[Federal Register Volume 86, Number 43 (Monday, March 8, 2021)]
[Notices]
[Pages 13375-13377]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2021-04774]


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FEDERAL COMMUNICATIONS COMMISSION

[OMB 3060-0647, OMB 3060-0986; FRS 17539]


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

[[Page 13376]]

does not display a valid OMB control number.

DATES: Written comments and recommendations for the proposed 
information collection should be submitted on or before April 7, 2021.

ADDRESSES: Comments should be sent to www.reginfo.gov/public/do/PRAMain. Find this particular information collection by selecting 
``Currently under 30-day Review--Open for Public Comments'' or by using 
the search function. Your comment must be submitted into 
www.reginfo.gov per the above instructions for it to be considered. In 
addition to submitting in www.reginfo.gov also send a copy of your 
comment on the proposed information collection to Nicole Ongele, FCC, 
via email to [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 Nicole Ongele at (202) 418-2991. 
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: 3060-0647.
    Title: Biennial Survey of Cable Industry Prices, FCC Form 333.
    Form Number: FCC Form 333.
    Type of Review: Revision of a currently approved collection.
    Respondents: Business or other for-profit entities; State, local or 
Tribal Government.
    Number of Respondents and Responses: 70 respondents and 524 
responses.
    Estimated Time per Response: 7 hours.
    Frequency of Response: Biennial reporting requirement.
    Total Annual Burden: 1,834 hours.
    Total Annual Cost: None.
    Obligation to Respond: Mandatory. The statutory authority for this 
information collection is in Sections 4(i) and 623(k) of the 
Communications Act of 1934, as amended.
    Nature and Extent of Confidentiality: If individual respondents to 
this survey wish to request confidential treatment of any data provided 
in connection with this survey, they can do so upon written request, in 
accordance with Sections 0.457 and 0.459 of the Commission's rules. To 
request confidential treatment of their data, respondents must describe 
the specific information they wish to protect and provide an 
explanation of why such confidential treatment is appropriate. If a 
respondent submits a request for confidentiality, the Commission will 
review it and make a determination.
    Privacy Act Impact Assessment: No impact(s).
    Needs and Uses: The Cable Television Consumer Protection and 
Competition Act of 1992 (``Cable Act'') requires the Commission to 
publish biennially a report on average rates for basic cable service, 
cable programming service, and equipment. The report must compare the 
prices charged by cable operators subject to effective competition and 
those that are not subject to effective competition. The Biennial Cable 
Industry Price Survey is intended to collect the data needed to prepare 
that report. The data from these questions are needed to complete this 
report.
    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 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;

[[Page 13377]]

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 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. 2021-04774 Filed 3-5-21; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6712-01-P