[Federal Register Volume 85, Number 141 (Wednesday, July 22, 2020)]
[Notices]
[Pages 44298-44299]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2020-15849]


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

FEDERAL COMMUNICATIONS COMMISSION

[OMB 3060-1247; FRS 16937]


Information Collection Being Reviewed by the Federal 
Communications Commission

AGENCY: Federal Communications Commission.

ACTION: Notice and request for comments.

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

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 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 PRA comments should be submitted on or before September 
21, 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 contact listed below as soon as possible.

ADDRESSES: Direct all PRA comments to Nicole Ongele, FCC, via email 
[email protected] and to [email protected].

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: For additional information about the 
information collection, contact Nicole Ongele, (202) 418-2991.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: OMB Control Number: 3060-1247.
    Title: Part 32 Uniform System of Accounts.
    Form Number: N/A.
    Type of Review: Revision of a currently approved collection.
    Respondents: Business or other for-profit entities.
    Number of Respondents and Responses: 949 respondents; 1,944 
responses.
    Estimated Time per Response: 20-40 hours.
    Frequency of Response: On occasion, and annual reporting 
requirements; recordkeeping requirements.
    Obligation to Respond: Required to obtain or retain benefits. 
Statutory authority for this information collection is contained in 47 
U.S.C. 10, 201, 219- 220, 224, 254(k), 272(e)(3), and 403 of the 
Communications Act of 1934, as amended, 47 U.S.C. 160, 201, 219-220, 
224, 254(k), 272(e)(3), and 403.
    Total Annual Burden: 69,820 hours.
    Total Annual Cost: No cost.
    Privacy Act Impact Assessment: No impact(s).
    Nature and Extent of Confidentiality: Respondents are not being 
asked to submit confidential information to the Commission. If the 
Commission requests respondents to submit information which respondents 
believe is confidential, respondents may request confidential treatment 
of such information under 47 CFR 0.459 of the Commission's rules.
    Needs and Uses: On February 24, 2017, the Commission released the 
Part 32 Order, WC Docket No. 14-130, CC Docket No. 80-286, FCC 17-15, 
which minimized the compliance burdens imposed by the Uniform System of 
Accounts (USOA) on price cap and rate-of-return telephone companies, 
while ensuring that the Commission retains access to the information it 
needs to fulfill its regulatory duties. The Commission consolidated 
Class A and Class B accounts by eliminating the current classification 
of carriers, which divides incumbent LECS into two classes for 
accounting purposes based on annual revenues. Carriers subject to Part 
32's USOA are now only required to keep Class B accounts.
    Pursuant to the Part 32 Order, price cap carriers may elect to use 
generally accepted accounting principles (GAAP) for all regulatory 
accounting purposes if they: (1) Establish an ``Implementation Rate 
Difference'' (IRD) which is the difference between pole attachment 
rates calculated under Part 32 and under GAAP as of the last full year 
preceding the carrier's initial opting out of Part 32 accounting 
requirements; and (2) adjust their annually-computed GAAP-based pole 
attachment rates by the IRD for a period of 12 years after the 
election. Alternatively, price cap carriers may

[[Page 44299]]

elect to use GAAP accounting for all purposes other than those 
associated with pole attachment rates and continue to use the Part 32 
accounts and procedures applicable to pole attachment rates for up to 
12 years. A price cap carrier may be required to submit pole attachment 
accounting data to the Commission for three years following the 
effective date of the rule permitting a price cap carrier to elect GAAP 
accounting. If a pole attacher informs the Commission of a suspected 
problem with pole attachment rates, the Commission will require the 
price cap carrier to file its pole attachment data for the state in 
question. This requirement may be extended for an additional three 
years, if necessary.
    The Commission reduced the accounting requirements for telephone 
companies with a continuing obligation to comply with Part 32 in a 
number of areas. Telephone companies may: (1) Carry an asset at its 
purchase price when it was acquired, even if its value has increased or 
declined when it goes into regulated service; (2) reprice an asset at 
market value after a merger or acquisition consistent with GAAP; (3) 
use GAAP principles to determine Allowance-for-Funds-Used-During 
Construction; and (4) employ the GAAP standard of materiality. Rate-of-
return carriers receiving cost-based support must determine materiality 
consistent with the general materiality guidelines promulgated by the 
Auditing Standards Board. Price cap carriers with a continuing Part 32 
accounting obligation must maintain continuing property records 
necessary to track substantial assets and investments in an accurate, 
auditable manner. The carriers must make such property information 
available to the Commission upon request. Carriers subject to Part 32 
must continue to comply with the USOA's depreciation procedures and its 
rules for cost of removal-and-salvage accounting.
    Pursuant to the October 24, 2018 Rate-of-Return Business Data 
Services Report and Order, WC Docket No. 17-144, FCC 18-146, rate-of-
return carriers currently receiving model-based or other fixed high-
cost support may voluntarily elect to transition their business 
services offerings from rate-of-return to incentive regulation. Thus, 
electing carriers that choose to use GAAP instead of the Uniform System 
of Accounts are relieved of virtually all of the filing and 
recordkeeping requirements of the Uniform System of Accounts, with the 
sole exception of the same data provisioning requirements for the 
calculation of pole attachment rates as price cap carriers.

Federal Communications Commission.
Marlene Dortch,
Secretary, Office of the Secretary.
[FR Doc. 2020-15849 Filed 7-21-20; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6712-01-P