[Federal Register Volume 81, Number 248 (Tuesday, December 27, 2016)]
[Notices]
[Pages 95138-95139]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2016-31068]


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

FEDERAL COMMUNICATIONS COMMISSION

[OMB 3060-0986]


Information Collection Being Reviewed by the Federal 
Communications Commission

AGENCY: Federal Communications Commission.

ACTION: Notice and request for comments.

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

SUMMARY: As part of its continuing effort to reduce paperwork burdens, 
and as required by the Paperwork Reduction Act (PRA) of 1995, the 
Federal Communications Commission (FCC or the Commission) invites the 
general public and other Federal agencies to take this opportunity to 
comment on the following information collection. 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 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 control number. No 
person shall be subject to any penalty for failing to comply with a 
collection of information subject to the PRA that does not display a 
valid Office of Management and Budget (OMB) control number.

DATES: Written PRA comments should be submitted on or before February 
27, 2017. If you anticipate that you will be submitting comments, but 
find it difficult to do so within the period of time allowed by this 
notice, you should advise the contact listed below as soon as possible.

ADDRESSES: Direct all PRA comments to Nicole Ongele, FCC, via email 
[email protected] and to [email protected].

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: For additional information about the 
information collection, contact Nicole Ongele at (202) 418-2991.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 
    OMB Control Number: 3060-0986.

[[Page 95139]]

    Title: High-Cost Universal Service Support.
    Form Number: FCC Form 481, FCC Form 505, FCC Form 507, FCC Form 
508, FCC Form 509, and FCC Form 525.
    Type of Review: Revision of a currently approved collection.
    Respondents: Business or other for-profit, not-for-profit 
institutions and state, local or tribal government.
    Number of Respondents and Responses: 1,977 respondents; 14,109 
responses.
    Estimated Time per Response: 0.5 hours-100 hours.
    Frequency of Response: On occasion, quarterly and annual reporting 
requirements, recordkeeping requirement and third party disclosure 
requirement.
    Obligation to Respond: Required to obtain or retain benefits. 
Statutory authority for this information collection is contained in 47 
U.S.C. 151-154, 155, 201-206, 214, 218-220, 251, 252, 254, 256, 303(r), 
332, 403, 405, 410, and 1302.
    Total Annual Burden: 274,455 hours.
    Total Annual Cost: No Cost.
    Privacy Act Impact Assessment: No Impact(s).
    Nature and Extent of Confidentiality: 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: The Commission is requesting the Office of 
Management and Budget (OMB) approval for this revised information 
collection. In November 2011, the Commission adopted an order reforming 
its high-cost universal service support mechanisms. Connect America 
Fund; A National Broadband Plan for Our Future; Establish Just and 
Reasonable Rates for Local Exchange Carriers; High-Cost Universal 
Service Support; Developing a Unified Intercarrier Compensation Regime; 
Federal-State Joint Board on Universal Service; Lifeline and Link-Up; 
Universal Service Reform--Mobility Fund, WC Docket Nos. 10-90, 07-135, 
05-337, 03-109; GN Docket No. 09-51; CC Docket Nos. 01-92, 96-45; WT 
Docket No. 10-208, Order and Further Notice of Proposed Rulemaking, 26 
FCC Rcd 17663 (2011) (USF/ICC Transformation Order); and the Commission 
and Wireline Competition Bureau have since adopted a number of orders 
that implement the USF/ICC Transformation Order; see also Connect 
America Fund et al., WC Docket No. 10-90 et al., Third Order on 
Reconsideration, 27 FCC Rcd 5622 (2012); Connect America Fund et al., 
WC Docket No. 10-90 et al., Order, 27 FCC Rcd 605 (Wireline Comp. Bur. 
2012); Connect America Fund et al., WC Docket No. 10-90 et al., Fifth 
Order on Reconsideration, 27 FCC Rcd 14549 (2012); Connect America Fund 
et al., WC Docket No. 10-90 et al., Order, 28 FCC Rcd 2051 (Wireline 
Comp. Bur. 2013); Connect America Fund et al., WC Docket No. 10-90 et 
al., Order, 28 FCC Rcd 7227 (Wireline Comp. Bur. 2013); Connect America 
Fund, WC Docket No. 10-90, Report and Order, 28 FCC Rcd 7766 (Wireline 
Comp. Bur. 2013); Connect America Fund, WC Docket No. 10-90, Report and 
Order, 28 FCC Rcd 7211 (Wireline Comp. Bur. 2013); Connect America 
Fund, WC Docket No. 10-90, Report and Order, 28 FCC Rcd 10488 (Wireline 
Comp. Bur. 2013); Connect America Fund et al., WC Docket No. 10-90 et 
al., Report and Order and Further Notice of Proposed Rulemaking, 29 FCC 
Rcd 8769 (2014); Connect America Fund et al., WC Docket No. 10-90 et 
al., Report and Order, 29 FCC Rcd 15644 (2014); Modernizing the E-rate 
Program for Schools and Libraries et al., WC Docket No. 13-184 et al., 
Second Report and Order and Order on Reconsideration, 29 FCC Rcd 15538 
(2014). The Commission has received OMB approval for most of the 
information collections required by these orders. At a later date the 
Commission plans to submit additional revisions for OMB review to 
address other reforms adopted in the orders (e.g., 47 CFR 
54.313(a)(11)).
    In March 2016, the Commission adopted the Rate-of-Return Reform 
Order to continue modernizing the universal service support mechanisms 
for rate-of-return carriers. Connect America Fund et al., WC Docket No. 
10-90 et al., Report and Order, Order and Order on Reconsideration and 
Further Notice of Proposed Rulemaking, 31 FCC Rcd 3087 (2016). The 
Rate-of-Return Reform Order replaces the Interstate Common Line Support 
(ICLS) mechanism with the Connect America Fund--Broadband Loop Support 
(CAF-BLS) mechanism. While ICLS supported only lines used to provide 
traditional voice service (including voice service bundled with 
broadband service), CAF-BLS also supports consumer broadband-only 
loops.
    We propose to revise this information collection, specifically FCC 
Form 481 and its instructions to provide clarification for some 
reporting items and to reflect certain updates. This revision is a 
narrow expansion of similar information related to the existing 
approval. There are no changes to FCC Form 505, FCC Form 507, FCC Form 
508, FCC Form 509 and FCC Form 525. The Commission also, subject to OMB 
approval, proposes to move certain reporting requirements from this 
control number into a new information collection for which OMB approval 
will be sought--3060-XXXX--Connect America Fund High Cost Portal 
Filing.

    Authority: 44 U.S.C. 3501-3520.

Federal Communications Commission.
Sheryl D. Todd,
Deputy Secretary, Office of the Secretary.
[FR Doc. 2016-31068 Filed 12-23-16; 8:45 am]
 BILLING CODE 6712-01-P