[Federal Register Volume 85, Number 27 (Monday, February 10, 2020)]
[Notices]
[Pages 7550-7553]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2020-02585]
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FEDERAL COMMUNICATIONS COMMISSION
[OMB 3060-1211, 3060-1058, OMB 3060-0798, 3060-0800; FRS 16470]
Information Collections Being Submitted for Review and Approval
to 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,
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. Pursuant to the Small Business
Paperwork Relief Act of 2002, the FCC seeks specific comment on how it
might ``further reduce the information collection burden for 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 March 11,
2020. If you anticipate that you will be submitting comments but find
it difficult to do so with 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 Cathy Williams, 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 Cathy Williams at (202) 418-
2918. 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 Title 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, as required by the Paperwork Reduction Act (PRA) of
1995 (44 U.S.C. 3501-3520), the FCC invited the general public and
other Federal Agencies to take this opportunity to comment on the
following information collection. Comments are requested concerning:
(a) 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; (b) the accuracy
of the Commission's burden estimates; (c) ways to enhance the quality,
utility, and clarity of the information collected; and (d) 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. Pursuant to the Small Business
Paperwork Relief Act of 2002, Public Law 107-198, see 44 U.S.C.
3506(c)(4), the FCC seeks specific comment on how it might ``further
reduce the information collection burden for small business concerns
with fewer than 25 employees.''
OMB Control Number: 3060-1211.
Title: Sections 96.17; 96.21; 96.23; 96.25; 96.33; 96.35; 96.39;
96.41; 96.43; 96.45; 96.51; 96.57; 96.59; 96.61; 96.63; 96.67,
Commercial Operations in the 3550-3700 MHz Band.
Form Number: N/A.
Type of Review: Revision of a currently approved collection.
Respondents: Business or other for-profit entities, not for profit
institutions, and state, local, or tribal government.
Number of Respondents: 110,782 respondents; 226,099 responses.
Estimated Time per Response: 0.25 to 1.5 hours.
Frequency of Response: Ten-year reporting requirement, One-time and
on occasion reporting requirements; other reporting requirements--as-
needed basis for equipment safety certification that is no longer in
use, and consistently (likely daily) responses automated via the
device.
Obligation to Respond: Required to obtain or retain benefits.
Statutory authority for this collection is contained in 47 U.S.C. 151,
152, 154(i), 154(j), 155(c), 302a, 303, 304, 307(e), and 316 of the
Communications Act of 1934.
Total Annual Burden: 64,561 hours.
Total Annual Cost: $13,213,975.
Privacy Impact Assessment: No impact(s).
Nature and Extent of Confidentiality: In general, there is no need
for confidentiality with this collection of information.
Needs and Uses: On October 24, 2018, the Commission released a
Report and Order, FCC 18-149, in GN Docket No. 17-158, adopting limited
changes to the rules governing Priority Access Licenses (PALs) in the
3550-3700 MHz (3.5 GHz) band, including larger license areas, longer
license terms, renewability, and performance requirements. The
Commission anticipated that the targeted changes made in its 2018
Report and Order will spur additional investment and broader deployment
in the band, promote robust and efficient spectrum use, and help ensure
the rapid deployment of advanced wireless technologies--including 5G--
in the United States.
The rule changes and information requirements contained in the
Commission's previous 3.5 GHz band orders--the 2015 Report and Order,
FCC 15-47, and 2016 Order on Reconsideration and Second Report and
Order, FCC 16-55, both in GN Docket No. 12-354--are also approved under
this Office of Management and Budget (OMB) control number (3060-1211)
and have not changed since OMB last approved them.
The Commission seeks approval from OMB for the information
collection requirements contained in the 2018 Report and Order, FCC 18-
149, stemming from the changes made to section 96.25(b) of it rules.
The Commission revised section 96.25(b) to adopt performance
requirements for
[[Page 7551]]
Priority Access Licensees. Specifically, under the revised rule,
Priority Access Licensees must provide substantial service in their
license area by the end of the initial license term, i.e., at the end
of 10 years. ``Substantial service'' is defined as service which is
sound, favorable, and substantially above the level of mediocre service
which might minimally warrant renewal. Failure by any licensee to meet
this requirement will result in forfeiture of the license without
further Commission action, and the licensee will be ineligible to
regain it. Licensees shall demonstrate compliance with the performance
requirement by filing a construction notification with the Commission
in accordance with section 1.946(d) of the Commission's rules. The
licensee must certify whether it has met the performance requirement,
and file supporting documentation, including description and
demonstration of the bona fide service provided, electronic maps
accurately depicting the boundaries of the license area and where in
the license area the licensee provides service that meets the
performance requirement, supporting technical documentation, any
population-related assumptions or data used in determining the
population covered by a service to the extent any were relied upon, and
any other information the Wireless Telecommunications Bureau may
prescribe by public notice. A licensee's showing of substantial service
may not rely on service coverage outside of the PAL Protection Areas of
registered Citizens Broadband Radio Service Devices (CBSDs) or on
deployments that are not reflected in Spectrum Access System (SAS)
records of CBSD registrations.
The Commission adopted two safe harbors for meeting the
``substantial service'' requirement: (1) A Priority Access Licensee
providing a mobile service or point-to-multipoint service may
demonstrate substantial service by showing that it provides signal
coverage and offers service, either to customers or for internal use,
over at least 50 percent of the population in the license area; and (2)
A Priority Access Licensee providing a fixed point-to-point service may
demonstrate substantial service by showing that it has constructed and
operates at least four links, either to customers or for internal use,
in license areas with 134,000 population or less and in license areas
with greater population, a minimum number of links equal to the
population of the license area divided by 33,500 and rounded up to the
nearest whole number. To satisfy this provision, such links must
operate using registered Category B CBSDs.
OMB Control Number: 3060-1058.
Title: FCC Application or Notification for Spectrum Leasing
Arrangement or Private Commons Arrangement: Wireless Telecommunications
Bureau Public Safety and Homeland Security Bureau.
Form Number: FCC Form 608.
Type of Review: Revision of a currently approved collection.
Respondents: Business or other for-profit entities, not for profit
institutions, individuals or households, and state, local, or tribal
government.
Number of Respondents: 1,091 respondents; 1,091 responses.
Estimated Time per Response: 0.5 to 1 hour.
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.
Statutory authority for this collection is contained in 47 U.S.C. 154,
155, 158, 161, 301, 303(r), 308, 309, 310 and 332 of the Communications
Act of 1934.
Total Annual Burden: 1,096 hours.
Total Annual Cost: $1,411,450.
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 608 is a multipurpose form. It is used to
provide notification or request approval for any spectrum leasing
arrangement (``Leases'') entered into between an existing licensee
(``Licensee'') in certain wireless services and a spectrum lessee
(``Lessee''). This form also is required to notify or request approval
for any spectrum subleasing arrangement (``Sublease''). The data
collected on the form is used by the FCC to determine whether the
public interest would be served by the Lease or Sublease. The form is
also used to provide notification for any Private Commons Arrangement
entered into between a Licensee, Lessee, or Sublessee and a class of
third-party users (as defined in Section 1.9080 of the Commission's
Rules). Respondents are required to submit FCC Form 608 electronically,
except in certain services specifically designated by the Commission.
Records may include information about individuals or households,
e.g., personally identifiable information or PII, and the use(s) and
disclosure of this information will be governed by the requirements of
a system of records notice or `SORN', FCC/WTB-1, ``Wireless Services
Licensing Records.'' Updating the SORN to include FCC Form 608 is
currently underway. There are no additional impacts under the Privacy
Act.
On April 28, 2016, the Commission adopted its Second Report and
Order, FCC 16-55, in GN Docket No. 12-354, adopting additional rules
for the Citizens Broadband Radio Service in the 3.5 GHz band. As part
of the Second Report and Order, the Commission adopted a light-touch
leasing regime for Priority Access Licensees by amending its existing
Part 1 rules to include a streamlined spectrum manager leasing process,
based on the current spectrum manager leasing rules, tailored for the
PAL leasing context. The Commission expects there will be a demand for
Priority Access rights for a wide variety of use cases, and that a
robust, flexible, and lightly regulated secondary market through these
band-specific spectrum manager leasing rules will incentivize efficient
spectrum use, promote innovation, and encourage the rapid deployment of
broadband networks in the 3.5 GHz Band. Specifically, in the Second
Report and Order, the Commission adopted section 1.9046, which provides
special provisions for spectrum manager leases in the Citizens
Broadband Radio Service. This rule allows a Priority Access Licensee to
engage in spectrum manager leasing for any portion of its spectrum or
geographic area, outside of the PAL Protection Area, for any bandwidth
or duration period of time with any entity that has provided a
certification to the Commission in accordance with section 1.9046 or
pursuant to the general notification procedures of section 1.9020(e) of
the Commission's rules. The lessee seeking to engage in spectrum
manager leasing pursuant to section 1.9046 must certify with the
Commission that it meets the same eligibility and qualification
requirements applicable to the licensee before entering into a spectrum
manager leasing arrangement with a Priority Access Licensee. The
certification will be made via FCC Form 608.
Prior to lessee operation, the licensee seeking to engage in
spectrum manager leasing pursuant to section 1.9046 must submit
notification of the leasing arrangement to the Spectrum Access System
(SAS) Administrator with the following information: (1) Lessee contact
information including name, address, telephone number, fax number,
email address; (2) Lessee FCC Registration Number (FRN); (3) name of
Real Party in Interest and related FCC Registration Number (FRN); (4)
the specific spectrum leased (in terms of
[[Page 7552]]
amount of bandwidth and geographic area involved) including the call
sign(s) affected by the lease; and (5) duration of the lease.
A spectrum leasing arrangement may be extended beyond the initial
term set forth in the spectrum leasing notification for an additional
period not to exceed the term of the Priority Access License, provided
that the licensee notifies the SAS Administrator of the extension in
advance of operation under the extended term and does so pursuant to
the notification procedures in section 1.9046.
If a spectrum leasing arrangement is terminated earlier than the
termination date set forth in the notification, either by the licensee
or by the parties' mutual agreement, the licensee must file a
notification with the SAS Administrator no later than ten (10) days
after the early termination, indicating the date of the termination.
If the parties fail to put the spectrum leasing arrangement into
effect, they must so notify the Spectrum Access System Administrator as
promptly as practicable.
Under the Part 96 rules, three types of respondents may be
completing FCC Form 608. First, entities seeking to engage in light
touch leasing will pre-certify with the FCC that they meet the non-
lease-specific eligibility and qualification criteria by completing
non-lease-specific data fields pulled from FCC Form 608. Second, the
Priority Access Licensees would use the form in three ways. For light
touch leasing, Priority Access Licensees would notify the SAS
Administrator of leasing arrangements with pre-certified lessees by
completing lease-specific data fields pulled from FCC Form 608. Part 96
also permits Priority Access Licensees to enter into lease agreements
using the general spectrum manager leasing agreement rules under part 1
of the rules, which would require a FCC Form 608. Priority Access
Licensees may also enter into de facto transfer leasing arrangements
for a portion of their licensed spectrum pursuant to part 1 of the
Commission's rules and would use FCC Form 608 to do so. Third, on a
daily basis, the SAS Administrator will provide the Commission with an
electronic report of the leasing notifications completed by the
Priority Access Licensees. The SAS Administrators will be providing the
report through an Application Programming Interface (API). The
Commission has reused the code from the general spectrum manager
leasing FCC Form 608 in the Commission's Universal Licensing System
(ULS) to program the SAS light touch leasing API.
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: Business or other for-profit entities, not for profit
institutions, individuals and households, and state, local, or tribal
government.
Number of Respondents: 255,452 respondents; 255,452 responses.
Estimated Time per Response: 0.5 to 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.
Statutory authority for this collection 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: 223,921 hours.
Total Annual Cost: $71,906,000.
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 required
to submit FCC Form 601 electronically, except in certain services
specifically designated by the Commission.
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. 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 October 24, 2018, the Commission released a Report and Order,
FCC 18-149, in GN Docket No. 17-158, adopting limited changes to the
rules governing Priority Access Licenses (PALs) in the 3550-3700 MHz
(3.5 GHz) band, including larger license areas, longer license terms,
renewability, and performance requirements. The Commission anticipated
that the targeted changes made in its 2018 Report and Order will spur
additional investment and broader deployment in the band, promote
robust and efficient spectrum use, and help ensure the rapid deployment
of advanced wireless technologies--including 5G--in the United States.
Among these changes, the Commission revised section 96.32(a) of its
rules to require that an applicant must file an application for an
initial PAL, and that the application must: (1) Demonstrate the
applicant's qualifications to hold an authorization; (2) state how a
grant would serve the public interest, convenience, and necessity; (3)
contain all information required by FCC rules and application forms;
(4) propose operation of a facility or facilities in compliance with
all rules governing the Citizens Broadband Radio Service; and (5) be
amended as necessary to remain substantially accurate and complete in
all significant respects, in accordance with the provisions of section
1.65 of the Commission's rules.
The Commission therefore seeks approval for a revision to its
currently approved information collection on FCC Form 601.
OMB Control Number: 3060-0800.
Title: FCC Application For Assignment 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, not for profit
institutions, individuals and households, and state, local, or tribal
government.
[[Page 7553]]
Number of Respondents: 2,547 respondents; 2,547 responses.
Estimated Time per Response: 0.5 to 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.
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: 2,872 hours.
Total Annual Cost: $381,975.
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 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. 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 required to submit FCC Form 603 electronically, except
in certain services specifically designated by the Commission. The data
collected on FCC Form 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 October 24, 2018, the Commission released a Report and Order,
FCC 18-149, in GN Docket No. 17-158, adopting limited changes to the
rules governing Priority Access Licenses (PALs) in the 3550-3700 MHz
(3.5 GHz) band, including larger license areas, longer license terms,
renewability, and performance requirements. The Commission anticipated
that the targeted changes made in its 2018 Report and Order will spur
additional investment and broader deployment in the band, promote
robust and efficient spectrum use, and help ensure the rapid deployment
of advanced wireless technologies--including 5G--in the United States.
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 2018
Report and Order. Specifically, in the 2018 Report and Order, the
Commission revised section 96.32(b) of its rules to allow Priority
Access Licensees to partition their licenses or disaggregate their
spectrum, and partially assign or transfer their licenses, pursuant to
Sec. 1.950 of the Commission's rules. Because of the additional
Priority Access Licensees, additional respondents may be filing FCC
Form 603 for assignments or transfers of control of licenses.
Federal Communications Commission.
Marlene Dortch,
Secretary, Office of the Secretary.
[FR Doc. 2020-02585 Filed 2-7-20; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6712-01-P