Public Information Collection Requirement Submitted to Office of Management and Budget for Review

FEDERAL COMMUNICATIONS COMMISSION

Public Information Collection Requirement Submitted to Office of

Management and Budget for Review

July 7, 1995.

The Federal Communications Commission has submitted the following

information collection requirements to OMB for review and clearance

under the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1980 (44 U.S.C. 3507).

Copies of these submissions may be purchased from the Commission's

copy contractor, International Transcription Service, Inc., 2100 M

Street, NW., Suite 140, Washington, DC 20037, (202) 857-3800. For

further information on this submission contact Dorothy Conway, Federal

Communications Commission, (202) 418-0217 or via internet at

[email protected] Persons wishing to comment on this information

collection should contact Timothy Fain, Office of Management and

Budget, Room 10214 NEOB, Washington, DC 20503, (202) 395-3561.

OMB Number: N/A.

Title: Section 64.707 Public Dissemination of Information by

providers of operator services.

Form No.: N/A.

Action: New Collection.

Respondents: Business or other-for-profit.

Frequency of Response: On occasion.

Estimated Annual Burden: 436 responses; 8 hours burden per

response; 3,488 hours total annual burden.

Needs and Uses: Section 64.707 requires that operator service

providers (OSPs) regularly publish and make available at no cost upon

request from consumers written materials that describe any changes in

operator services and choices available to consumers. OSPs will provide

this information primarily in the form of a written report that will be

regularly updated. Consumers will use this information to increase

their knowledge of the choices available to them in the operator

service market.

OMB Number: N/A.

Title: Section 63.703(a) Consumer Information - Branding by

Operator Service Providers.

Form No.: N/A.

Action: New Collection.

Respondents: Business or other for-profit.

Frequency of Response: On occasion.

Estimated Annual Burden: 436 responses; 4,504 hours burden per

response; 1,963,888 hours total annual burden.

Needs and Uses: Section 65.703(a) requires that operator service

providers (OSPs) disclose to consumers, at the outset of operator-

assisted telephone calls, their identify, and, upon request by the

consumer, the rates for the call, collection methods for charges, and

complaint procedures. OSPs will most often disclose their identify to

consumers via an automated recording at the beginning of all operator-

assisted calls. Consumers will use this information to determine

whether they wish to use the services of the identified OSP.

OMB Number: N/A.

Title: Section 76.630(a) Compatibility with consumer electronic

equipment.

Form No.: N/A.

Action: New Collection.

Respondents: Business or other for-profit.

Frequency of Response: On occasion.

Estimated Annual Burden: 12,050 responses; 1.01 hours burden per

response; 12,150 hours total annual burden.

Needs and Uses: Section 76.630(a) states that cable system

operators requesting waivers of the prohibition on signal encryption

from the Commission must notify subscribers of the waiver request by

mail. This disclosure requirement is for consumer protection purposes

and to inform subscribers of compatibility matters and notify them of

the cable operator's request to waive the prohibition on signal

encryption.

OMB Number: N/A.

Title: Section 76.936 Written decisions.

Form No.: N/A.

Action: New collection.

Respondents: State, Local or Tribal Government.

Frequency of Response: On occasion.

Estimated Annual Burden: 1,200 responses; 1 hour burden per

response; 1,200 hours total annual burden.

Needs and Uses: Section 76.936 states a franchising authority must

issue a written decision in a rate making proceeding when ever it

disapproves an initial rate for basic service tier or associated

equipment in whole or in part, or approves a request for an increase in

whole or in part over the objections of interested parties. The

Commission requires these written

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decisions so that cable operators and the public are aware of the

results of the rate-making proceedings.

OMB Number: N/A.

Title: Section 76.946 Advertising Rates.

Form No.: N/A.

Action: New collection.

Respondents: Business or other for-profit.

Frequency of Response: On occasion.

Estimated Annual Burden: 1,200 responses; 30 minutes burden per

response; 6,000 hours total annual burden.

Needs and Uses: Section 76.946 states that cable operators that

advertise rates for basic service and cable programming tiers shall be

required to advertise rates that include all costs and fees. Cable

systems that cover multiple franchise areas having differing franchise

fees or other franchise costs, different channel line-ups, or different

rate structures may advertise a complete range of fees without specific

identification of the rate for each individual area. In such

circumstances, the operator may advertise a fee plus rate that

indicates the core rate plus the range of possible additions. The

Commission established this requirement to ensure consumer awareness of

rates for basic cable service and associated equipment.

OMB Number: N/A.

Title: Section 76.986 ``A la carte'' offerings.

Form No.: N/A.

Action: New collection.

Respondents: Individuals or households; Business or other for-

profit; State, Local and Tribal Government.

Frequency of Response: On occasion.

Estimated Annual Burden: 890 responses; 1.27 hours burden per

response; 1,130 hours total annual burden.

Needs and Uses: Section 76.986(b) states that in reviewing a basic

service rate filing, local franchising authorities may make an initial

decision addressing whether a collective offering of ``a la carte''

channels will be treated as an unregulated service or a regulated tier.

The franchising authority must make this initial decision within the 30

days established for review of basic cable rates and equipment costs in

Sec. 76.933(a) or within the first 60 days of an extended 120 day

period. The franchising authority shall provide notice of its decision

to the cable system and shall provide public notice of its initial

decision within seven days pursuant to local procedural rules for

public notice. Operators and consumers may make an interlocutory appeal

of the initial decision to the Commission within 14 days of the initial

decision. Operators shall provide notice to the franchise authorities

of their decision whether or not to appeal to the Commission. Consumers

shall provide notice to franchise authorities of their decision to

appeal.

OMB Number: N/A.

Title: Section 76.951 Standard complaint form; other filing

requirements.

Form No.: N/A.

Action: New Collection.

Respondents: Business or other for-profit.

Frequency of Response: On occasion.

Estimated Annual Burden: 300 responses; 15 minutes burden per

response; 75 hours total annual burden.

Needs and Uses: Section 76.951 states that cable operators must

provide copies of the FCC Form 329 Standard Complaint Form, upon

request. The Commission has set forth this disclosure requirement as a

way to encourage dialogue between unsatisfied subscribers and their

cable operators.

OMB Number: N/A.

Title: Section 76.956 Cable operator response.

Form No.: N/A.

Action: New Collection.

Respondents: Business or other for-profit.

Frequency of Response: On occasion.

Estimated Annual Burden: 1,200 responses; 15 minutes burden per

response; 300 hours total annual burden.

Needs and Uses: Section 76.596 states that unless the Commission

notifies a cable operator to the contrary, the cable operator must file

with the Commission a response to the complaint. The response shall

indicate when the service occurred and should include rate cards,

channel line-ups and an explanation of any discrepancy in the figures

provided in these documents and the rate filing. The cable operator

must serve its response on the complainant and the relevant franchising

authority. The Commission set forth this requirement to insure that the

complainant is apprised of the response submitted to the Commission by

the cable company.

OMB Number: N/A.

Title: Section 76.931 Notification of basic tier availability and

Section 76.932 Notification of proposed rate increase.

Form No.: N/A.

Action: New Collection.

Respondents: Business or other-for-profit.

Frequency of Response: On occasion.

Estimated Annual Burden: 24,000 responses; 2.25 hours burden per

response; 27,000 hours total annual burden.

Needs and Uses: Section 76.931 states that cable operators shall

provided written notification to new subscribers at the time of

installation on the availability of basic tier service. Section 76.932

states that a cable operator shall provide written notice to a

subscriber of any increase in the price to be charged for basic service

tier or associated equipment at least 30 days before any proposed

increase is effective.

Federal Communications Commission.

William F. Caton,

Acting Secretary.

[FR Doc. 95-17378 Filed 7-14-95; 8:45 am]

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