[Federal Register Volume 82, Number 175 (Tuesday, September 12, 2017)]
[Notices]
[Pages 42810-42811]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2017-19222]


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FEDERAL COMMUNICATIONS COMMISSION

[OMB 3060-1168]


Information Collection Being Reviewed by the Federal 
Communications Commission Under Delegated Authority

AGENCY: Federal Communications Commission.

ACTION: Notice and request for comments.

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SUMMARY: As part of its continuing effort to reduce paperwork burdens, 
and as required by the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 (PRA), the 
Federal Communications Commission (FCC or Commission) invites the 
general public

[[Page 42811]]

and other Federal agencies to take this opportunity to comment on the 
following information collections. 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 Office of Management and Budget 
(OMB) 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 OMB control number.

DATES: Written comments should be submitted on or before November 13, 
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 contacts below as soon as possible.

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

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: For additional information about the 
information collection, contact Cathy Williams at (202) 418-2918.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 
    OMB Control Number: 3060-1168.
    Title: Application for Mobility Fund Phase I Support, FCC Form 680.
    Form Number: FCC Form 680.
    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 governments.
    Number of Respondents and Responses: 10 respondents and 10 
responses.
    Estimated Time per Response: 1.5 hours.
    Frequency of Response: On occasion reporting requirement.
    Obligation to Respond: Required to obtain or retain benefits. 
Statutory authority for this information collection 47 U.S.C. 154, 254 
and 303(r).
    Total Annual Burden: 15 hours.
    Total Annual Cost: No cost.
    Privacy Act Impact Assessment: No impact(s).
    Nature and Extent of Confidentiality: The information collected 
will be made available for public inspection. Respondents seeking to 
have the information collected withheld from public inspection may 
request confidential treatment of such information pursuant to section 
0.459 of the Commission's rules, 47 CFR Section 0.459.
    Needs and Uses: The Commission will use the information collected 
in FCC Form 680 to determine whether a winning bidder is qualified to 
receive Mobility Fund Phase I and Tribal Mobility Fund Phase I support. 
On November 18, 2011, the Commission released an order comprehensively 
reforming and modernizing the universal service and intercarrier 
compensation systems to ensure that robust, affordable voice and 
broadband service, both fixed and mobile, are available to Americans 
throughout the nation. Connect America Fund et al., Order and Further 
Notice of Proposed Rulemaking, 26 FCC Rcd 17663 (2011) (USF/ICC 
Transformation Order). In adopting the USF/ICC Transformation Order, 
the Commission created the Connect America Mobility Fund to ensure the 
availability of mobile broadband networks in areas where a private-
sector business case is lacking. Phase I of the Mobility Fund provided 
one-time universal service support for the deployment of networks for 
mobile voice and broadband, and a separate, complementary Tribal 
Mobility Fund Phase I provided one-time universal service support to 
accelerate the availability of mobile voice and broadband service in 
Tribal areas.
    To implement these reforms and conduct competitive bidding for 
Mobility Fund Phase I support and Tribal Mobility Fund Phase I support, 
the Commission adopted rules in sections 1.21004(a), 54.1004, 54.1005, 
54.1006, 54.1007, and 54.1008 containing information collection 
requirements that would be used to determine whether a winning bidder 
of Mobility Fund Phase I support and Tribal Mobility Fund Phase I 
support is qualified to receive such support. Section 1.21004(a) 
requires all winning bidders of universal service support to apply for 
the support by the applicable deadline. Sections 54.1005(b) and 54.1006 
require a winning bidder to submit, using FCC Form 680, ownership 
information, proof of its status as an Eligible Telecommunications 
Carrier, a description of its spectrum access, a detailed project 
description, any guarantee of performance that the Commission may 
require, and various certifications. Sections 54.1004(d)(3) and 
54.1008(d) require a winning bidder to certify in its application that 
it has substantively engaged appropriate Tribal officials. In addition, 
sections 54.1007(a) and (b) require a winning bidder to obtain an 
irrevocable standby letter of credit, which the winning bidder must 
maintain until at least 120 days after the winning bidder receives its 
final distribution of support.
    The Commission needs the information collection requirements to 
ensure that a winning bidder for universal support submits an 
application for support, which, in turn, will allow the Commission to 
determine whether the applicant is qualified to receive such support. 
The Commission also needs to use the information collected to protect 
the integrity of the universal service programs by requiring a winning 
bidder to maintain a letter of credit that will secure a return of 
universal service funds from a winning bidder that has defaulted on its 
obligations. Without such information, the Commission could not 
determine whether to provide the universal service support to the 
winning bidder or protect the government's interest in the funds it 
disburses in Mobility Fund Phase I and Tribal Mobility Fund Phase I.

Federal Communications Commission.
Marlene H. Dortch,
Secretary, Office of the Secretary.
[FR Doc. 2017-19222 Filed 9-11-17; 8:45 am]
 BILLING CODE 6712-01-P