[Federal Register Volume 85, Number 134 (Monday, July 13, 2020)]
[Rules and Regulations]
[Pages 41930-41931]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2020-13611]


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FEDERAL COMMUNICATIONS COMMISSION

47 CFR Part 54

[WC Docket Nos. 17-287, 11-42, 09-197; FCC 19-111; FRS 16877]


Bridging the Digital Divide for Low-Income Consumers, Lifeline 
and Link Up Reform and Modernization, Telecommunications Carriers 
Eligible for Universal Service Support

AGENCY: Federal Communications Commission.

ACTION: Final rule; announcement of effective date.

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SUMMARY: In this document, the Federal Communications Commission 
(Commission) announces that the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) 
has approved, for a period of three years, a revision to an information 
collection associated with the rules for the Lifeline and Link Up 
Reform and Modernization contained in the Commission's Order, FCC 19-
111. This document is consistent with the Fifth Report and Order, 
Memorandum Opinion and Order and Order on Reconsideration, and Further 
Notice of Proposed Rulemaking, which stated that the Commission would 
publish a document in the Federal Register announcing the effective 
date of the new information collection requirements.

DATES: The amendments to amendatory instructions 6.b. (Sec.  
54.404(b)(12)) and 11 (Sec.  54.410(f)) published at 84 FR 71308, 
December 27, 2019, are effective October 13, 2020.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Nicholas Page, Telecommunications 
Access Policy Division, Wireline Competition Bureau, (202) 418-7400 or 
TTY: (202) 418-0484. For additional information concerning the 
Paperwork Reduction Act information collection requirements contact 
Nicole Ongele at (202) 418-2991 or via email: [email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The Commission submitted new information 
collection requirements for review and approval by OMB, as required by 
the Paperwork Reduction Act (PRA) of 1995, on April 29, 2020, which 
were approved by the OMB on June 15, 2020. The information collection 
requirements are contained in the Commission's Fifth Report and Order, 
Memorandum Opinion and Order and Order on Reconsideration, and Further 
Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (2019 Lifeline Order), FCC 19-111 
published at 84 FR 71308, December 27, 2019. The OMB Control Number is 
3060-0819. The Commission publishes this document as an announcement of 
the effective date of the rules published December 27, 2019 that 
required PRA approval. If you have any comments on the burden estimates 
listed herein, or how the Commission can improve the collections and 
reduce any burdens caused thereby, the Commission will accept your 
comments via email at [email protected]. Please include the OMB Control 
Number, 3060-0819, in your correspondence. Due to the COVID-19 
pandemic, the Commission's headquarters will be closed to the general 
public and will only be accepting electronic submissions until further 
notice.
    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), (202) 418-0432 (TTY).

Synopsis

    As required by the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 (44 U.S.C. 
3507), the Commission is notifying the public that it received OMB 
approval on June 15, 2020, for the information collection requirements 
contained in 47 CFR 54.404(b)(12) and 47 CFR 54.410(f). 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 3060-0819.
    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: 3060-0819.
    OMB Approval Date: June 15, 2020.
    OMB Expiration Date: June 30, 2023.
    Title: Bridging the Digital Divide for Low-Income Consumers, 
Lifeline and Link Up Reform and Modernization, Telecommunications 
Carriers Eligible for Universal Service Support.
    Form No.: FCC Form 481, 497, 555, 5629, 5630, and 5631.
    Type of Review: Revision of a currently approved collection.
    Respondents: Individuals or households and business or other for-
profit enterprises.
    Number of Respondents and Responses: 18,335,775 respondents; 
20,102,235 responses.
    Estimated Time per Response: 0.0167-125 hours.
    Frequency of Response: Annual, biennial, monthly, daily and on 
occasion reporting requirements, recordkeeping requirement and third-
party disclosure requirement.
    Obligation to Respond: Required to obtain or retain benefits. 
Statutory authority is contained in Sections 1, 4(i), 5, 201, 205, 214, 
219, 220, 254, 303(r), and 403 of the Communications Act of 1934, as 
amended, and section 706 of the Communications Act of 1996,

[[Page 41931]]

as amended; 47 U.S.C. 151, 154(i), 155, 201, 205, 214, 219, 220, 254, 
303(r), 403, and 1302.
    Total Annual Burden: 8,531,854 hours.
    Total Annual Cost: $937,500.
    Privacy Impact Assessment: Yes. The Commission completed a Privacy 
Impact Assessment (PIA) for some of the information collection 
requirements contained in this collection. The PIA was published in the 
Federal Register at 82 FR 38686 on August 15, 2017. The PIA may be 
reviewed at: http://www.fcc.gov/omd/privacyact/Privacy_Impact_Assessment.html.
    Nature and Extent of Confidentiality: Some of the requirements 
contained in this information collection affect individuals or 
households, and thus, there are impacts under the Privacy Act. The 
FCC's system of records notice (SORN) associated with this collection 
is FCC/WCB-1, ``Lifeline Program.''
    The Commission will use the information contained in FCC/WCB-1 to 
cover the personally identifiable information (PII) that is required as 
part of the Lifeline Program (Lifeline).
    As required by the Privacy Act of 1974, as amended, 5 U.S.C. 552a, 
the Commission published FCC/WCB-1 Lifeline Program in the Federal 
Register on August 15, 2017 (82 FR 38686).
    Also, respondents may request materials or information submitted to 
the Commission or to the Universal Service Administrative Company (USAC 
or Administrator) be withheld from public inspection under 47 CFR 0.459 
of the FCC's rules. We note that USAC must preserve the confidentiality 
of all data obtained from respondents; must not use the data except for 
purposes of administering the universal service programs; and must not 
disclose data in company-specific form unless directed to do so by the 
Commission.
    Needs and Uses: This collection is used to restore the traditional 
state and federal roles in designating eligible telecommunications 
carriers (ETC) and eliminate the Lifeline Broadband Provider (LBP) 
category as a result of the 2019 Lifeline Order. This revision codifies 
a requirement that enrollment representatives must register with USAC 
before interacting with USAC's systems. This revision also implements 
several process and procedural changes to further bolster program 
integrity efforts, requiring minor modifications to the previously 
approved requirements. These changes have a moderate impact on the 
overall burden, increasing the burden hours for some requirements and 
decreasing the burden hours for other requirements.

Federal Communications Commission.
Cecilia Sigmund,
Federal Register Liaison Officer, Office of the Secretary.
[FR Doc. 2020-13611 Filed 7-10-20; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6712-01-P