[Federal Register Volume 82, Number 244 (Thursday, December 21, 2017)]
[Rules and Regulations]
[Pages 60562-60564]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2017-27434]


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

FEDERAL COMMUNICATIONS COMMISSION

47 CFR Parts 6, 7, 14, 20, 64, and 67

[CG Docket No. 16-145 and GN Docket No. 15-178; FCC 16-169]


Transition From TTY to Real-Time Text Technology

AGENCY: Federal Communications Commission.

ACTION: Final rule; announcement of OMB approval.

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

SUMMARY: In this document, the Commission announces that the Office of 
Management and Budget (OMB) has approved, for a period of three years, 
the information collection associated with requirements adopted in the 
Commission's document Transition from TTY to Real-Time Text Technology; 
Petition for Rulemaking to Update the Commission's Rules for Access to 
Support the Transition from TTY to Real-Time Text Technology, and 
Petition for Waiver of Rules Requiring Support of TTY Technology, 
Report and Order (Report and Order). This document is consistent with 
the Report and Order, which stated that the Commission would publish a 
document in the Federal Register announcing the approval date of those 
information collect requirements.

DATES: The real-time text (RTT) outreach guidelines, TTY waiver notice 
conditions, and a requirement for waiver recipients to file reports 
every six months were approved by OMB on December 4, 2017.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Michael Scott, Disability Rights 
Office,

[[Page 60563]]

Consumer and Governmental Affairs Bureau, at (202) 418-1264, or email: 
[email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: This document announces that, on December 4, 
2017, OMB approved, for a period of three years, the information 
collection requirements contained in the Commission's Report and Order, 
FCC 16-169, published at 82 FR 7699, January 23, 2017. The OMB Control 
Number is 3060-1248. The Commission publishes this notification as an 
announcement of the approval date of those requirements. 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 Cathy Williams, Federal Communications 
Commission, Room 1-C823, 445 12th Street SW, Washington, DC 20554. 
Please include the OMB Control Number, 3060-1248, in your 
correspondence. The Commission will also accept your comments via the 
internet if you send them to [email protected].
    To request materials in accessible formats 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), (844) 432-2275 (videophone), 
or (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 
December 4, 2017, for the information collection requirements 
concerning real-time text (RTT) outreach guidelines, TTY waiver notice 
conditions, and a requirement for waiver recipients to file reports 
every six months that are contained in the Commission's Report and 
Order, FCC 16-169, published at 82 FR 7699, January 23, 2017.
    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 3060-1248.
    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: 3060-1248.
    OMB Approval Date: December 4, 2017.
    OMB Expiration Date: December 31, 2020.
    Title: Transition from TTY to Real-Time Text Technology, CG Docket 
No. 16-145 and GN Docket No. 15-178.
    Form Number: N/A.
    Type of Review: New collection.
    Respondents: Business or other for-profit.
    Number of Respondents and Responses: 967 respondents; 5,557 
responses.
    Estimated Time per Response: 0.2 hours (12 minutes) to 60 hours.
    Frequency of Response: Annual, ongoing, one-time, and semiannual 
reporting requirements; Recordkeeping requirement.
    Obligation to Respond: Required to obtain or retain benefit. The 
statutory authority can be found at sections 4(i), 225, 255, 301, 
303(r), 316, 403, 715, and 716 of the Communications Act of 1934, as 
amended, and section 106 of the Twenty-First Century Communications and 
Video Accessibility Act of 2010, 47 U.S.C. 154(i), 225, 255, 301, 
303(r), 316, 403, 615c, 616, 617; Public Law 111-260, Sec.  106, 124 
Stat. 2751, 2763 (2010).
    Total Annual Burden: 127,360 hours.
    Total Annual Cost: No cost.
    Nature and Extent of Confidentiality: There is no need for 
confidentiality with this collection of information.
    Privacy Impact Assessment: This information collection does not 
affect individuals or households; therefore, the Privacy Act is not 
impacted.
    Needs and Uses: TTY technology provides the primary means for 
people with disabilities to send and receive text communications over 
the public switched telephone network (PSTN). Changes to communications 
networks, particularly ongoing technology transitions from circuit 
switched to IP-based networks and from copper to wireless and fiber 
infrastructure, have affected the quality and utility of TTY 
technology, prompting discussions on transitioning to an alternative 
advanced communications technology for text communications. 
Accordingly, on December 16, 2016, the Commission released the Report 
and Order, amending its rules that govern the obligations of wireless 
service providers and manufacturers to support TTY technology to permit 
such providers and manufacturers to provide support for RTT over 
wireless IP-based networks to facilitate an effective and seamless 
transition to RTT in lieu of continuing to support TTY technology.
    In the Report and Order, the Commission adopted measures requiring 
the following:
    (a) RTT outreach guidelines. Each wireless provider and 
manufacturer that voluntarily transitions from TTY technology to RTT 
over wireless IP-based networks and services is encouraged to develop 
consumer and education efforts that include (1) the development and 
dissemination of educational materials that contain information 
pertinent to the nature, purpose, and timelines of the RTT transition; 
(2) internet postings, in an accessible format, of information about 
the TTY to RTT transition on the websites of covered entities; (3) the 
creation of a telephone hotline and an online interactive and 
accessible service that can answer consumer questions about RTT; and 
(4) appropriate training of staff to effectively respond to consumer 
questions. All consumer outreach and education should be provided in 
accessible formats including, but not limited to, large print, Braille, 
videos in American Sign Language that are captioned and video 
described, emails to consumers who have opted to receive notices in 
this manner, and printed materials. Service providers and manufacturers 
are also encouraged to coordinate with consumer, public safety, and 
industry stakeholders to develop and distribute education and outreach 
materials. The information will inform consumers of alternative 
accessible technology available to replace TTY technology that may no 
longer be available to consumers through their provider or on their 
devices.
    (b) TTY waiver notice conditions. Each wireless provider that 
receives a waiver of the requirement to support TTY technology over 
wireless IP-based networks and services must apprise its customers, 
through effective and accessible channels of communication, that (1) 
until TTY is sunset, TTY technology will not be supported for calls to 
911 services over IP-based wireless services, and (2) there are 
alternative PSTN-based and IP-based accessibility solutions for people 
with disabilities to reach 911 services. These notices must be 
developed in coordination with PSAPs and national consumer 
organizations, and include a listing of text-based alternatives to 911, 
including, but not limited to, TTY capability over the PSTN, various 
forms of PSTN-based and IP-based TRS, and text-to-911 (where 
available). The notices will inform consumers of the loss of the use of 
TTY for completing 911 calls over the provider's network and 
alternative services that may be used.
    (c) Six-month reports. Once every six months, each wireless 
provider that

[[Page 60564]]

requests and receives a waiver of the requirement to support TTY 
technology must file a report with the Commission and inform its 
customers regarding its progress toward and the status of the 
availability of new IP-based accessibility solutions. Such reports must 
include (1) information on the interoperability of the provider's 
selected accessibility solution with the technologies deployed or to be 
deployed by other carriers and service providers, (2) the backward 
compatibility of such solution with TTYs, (3) a showing of the 
provider's efforts to ensure delivery of 911 calls to the appropriate 
PSAP, (4) a description of any obstacles incurred towards achieving 
interoperability and steps taken to overcome such obstacles, and (5) an 
estimated timetable for the deployment of accessibility solutions. The 
information will inform consumers of the progress towards the 
availability of alternative accessible means to replace TTY. The 
Commission will evaluate the reports to determine whether any changes 
to the waivers are warranted and whether there are any impediments to 
progress that the Commission may be in a position to resolve.

Federal Communications Commission.
Marlene H. Dortch,
Secretary, Office of the Secretary.
[FR Doc. 2017-27434 Filed 12-20-17; 8:45 am]
 BILLING CODE 6712-01-P