[Federal Register Volume 89, Number 76 (Thursday, April 18, 2024)]
[Notices]
[Pages 27758-27759]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2024-08307]


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FEDERAL COMMUNICATIONS COMMISSION

[OMB 3060-1291; FR ID 214777]


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 collection(s). 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 comments should be submitted on or before June 17, 2024. 
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 contacts below as soon as possible.

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

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: For additional information about the 
information collection, contact Cathy Williams at (202) 418-2918.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 
    OMB Control Number: 3060-1291.
    Title: Legacy High-Cost Support Recipient Initial Report of Current 
Service Offerings.
    Form Number: N/A.
    Type of Review: Revision of a currently approved information 
collection.
    Respondents: Business or other for-profit entities, not-for-profit 
institutions, and state, local or tribal governments.
    Number of Respondents and Responses: Up to 110 respondents and 110 
responses.
    Estimated Time per Response: 16 hours.
    Frequency of Response: One-time reporting requirement.
    Obligation to Respond: Required to obtain or retain benefits. 
Statutory authority for this information collection is contained in 47 
U.S.C. 154, 254 and 303(r).
    Total Annual Burden: 1,760 hours.
    Total Annual Cost: No cost.
    Needs and Uses: On November 18, 2011, the Commission released the 
USF/ICC Transformation Order (FCC 11-161) in which it comprehensively 
reformed and modernized the universal service and intercarrier 
compensation systems to ensure that robust, affordable voice and 
broadband service, both fixed and mobile, are available to Americans 
throughout the nation. In the USF/ICC Transformation Order, the 
Commission, among other things, adopted a requirement that all eligible 
telecommunications carriers (ETCs) offer broadband service in their 
supported area that meets certain basic performance requirements and 
report regularly on associated performance measures as a condition of 
receiving federal high-cost universal service support.
    On October 27, 2020, the Commission adopted the 5G Fund Report and 
Order (FCC 20-150) in which it, among other things, helped to complete 
the reform of the high-cost program begun in the USF/ICC Transformation 
Order by adopting additional public interest obligations and 
performance requirements for legacy high-cost support recipients, whose 
broadband-specific public interest obligations for mobile wireless 
services were not previously detailed. The public interest obligations 
adopted in the 5G Fund Report and Order for each competitive ETC 
receiving legacy high-cost support for mobile wireless services require 
that such competitive

[[Page 27759]]

ETC (1) use an increasing percentage of its legacy support toward the 
deployment, maintenance, and operation of voice and broadband networks 
that support 5G meeting the adopted performance requirements within its 
subsidized service area(s), and (2) meet specific 5G broadband service 
deployment coverage requirements and service deployment milestone 
deadlines that take into consideration the amount of legacy support the 
carrier receives.
    In order to gain a complete understanding of the current service 
offerings of each competitive ETC receiving legacy high-cost support 
for mobile wireless services, the Commission adopted rules that require 
each such competitive ETC to file an initial report containing 
information and certifications about its current mobile service 
offerings in each of its subsidized service areas and how it is using 
legacy support and whether it is offering mobile services in its 
subsidized service areas at rates that are reasonably comparable to 
those charged in urban areas. See 47 CFR 54.322(g), (h). The 
information and certifications provided in these initial reports will 
be used by the Commission to ensure that competitive ETCs receiving 
legacy high-cost support for mobile wireless services deploy 5G service 
by in their subsidized service areas consistent with the rules adopted 
by the Commission in the 5G Fund Report and Order.
    A revision to the currently approved information collection 
requirements under OMB 3060-1291 is necessary in order to remove a 
requirement that applies only to the annual reports that must be filed 
by competitive ETCs receiving legacy high-cost support for mobile 
wireless services information requirement, which was inadvertently 
included in the information collection under OMB 3060-1291 as 
previously approved by OMB.

Federal Communications Commission.
Marlene Dortch,
Secretary, Office of the Secretary.
[FR Doc. 2024-08307 Filed 4-17-24; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6712-01-P