[Federal Register Volume 88, Number 8 (Thursday, January 12, 2023)]
[Notices]
[Pages 2099-2100]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2023-00521]


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

FEDERAL COMMUNICATIONS COMMISSION

[OMB 3060-0816; FR ID 122477]


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 (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. 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.

[[Page 2100]]

The FCC may not conduct or sponsor a collection of information unless 
it displays a currently valid 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 Office of 
Management and Budget (OMB) control number.

DATES: Written PRA comments should be submitted on or before March 13, 
2023. 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: 3060-0816.
    Title: Local Telephone Competition and Broadband Reporting, Report 
and Order, FCC Form 477, (WC Docket No. 19-195, WC Docket No, 11-10, 
FCC 19-79).
    Form Number: FCC Form 477.
    Type of Review: Extension of a currently approved collection.
    Respondents: Business or other for-profit entities; not-for-profit 
institutions; and State, local, or Tribal governments.
    Number of Respondents and Responses: 3,400 respondents; 6,800 
responses.
    Estimated Time per Response: 289 hours (average).
    Frequency of Response: Semi-annual reporting requirement.
    Obligation to Respond: Required to obtain or retain benefits. 
Statutory authority for this information collection is contained in 47 
U.S.C. 4(i), 201, 218-220, 251-252, 271, 303(r), 332, and 403 of the 
Communications Act of 1934, as amended, and in section 706 of the 
Telecommunications Act of 1996, as amended, codified in section 1302 of 
the Broadband Data Improvement Act, 47 U.S.C. 1302.
    Total Annual Burden: 1,965,200 hours.
    Total Annual Cost: No cost.
    Privacy Act Impact Assessment: No impact(s).
    Nature and Extent of Confidentiality: The Commission will continue 
to allow respondents to certify on the submission interface that some 
subscribership data contained in that submission are privileged or 
confidential commercial or financial information and that disclosure of 
such information would likely cause substantial harm to the competitive 
position of the entity making the submission. If the Commission 
receives a request for, or proposes to disclose such information, the 
respondent would be required to show, pursuant to Commission rules for 
withholding from public inspection information submitted to the 
Commission, that the information in question is entitled to 
confidential treatment. We will retain our current policies and 
procedures regarding the protection of submitted FCC Form 477 data 
subject to confidential treatment, including the use of only non-
company specific aggregates of subscribership data in our published 
reports. Most of the broadband deployment data previously collected on 
Form 477 is publicly available on the FCC's website at https://www.fcc.gov/general/broadband-deployment-data-fcc-form-477.
    Needs and Uses: FCC Form 477 provides an understanding of broadband 
and voice subscribership, and, through its critical connection to the 
Broadband Data Collection, the extent of broadband availability. The 
understanding of broadband subscribership and availability provided by 
these data are the foundation of the Commission's development of 
appropriate broadband policies, and enable the Commission to carry out 
its obligation under section 706 of the Telecommunications Act of 1996, 
as amended, to ``determine whether advanced telecommunications 
capability is being deployed to all Americans in a reasonable and 
timely fashion.'' In addition, the information collected in Form 477 
enhances the Commission's analysis and understanding of the extent of 
voice telephone services competition, which in turn supports the 
Commission's efforts to open all telecommunications markets to 
competition and to promote innovation and investment by all 
participants, including new entrants, as required by the 
Telecommunications Act of 1996.
    The Commission staff uses the information to advise the Commission 
about the efficacy of its rules and policies adopted to implement the 
Telecommunications Act of 1996. The data are necessary to evaluate the 
status of local telecommunications competition and broadband 
availability. The Commission uses the data to prepare reports that help 
inform consumers and policy makers at the federal and state level on 
the availability and adoption of broadband services, as well as on 
developments related to competition in the voice telephone services 
market. The Commission also uses the data to support its analyses in a 
variety of rulemaking proceedings under the Communications Act, 
including those related to fulfilling its universal service mandate.
    The Commission releases to the public the broadband availability 
and mobile voice availability data that it began collecting in 2014 as 
a result of the Order. This information is used by consumers, federal 
and state government agencies, analysts, and others to determine 
broadband service availability by provider, technology, and speed.

Federal Communications Commission.
Marlene Dortch,
Secretary, Office of the Secretary.
[FR Doc. 2023-00521 Filed 1-11-23; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6712-01-P