements. Finally, the 
Commission seeks to revise the FCC Forms 555, 497, and 481 to 
incorporate the new Commission rules and modify the filings for FCC 
Forms 555 and 497 to include detailed field descriptions.

Federal Communications Commission.
Marlene H. Dortch,
Secretary, Office of Secretary.
[FR Doc. 2016-23450 Filed 9-30-16; 8:45 am]
 BILLING CODE 6712-01-P