Notice of Public Information Collection(s) Being Reviewed by the Federal Communications Commission

FEDERAL COMMUNICATIONS COMMISSION

Notice of Public Information Collection(s) Being Reviewed by the

Federal Communications Commission

May 19, 1998.

SUMMARY: The Federal Communications Commission, as part of its

continuing effort to reduce paperwork burden invites the general public

and other Federal agencies to take this opportunity to comment on the

following information collection(s), as required by the Paperwork

Reduction Act of 1995, Public Law 104-13. An agency 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

Paperwork Reduction Act (PRA) that does not display a valid control

number. 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 estimate; (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.

DATES: Written comments should be submitted on or before July 27, 1998.

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 comments to Judy Boley, Federal Communications

Commission, Room 234, 1919 M St., N.W., Washington, DC 20554 or via

internet to [email protected].

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: For additional information or copies

of the

[[Page 29012]]

information collection(s), contact Judy Boley at 202-418-0214 or via

internet at [email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

OMB Control No.: 3060-0653.

Title: Consumer Information--Posting by Aggregators, Section

64.703(b).

Form No.: N/A.

Type of Review: Extension of a currently approved collection.

Respondents: Business or other for-profit entities.

Number of Respondents: 56,200 respondents.

Estimated Time Per Response: 3.57 hours per response (avg.).

Total Annual Burden: 202,566 hours.

Estimated Annual Reporting and Recordkeeping Cost Burden: $0.

Frequency of Response: On occasion reporting requirement; Third

party disclosure.

Needs and Uses: As required by 47 U.S.C. Section 226(c)(1)(A),

Section 64.703(b) of the Commission's rules provides that aggregators

(providers of telephones to the public or transient users) must post in

writing, on or near such phones, information about presubscribed

operator services, rates, carrier access, and the FCC address to which

consumers may direct complaints.

OMB Control No.: 3060-0149.

Title: Application and Supplemental Information Requirements--Part

63, Section 214, Sections 63.01-63.601.

Form No.: N/A.

Type of Review: Extension of a currently approved collection.

Respondents: Businesses or other for profit entities.

Number of Respondents: 255 respondents.

Estimated Time Per Response: 10 hours per response (avg.).

Total Annual Burden: 2550 hours.

Estimated Annual Reporting and Recordkeeping Cost Burden: $0.

Frequency of Response: On occasion reporting requirement.

Needs and Uses: Section 214 of the Communications Act of 1934, as

amended, 47 U.S.C. Section 214, requires that a carrier must first

obtain FCC authorization either to (1) construct, operate, or engage in

transmission over a line of communication, or (2) discontinue, reduce,

or impair service over a line of communication. 47 CFR Part 63

implements Section 214. In a NPRM issued in CC Docket No. 97-11, the

Commission proposed to modify 47 CFR Part 63 to eliminate information

submission requirements entirely for some categories of communications

carriers and to reduce the submissions requirements for other

categories. The Commission proposed entirely eliminating the

requirement for carriers to file applications for line ``extensions''

because Congress has exempted line ``extensions'' for the requirements

of 47 U.S.C. 214, under Section 402(b)(2)(A) of the Telecommunications

Act of 1996. The Commission also proposed eliminating the requirement

for reports submitted by carriers identified by the Commission as

domestic non-dominant carriers, small carriers, and carriers proposing

small projects. For carriers identified by the Commission as domestic

dominant rate-of-return carriers, the Commission proposed reducing (but

not entirely eliminating) the information submission requirements in

applications for ``new'' lines, because the information is collected

elsewhere, is unnecessary, is confusing in light of the provisions of

section 402(b)(2)(A), or is no longer of decisional significance to the

Commission. The information received in applications from dominant

carriers (not proposed to be reduced) has been used by the Commission

to determine if the facilities are needed. The information contained in

reports from nondominant carriers (not proposed to be eliminated) has

been used to monitor the growth of the networks and the availability of

common carrier services in this segment of the telecommunications

market, to relieve these carriers and the Commission of a before-the-

fact review of each subsequent facility addition. These collections of

information were deemed necessary to enable the Commission to comply

with its mandate. Because Congress has changed the Commission's mandate

in the Telecommunications Act of 1996, the information proposed to be

reduced or eliminated may no longer be warranted.

OMB Control No.: 3060-0815.

Title: North American Numbering Plan Funding Worksheet.

Form No.: FCC Form 496.

Type of Review: Extension of a currently approved collection.

Respondents: Business or other for profit.

Number of Respondents: 3700 respondents.

Estimated Time Per Response: .50 hours per response (avg.).

Total Annual Burden: 1850 hours.

Estimated Reporting and Recordkeeping Cost Burden: $0. Frequency of

Response: On occasion reporting requirement.

Needs and Uses: Pursuant to Congress' directive in the

Telecommunications Act of 1996 that the Commission establish an

independent entity to administer telecommunications numbering, the

Commission determined on July 13, 1995, that the costs associated with

administering numbering duties should be based on each

telecommunications carrier's gross revenues less payments made to other

carriers. We authorized the North American Numbering Plan

Administrator's (NANPA) billing and collections agent to send FCC Form

496 requesting that telecommunications carriers provide information

regarding their yearly gross revenues less payments made to other

telecommunications carriers. The worksheet, FCC form 496, seeks

financial data, and payment from telecommunications carriers to fund

NANPA. All common carriers providing telecommunications service between

U.S. and foreign points must file this worksheet. The Commission and

the NANPA will use the information collected in the worksheet to

determine the total revenue received from telecommunications carriers

in order to arrive at an amount that each carrier must pay to fund the

NANPA.

OMB Control No.: 3060-0613.

Title: Expanded Interconnection with Local Telephone Company

Facilities, CC Docket No. 91-141, Transport Phase II (Third R&O).

Form No.: N/A.

Type of Review: Extension of a currently approved collection.

Respondents: Business or other for profit.

Number of Respondents: 64 respondents.

Estimated Time Per Response: 13 hours per response (avg.).

Total Annual Burden: 832 hours.

Estimated Annual Reporting and Recordkeeping: $0.

Frequency of Response: On occasion reporting requirement.

Needs and Uses: Tier 1 local exchange carriers (except NECA

members) are required to make tariff filings to provide certain

signalling information to interested parties so that those parties can

provide tandem switching services. Tandem switching providers are

required to provide certain billing information to those Tier 1 local

exchange carriers.

Federal Communications Commission.

Magalie Roman Salas,

Secretary.

[FR Doc. 98-13948 Filed 5-26-98; 8:45 am]

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