[Federal Register Volume 85, Number 249 (Tuesday, December 29, 2020)]
[Notices]
[Pages 85636-85638]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2020-28783]


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FEDERAL COMMUNICATIONS COMMISSION

[OMB 3060-0986; FRS 17340]


Information Collection 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 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 March 1, 
2021. 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: 3060-0986.
    Title: High-Cost Universal Service Support.
    Form Number: FCC Form 481 and FCC Form 525.
    Type of Review: Revision of a currently approved collection.
    Respondents: Business or other for-profit, not-for-profit 
institutions and state, local or tribal government.
    Number of Respondents and Responses: 2,049 respondents; 14,358 
responses.
    Estimated Time per Response: 0.1-15 hours.
    Frequency of Response: On occasion, quarterly and annual reporting 
requirements, recordkeeping requirement and third-party disclosure 
requirement.
    Obligation to Respond: Required to obtain or retain benefits. 
Statutory

[[Page 85637]]

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: 53,955 hours.
    Total Annual Cost: No Cost.
    Privacy Act Impact Assessment: No impact(s).
    Nature and Extent of Confidentiality: The Commission notes that the 
Universal Service Administrative Company (USAC) must preserve the 
confidentiality of all data obtained from respondents and contributors 
to the universal service support program mechanism; must not use the 
data except for purposes of administering the universal service 
program; must not use the data except for purposes of administering the 
universal support program; and must not disclose data in company-
specific form unless directed to do so by the Commission. Parties may 
submit confidential information in relation pursuant to a protective 
order. Also, respondents may request materials or information submitted 
to the Commission or to 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 the Office of 
Management and Budget (OMB) approval for this revised information 
collection. On November 18, 2011, the Commission adopted an order 
reforming its high-cost universal service support mechanisms. Connect 
America Fund; A National Broadband Plan for Our Future; Establish Just 
and Reasonable Rates for Local Exchange Carriers; High-Cost Universal 
Service Support; Developing a Unified Intercarrier Compensation Regime; 
Federal-State Joint Board on Universal Service; Lifeline and Link-Up; 
Universal Service Reform--Mobility Fund, WC Docket Nos. 10-90, 07-135, 
05-337, 03-109; GN Docket No. 09-51; CC Docket Nos. 01-92, 96-45; WT 
Docket No. 10-208, Order and Further Notice of Proposed Rulemaking, 26 
FCC Rcd 17663 (2011) (USF/ICC Transformation Order), and the Commission 
and Wireline Competition Bureau have since adopted a number of orders 
that implement the USF/ICC Transformation Order; see also Connect 
America Fund et al., WC Docket No. 10-90 et al., Third Order on 
Reconsideration, 27 FCC Rcd 5622 (2012); Connect America Fund et al., 
WC Docket No. 10-90 et al., Order, 27 FCC Rcd 605 (Wireline Comp. Bur. 
2012); Connect America Fund et al., WC Docket No. 10-90 et al., Fifth 
Order on Reconsideration, 27 FCC Rcd 14549 (2012); Connect America Fund 
et al., WC Docket No. 10-90 et al., Order, 28 FCC Rcd 2051 (Wireline 
Comp. Bur. 2013); Connect America Fund et al., WC Docket No. 10-90 et 
al., Order, 28 FCC Rcd 7227 (Wireline Comp. Bur. 2013); Connect America 
Fund, WC Docket No. 10-90, Report and Order, 28 FCC Rcd 7766 (Wireline 
Comp. Bur. 2013); Connect America Fund, WC Docket No. 10-90, Report and 
Order, 28 FCC Rcd 7211 (Wireline Comp. Bur. 2013); Connect America 
Fund, WC Docket No. 10-90, Report and Order, 28 FCC Rcd 10488 (Wireline 
Comp. Bur. 2013); Connect America Fund et al., WC Docket No. 10-90 et 
al., Report and Order, Order and Order on Reconsideration and Further 
Notice of Proposed Rulemaking, 31 FCC Rcd 3087 (2016); Connect America 
Fund et al., WC Docket Nos. 10-90, 16-271; WT Docket No. 10-208, Report 
and Order and Further Notice of Proposed Rulemaking, 31 FCC Rcd 10139 
(2016); Connect America Fund; ETC Annual Reports and Certifications, WC 
Docket Nos. 10-90, 14-58, Order, 32 FCC Rcd 968 (2017); Connect America 
Fund et al., WC Docket No. 10-90 et al., Report and Order, Further 
Notice of Proposed Rulemaking, and Order on Reconsideration, 33 FCC Rcd 
11893 (2018); Connect America Fund; ETC Annual Reports and 
Certifications, WC Docket Nos. 10-90, 14-58, Report and Order, 32 FCC 
Rcd 5944 (2017). The Commission has received OMB approval for most of 
the information collections required by these orders.
    Through several orders, the Commission has recently changed or 
modified reporting obligations for high-cost support.
    In September 2019, the Commission adopted the Puerto Rico/U.S. 
Virgin Islands Stage 2 Order, which allocated nearly a billion 
additional dollars to United States territories that had suffered 
extensive infrastructure damage due to Hurricanes Irma and Maria. The 
Uniendo a Puerto Rico Fund and the Connect USVI Fund, et al., WC Docket 
No. 18-143, et al., Report and Order and Order on Reconsideration, 34 
FCC Rcd 9109 (2019) (Puerto Rico and USVI Stage 2 Order). The 
Commission adopted similar accountability measures for recipients of 
this support as required of other high-cost support recipients to 
ensure that providers receive support ``only for the provision, 
maintenance, and upgrading of facilities and services for which the 
support is intended.'' Puerto Rico and USVI Stage 2 Order, 34 FCC Rcd 
at 9149, para. 72.
    In the 2019 Supply Chain Order, the Commission adopted a rule 
prohibiting the use of USF support to purchase or obtain any equipment 
or services produced or provided by a covered company posing a national 
security threat to the integrity of communications networks or the 
communications supply chain. Protecting Against National Security 
Threats to the Communications Supply Chain Through FCC Programs, WC 
Docket No. 18-89, Report and Order, Further Notice of Proposed 
Rulemaking, and Order, 34 FCC Rcd 11423, 11433, para. 26. See also 47 
CFR 54.9. In June 2020, the Public Safety and Homeland Security Bureau 
issued final designations of Huawei Technologies Company (Huawei) and 
ZTE Corp. (ZTE) as covered companies for the purposes of this rule. 
Protecting Against National Security Threats to the Communications 
Supply Chain Through FCC Programs--Huawei Designation, WC Docket No. 
19-351, Order, 35 FCC Rcd 6604 (PSHSB June 30, 2020) (Huawei 
Designation Order); Protecting Against National Security Threats to the 
Communications Supply Chain Through FCC Programs--ZTE Designation, WC 
Docket No. 19-352, Order, 35 FCC Rcd 6633 (PSHSB June 30, 2020) (ZTE 
Designation Order). Accordingly, USF recipients may not use USF funds 
to purchase, obtain, maintain, improve, modify, manage, or otherwise 
support Huawei or ZTE equipment or services in any way, including 
upgrades to existing Huawei or ZTE equipment and services. Huawei 
Designation Order, 35 FCC Rcd at 6608, para. 10; ZTE Designation Order, 
35 FCC Rcd at 6637, para. 10. Moreover, USF recipients must certify 
that they are in compliance with this rule. 2019 Supply Chain Order, 34 
FCC Rcd at 11454, para. 79; see also 47 CFR 54.9.
    In the CAF Phase II Auction Order, in addition to rules requiring 
Connect America Phase II auction support recipients to report regarding 
support used for capital expenditures, certify regarding available 
funds, and certify that the Phase II-funded network meets performance 
requirements, the Commission also adopted rules requiring that Phase II 
auction support recipients must report information on served community 
anchor institutions and certify regarding bidding on FCC Form 470 
postings for eligible schools and libraries in census blocks where the 
carrier receives auction support. Connect America Fund, et al., WC 
Docket No. 10-90, et al., Report and Order and Further Notice of 
Proposed Rulemaking, 31 FCC Rcd 5949 (2016) (CAF Phase II Auction 
Order). Recipients of Uniendo a Puerto Rico Fund and Connect USVI Fund 
Stage 2 support must also observe these

[[Page 85638]]

requirements in addition to the general requirements for high-cost 
support recipients and requirements specific to the Uniendo a Puerto 
Rico Fund and Connect USVI Fund programs. See Puerto Rico and USVI 
Stage 2 Order, 34 FCC Rcd at 9150, para. 74.
    We therefore propose to revise this information collection, as well 
as Form 481 and its accompanying instructions, to reflect these new and 
revised requirements. We also eliminate one requirement that is 
associated with obligations no longer in effect for certain carriers. 
Finally, we propose to increase the burdens associated with existing 
reporting requirements to account for additional carriers that will be 
subject to those requirements.

Federal Communications Commission.
Marlene Dortch,
Secretary, Office of the Secretary.
[FR Doc. 2020-28783 Filed 12-28-20; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6712-01-P