[Federal Register Volume 84, Number 161 (Tuesday, August 20, 2019)]
[Notices]
[Pages 43130-43132]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2019-17805]


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FEDERAL COMMUNICATIONS COMMISSION

[OMB 3060-XXXX, OMB 3060-1228]


Information Collections Being Submitted for Review and Approval 
to the Office of Management and Budget

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 (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 Commission 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 September 19, 
2019. 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 listed below as soon as possible.

ADDRESSES: Direct all PRA comments to Nicholas A. Fraser, OMB, via 
email [email protected]; and to Nicole Ongele, FCC, via 
email [email protected] and to [email protected]. Include in the comments 
the OMB control number as shown in the SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION below.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: For additional information or copies 
of the information collection, contact Nicole Ongele at (202) 418-2991. 
To view a copy of this information collection request (ICR) submitted 
to OMB: (1) Go to the web page http://www.reginfo.gov/public/do/PRAMain, (2) look for the section of the web page called ``Currently 
Under Review,'' (3) click on the downward-pointing arrow in the 
``Select Agency'' box below the ``Currently Under Review'' heading, (4) 
select ``Federal Communications Commission'' from the list of agencies 
presented in the ``Select Agency'' box, (5) click the ``Submit'' button 
to the right of the ``Select Agency'' box, (6) when the list of FCC 
ICRs currently under review appears, look for the OMB control number of 
this ICR and then click on the ICR Reference Number. A copy of the FCC 
submission to OMB will be displayed.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: As part of its continuing effort to reduce 
paperwork burdens, and as required by the Paperwork Reduction Act (PRA) 
of 1995 (44 U.S.C. 3501-3520), 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,

[[Page 43131]]

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.

    OMB Control Number: 3060-XXXX.
    Title: Connect America Fund--Performance Testing Measures.
    Form Number: N/A.
    Type of Review: New information collection.
    Respondents: Business or other for-profit.
    Number of Respondents and Responses: 1,277 unique respondents; 
3,195 responses.
    Estimated Time per Response: 16 hours-60 hours.
    Frequency of Response: Biennial reporting requirements, quarterly 
reporting requirements and annual reporting requirements.
    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: 120,518 hours.
    Total Annual Cost: No Cost.
    Privacy Act Impact Assessment: No impact(s).
    Nature and Extent of Confidentiality: We note that the Universal 
Service Administrative Company (USAC) must preserve the confidentiality 
of certain data obtained from respondents; must not use the data except 
for purposes of administering the universal service programs or other 
purposes specified by the Commission; and must not disclose data in 
company-specific form unless directed to do so by the Commission. 
Materials or information submitted to the Commission or the 
Administrator will be confidential and not be available to the public.
    Needs and Uses: In the USF/ICC Transformation Order, the Commission 
laid the groundwork for today's universal service programs providing 
$4.5 billion in support for broadband internet deployment in high-cost 
areas. Connect America Fund et al., Report and Order and Further Notice 
of Proposed Rulemaking, WC Docket No. 10-90 et al., 26 FCC Rcd 17663 
(2011) (USF/ICC Transformation Order). The USF/ICC Transformation Order 
required, among other things, that high-cost universal service 
recipients ``test their broadband networks for compliance with speed 
and latency metrics and certify to and report the results to the 
Universal Service Administrative Company (USAC) on an annual basis.'' 
Id. at 17705, para. 109. Pursuant to the Commission's direction in that 
Order, the Wireline Competition Bureau, the Wireless Telecommunications 
Bureau, and the Office of Engineering and Technology adopted more 
specific methodologies for such testing in the Performance Measures 
Order. See Connect America Fund, Order, WC Docket No. 10-90, 33 FCC Rcd 
6509 (WCB/WTB/OET 2018) (Performance Measures Order). See also 47 CFR 
54.313(a)(6) (requiring that recipients of high-cost support provide 
``[t]he results of network performance tests pursuant to the 
methodology and in the format determined by the Wireline Competition 
Bureau, Wireless Telecommunications Bureau, and Office of Engineering 
and Technology'').
    This collection includes requirements for testing speed and latency 
to ensure that carriers are meeting the public interest obligations 
associated with their receipt of high-cost universal service support. 
Carriers will identify, from among the locations they have already 
submitted and certified in USAC's High Cost Universal Broadband (HUBB) 
portal, the locations where they have an active subscriber. From those 
subscriber locations, USAC will then select a random sample from which 
the carrier will be required to perform testing for speed and latency. 
Carriers that do not provide location information in the HUBB will use 
a randomization tool provided by USAC to select a random sample of 
locations for testing. The carrier will then be required to submit to 
USAC the results of the testing on an annual basis. These filings will 
include the testing results for each quarter from the prior year. The 
carrier's sample for each service tier (e.g. 10 Mbps/1 Mbps, 25 Mbps/1 
Mbps) shall be regenerated every two years. During the two-year cycle, 
carriers will have the ability to add and remove subscriber locations 
if necessary, e.g., as subscribership changes. This information 
collection addresses the burdens associated with these requirements.

    OMB Control Number: 3060-1228.
    Title: Connect America Fund--High Cost Portal Filing.
    Form Number: N/A.
    Type of Review: Revision of a currently approved collection.
    Respondents: Business or other for-profit, Not-for-profit 
institutions.
    Number of Respondents and Responses: 1,599 unique respondents; 
3,730 responses.
    Estimated Time per Response: 8 hours-60 hours.
    Frequency of Response: On occasion, quarterly reporting 
requirements, annual reporting requirements, one-time reporting 
requirement and recordkeeping 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: 68,607 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 certain data obtained from respondents; 
must not use the data except for purposes of administering the 
universal service programs or other purposes specified by the 
Commission; and must not disclose data in company-specific form unless 
directed to do so by the Commission. Respondents may request materials 
or information submitted to the Commission or the Administrator 
believed confidential to be withheld from public inspection under 47 
CFR 0.459 of the FCC's rules.
    Needs and Uses: The Commission is requesting approval for this 
revised information collection. In March 2016, the Commission adopted 
an order reforming its universal service support program in areas 
served by rate-of-return carriers. Connect America Fund et al., WC 
Docket Nos. 10-90 et al., Report and Order, Order and Order on 
Reconsideration, and Further Notice of Proposed Rulemaking, FCC 16-33 
(2016 Rate-of-Return Order). In May 2016, the Commission adopted rules 
to implement a competitive bidding process for Phase II of the Connect 
America Fund. Connect America Fund et al., WC Docket Nos. 10-90 et al., 
Report and Order and Further Notice of Proposed Rulemaking, FCC 16-64 
(Phase II Auction Order). In August 2016, the Commission adopted a plan 
tailored to certain carriers, both fixed and mobile, serving Alaska. 
Connect America Fund et al., WC Docket No. 10-90 et al., Report and 
Order and Further Notice of Proposed Rulemaking, FCC 16-115 (Alaska 
Plan Order). In January 2017 the Commission adopted an order which 
granted New York State waiver of the Connect America Phase II auction 
program rules, subject to certain conditions. Connect America Fund et 
al., WC Docket Nos. 10-90 et al., FCC 17-2 (New York Auction Order). 
Also, in December 2018, the Commission adopted reforms that included 
additional offers of model-based support and increased broadband 
deployment obligations. Connect America Fund et al., WC Docket No. 10-
90 et al., Report

[[Page 43132]]

and Order, Further Notice of Proposed Rulemaking and Order on 
Reconsideration, FCC 18-176 (2018 Rate-of-Return Order).
    This information collection addresses the requirement that certain 
carriers with high-cost reporting obligations must file information 
about their locations which meet their broadband deployment public 
interest obligations via an electronic portal (``portal''). The 2016 
Rate-of-Return Order required that the Universal Service Administrative 
Company (USAC) establish the portal so that carriers could file their 
location data with the portal starting in 2017. The 2016 Rate-of-Return 
Order required all recipients of Phase II model-based support and rate-
of-return carriers to submit geocoded location data and related 
certifications to the portal. Recipients of Phase II model-based 
support had been required to file such information in their annual 
reports due by July 1. The Phase II Auction Order, Alaska Plan Order, 
and New York Auction Order require carriers to build-out networks 
capable of meeting their public interest obligations and report, to an 
online portal, locations to which auction winners had deployed such 
networks. The Alaska Plan Order also made portal reporting requirements 
for carriers to submit fiber/microwave middle-mile network maps. This 
information collection also addresses the new additional offers of 
model-based support and increased broadband deployment obligations, and 
other improvements to the portal. With the new additional offers, there 
will be more carriers subject to the model-based deployment milestones 
and fewer carriers remaining on legacy support.

Federal Communications Commission.
Marlene Dortch,
Secretary, Office of the Secretary.
[FR Doc. 2019-17805 Filed 8-19-19; 8:45 am]
 BILLING CODE 6712-01-P