[Federal Register Volume 85, Number 25 (Thursday, February 6, 2020)]
[Notices]
[Pages 6948-6951]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2020-02344]


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FEDERAL COMMUNICATIONS COMMISSION

[OMB 3060-0798 and OMB 3060-0800; FRS 16466]


Information Collections Being Reviewed by the Federal 
Communications Commission

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 and other Federal agencies to take this opportunity to 
comment on the following information collections. Comments are 
requested concerning: Whether the proposed collection of

[[Page 6949]]

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 April 6, 2020. 
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: As part of its continuing effort to reduce 
paperwork burdens, and as required by the PRA, 44 U.S.C. 3501-3520, the 
FCC invites the general public 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.
    OMB Control Number: 3060-0798.
    Title: FCC Application for Radio Service Authorization; Wireless 
Telecommunications Bureau; Public Safety and Homeland Security Bureau.
    Form Number: FCC Form 601.
    Type of Review: Revision of a currently approved collection.
    Respondents: Individuals and households; Business or other for-
profit entities; Not-for-profit institutions; and State, local or 
tribal governments.
    Number of Respondents and Responses: 255,352 respondents and 
255,352 responses.
    Estimated Time per Response: 0.5-1.25 hours.
    Frequency of Response: Recordkeeping requirement, third party 
disclosure requirement, on occasion reporting requirement and periodic 
reporting requirement.
    Obligation to Respond: Required to obtain or retain benefits. The 
statutory authority for this collection of information is contained in 
47 U.S.C. 151, 152, 154, 154(i), 155(c), 157, 201, 202, 208, 214, 301, 
302a, 303, 307, 308, 309, 310, 311, 314, 316, 319, 324, 331, 332, 333, 
336, 534, 535 and 554.
    Total Annual Burden: 222,055 hours.
    Total Annual Cost: $71,306,250.
    Privacy Impact Assessment: Yes.
    Nature and Extent of Confidentiality: In general, there is no need 
for confidentiality with this collection of information.
    Needs and Uses: FCC Form 601 is a consolidated, multi-part 
application form that is used for market-based and site-based licensing 
for wireless telecommunications services, including public safety 
licenses, which are filed through the Commission's Universal Licensing 
System (ULS). FCC Form 601 is composed of a main form that contains 
administrative information and a series of schedules used for filing 
technical and other information. This form is used to apply for a new 
license, to amend or withdraw a pending application, to modify or renew 
an existing license, cancel a license, request a duplicate license, 
submit required notifications, request an extension of time to satisfy 
construction requirements, or request an administrative update to an 
existing license (such as mailing address change), request a Special 
Temporary Authority or Developmental License. Respondents are 
encouraged to submit FCC Form 601 electronically and are required to do 
so when submitting FCC Form 601 to apply for an authorization for which 
the applicant was the winning bidder in a spectrum auction.
    The data collected on FCC Form 601 includes the FCC Registration 
Number (FRN), which serves as a ``common link'' for all filings an 
entity has with the FCC. The Debt Collection Improvement Act of 1996 
requires entities filing with the Commission to use an FRN.
    On August 3, 2017, the Commission released the WRS Reform Second 
Report and Order in which it consolidated the hodgepodge of service-
specific renewal and permanent discontinuance rules into consolidated 
Part 1 rules, 1.949 and 1.953, respectively (See Amendment of Parts 1, 
22, 24, 27, 74, 80, 90, 95, and 101 To Establish Uniform License 
Renewal, Discontinuance of Operation, and Geographic Partitioning and 
Spectrum Disaggregation Rules and Policies for Certain Wireless Radio 
Services, Second Report and Order and Further Notice of Proposed 
Rulemaking, FCC 17-105, (WRS Reform Second Report and Order)). Of 
relevance to the information collection at issue here, the Commission 
established a consistent standard for renewing wireless licenses and 
set forth safe harbors providing expedited renewal for licensees that 
meet their initial term construction requirement and remain operating 
at or above that level. In addition, the Commission adopted consistent 
service continuity rules, which provide for automatic termination of 
any license on which a licensee permanently discontinues service or 
operation.
    The Commission now seeks approval for revisions to its currently 
approved collection of information under OMB Control Number 3060-0798 
to permit (1) the collection of renewal-related information for 
Wireless Radio Service (WRS) licenses, and (2) the filing of requests 
to extend a permanent discontinuance period for good cause. Regarding 
renewal of WRS licenses, Sec.  1.949(d) of the Commission's rules 
requires an applicant for renewal of certain WRS licenses to meet the 
Renewal Standard, i.e., the applicant must demonstrate that over the 
course of the license term, the licensee provided and continues to 
provide service to the public, or operated and continues to operate the 
license to meet the licensee(s)' private, internal communications 
needs. A renewal applicant can meet the Renewal Standard by certifying 
compliance with one of the safe harbors enumerated in Sec.  1.949(e) of 
the Commission's rules, or, if the applicant cannot satisfy the 
requirements of one of the safe harbors, the applicant must make a 
Renewal Showing consistent with Sec.  1.949(f). In addition, a renewal 
applicant must make a Regulatory Compliance Certification certifying 
that it has substantially complied with all applicable FCC rules, 
policies, and the

[[Page 6950]]

Communications Act of 1934, as amended. If an applicant is unable to 
make this substantial compliance certification, it will need to provide 
an explanation of the circumstances preventing such a certification and 
why renewal of the subject license should still be granted.
    We do not anticipate that these revisions will have any impact on 
the burden to complete FCC Form 601. The renewal process remains 
virtually unchanged for site-based licensees, which will continue to 
have streamlined processes for renewal under the safe harbors adopted 
in the WRS Reform Second Report and Order. For licensees which had to 
make renewal showings under the Commissions' prior, service-specific 
renewal rules, including 700 MHz Commercial Services, 600 MHz Service, 
H-Block Service, AWS-3, AWS-4, and 218-219 MHz Service, the rules now 
provide for streamlined renewal processes under the safe harbor 
provisions in Sec.  1.949(e), which minimize the burdens on such 
licensees. The Commission expects that most licensees will be able to 
avail themselves of the streamlined safe harbor process.
    Although some licensees will be required to make a renewal showing, 
on balance, we believe there will be no increase in the overall annual 
burden to complete the form. Further, the Commission's experience with 
requests to extend the discontinuance period for licensees in the 
cellular service leads us to anticipate few, if any, such requests will 
be filed under our new rules. Specifically, we are unaware of any 
requests to extend a cellular discontinuance period. Thus, we believe 
there will be a negligible, if any, impact on the annual burden to 
complete the form.
    The Commission therefore seeks approval for a revision to its 
currently approved information collection on FCC Form 601 to revise FCC 
Form 601 accordingly.
    OMB Control Number: 3060-0800.
    Title: FCC Application for Assignments of Authorization and 
Transfers of Control: Wireless Telecommunications Bureau and Public 
Safety and Homeland Security Bureau.
    Form Number: FCC Form 603.
    Type of Review: Revision of a currently approved collection.
    Respondents: Business or other for-profit entities, Individuals or 
households, not-for-profit institutions, and State, Local or Tribal 
Governments.
    Number of Respondents and Responses: 2,447 respondents; 2,447 
responses.
    Estimated Time per Response: 0.5 hours-1.75 hours.
    Frequency of Response: Recordkeeping requirement, on occasion 
reporting requirement and periodic reporting requirement.
    Obligation to Respond: Required to obtain or retain benefits. The 
statutory authority for this collection is contained in 47 U.S.C. 154, 
155, 158, 161, 301, 303(r), 308, 309, 310 and 332.
    Total Annual Burden: 2,759 hours.
    Annual Cost Burden: $366,975.
    Privacy Act Impact Assessment: Yes.
    Nature and Extent of Confidentiality: In general, there is no need 
for confidentiality with this collection of information.
    Needs and Uses: FCC Form 603 is a multi-purpose form that is used 
by radio services in Wireless Services within the Universal Licensing 
System (ULS). FCC 603 is composed of a main form that contains the 
administrative information and a series of schedules used for filing 
technical information. These schedules are required when applying for 
Auctioned Services, Partitioning and Disaggregation, Undefined 
Geographical Area Partitioning, and Notification of Consummation or 
Request for Extension of Time for Consummation. Applicants/licensees in 
the Public Mobile Services, Personal Communications Services, Private 
Land Mobile Radio Services, Broadband Radio Service, Educational 
Broadband Service, Maritime Services (excluding Ship), and Aviation 
Services (excluding Aircraft) use FCC Form 603 to apply for an 
assignment or transfer, to establish their parties' basic eligibility 
and qualifications, to classify the filing, and/or to determine the 
nature of the proposed service. This form is also used to notify the 
FCC of consummated assignments and transfers of wireless licenses to 
which the Commission has previously consented or for which notification 
but not prior consent is required. Respondents are encouraged to submit 
FCC 603 electronically.
    The data collected on FCC 603 include the FCC Registration Number 
(FRN), which serves as a ``common link'' for all filings an entity has 
with the FCC. The Debt Collection Improvement Act of 1996 required that 
those filing with the Commission to use an FRN, effective December 3, 
2001.
    Records may include information about individuals or households, 
e.g., personally identifiable information or PII, and the use(s) and 
disclosure of this information are governed by the requirements of a 
system of records notice or `SORN', FCC/WTB-1, ``Wireless Services 
Licensing Records.'' There are no additional impacts under the Privacy 
Act.
    On August 3, 2017, the Commission released the WRS Reform Second 
Report and Order in which it consolidated the hodgepodge of service-
specific geographic partitioning and spectrum disaggregation rules into 
a consolidated Part 1 rule, 1.950 (See Amendment of Parts 1, 22, 24, 
27, 74, 80, 90, 95, and 101 To Establish Uniform License Renewal, 
Discontinuance of Operation, and Geographic Partitioning and Spectrum 
Disaggregation Rules and Policies for Certain Wireless Radio Services, 
Second Report and Order and Further Notice of Proposed Rulemaking, FCC 
17-105, (WRS Reform Second Report and Order)). Of relevance to the 
information collection at issue here, the Commission required that when 
portions of geographic licenses are sold, both parties to the 
transaction have a clear construction obligation and penalty in the 
event of failure.
    Specifically, Sec.  1.950(c) requires parties seeking approval for 
geographic partitioning, spectrum disaggregation, or a combination of 
both must apply for a partial assignment of authorization by filing FCC 
Form 603 pursuant to Sec.  1.948 of the Commission's rules. Each 
request for geographic partitioning must include an attachment defining 
the perimeter of the partitioned area by geographic coordinates to the 
nearest second of latitude and longitude, based upon the 1983 North 
American Datum (NAD83). Alternatively, applicants may specify an FCC-
recognized service area (e.g., Basic Trading Area, Economic Area, Major 
Trading Area, Metropolitan Service Area, or Rural Service Area), 
county, or county equivalent, in which case, applicants need only list 
the specific FCC-recognized service area, county, or county equivalent 
names comprising the partitioned area. Additionally, applicants have 
the option to submit geographic data associated with applications to 
partition and/or disaggregate their license using a shapefile, KML or 
Geojson file format.
    In addition, Sec.  1.950(d) requires applicants for geographic 
partitioning, spectrum disaggregation, or a combination of both, to 
include, if applicable, a certification with their partial assignment 
of authorization application stating which party will meet any 
incumbent relocation requirements, except as otherwise stated in 
service-specific rules. Further, Sec.  1.950(g) provides parties to 
geographic partitioning, spectrum disaggregation, or a combination of 
both, with two options to satisfy service-specific performance 
requirements (i.e., construction and operation requirements). Under the 
first option, each party may certify that it will individually satisfy 
any service-

[[Page 6951]]

specific requirements and, upon failure, must individually face any 
service-specific performance penalties. Under the second option, both 
parties may agree to share responsibility for any service-specific 
requirements. Upon failure to meet their shared service-specific 
performance requirements, both parties will be subject to any service-
specific penalties. The Commission seeks approval for revisions to its 
currently approved collection of information under OMB Control Number 
3060-0800 to permit the collection of the additional information in 
connection with partial assignments of authorizations for geographic 
partitioning, spectrum disaggregation, or a combination of both, 
pursuant to the rules and information collection requirements adopted 
by the Commission in the WRS Reform Second Report and Order. We do not 
anticipate that these revisions will impact the collection filing 
burden.

Federal Communications Commission.
Marlene Dortch,
Secretary, Office of the Secretary.
[FR Doc. 2020-02344 Filed 2-5-20; 8:45 am]
 BILLING CODE 6712-01-P