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

October 20, 1998.

SUMMARY: The Federal Communications Commissions, 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, as required by the Paperwork

Reduction Act of 1995, Pub. L. 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: Persons wishing to comment on this information collection should

submit comments December 28, 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 Les Smith, Federal Communications

Commissions, Room 234, 1919 M St., NW, Washington, DC 20554 or via

internet to [email protected].

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: For additional information or copies

of the information collections contact Les Smith at 202-418-0217 or via

internet at [email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

OMB Control Number: 3060-0384.

Title: Annual Auditor's Certification--Section 64.904.

Form Number: N/A.

Type of Review: Extension of a currently approved collection.

Respondents: Business or other for-profit entities.

Number of Respondents: 19.

Estimated Time Per Response: 500 hours (avg.).

Frequency of Response: Annual.

Total Annual Burden: 9,500 hours.

Estimated Cost to Respondents: $11,400,000.

Needs and Uses: Local exchange carriers required to file cost

allocation manuals must have performed annually, by an independent

auditor, an audit that provides a positive option on whether the

applicable data shown in the carrier's annual report presents fairly

the information of the carrier required to be set forth in accordance

with the carrier's cost allocation manual, the Commission's Joint Cost

Orders, and applicable Commission rules in Parts 32 and 64 in force as

of the date of the auditor's reports. This requirement assists the

Commission in effectively carrying out its responsibilities.

OMB Control Number: 3060-0484.

Title: Amendment of Part 63 of the Commission's Rules to Provide

for Notification of Common Carriers of Service Disruptions--Section

63.100.

Form Number: N/A.

Type of Review: Extension of a currently approved collection.

Respondents: Business or other for-profit entities.

Number of Respondents: 208.

Estimated Time Per Response: 5 hours (avg.).

Frequency of Response: On occasion reporting requirements.

Total Annual Burden: 1,040 hours.

Estimated Cost to Respondents: None.

Needs and Uses: 47 CFR Section 63.100 requires that any local

exchange or interexchange common carrier that operates transmission or

switching facilities and provides access service or interstate or

international telecommunications service that experiences an outage on

any facilities which it owns or operates must notify the Commission if

such service outage continues for 30 minutes or more. An initial and a

final report are required for each outage. Local exchange or

interexchange common carriers or competitive access providers that

operate either transmission or switching facilities and provide access

service or interstate or international telecommunications service must

report outages that affect 30,000 or more customers or that affect

special facilities, and report fire-related incidents impacting 1,000

or more lines. With such reports the FCC can monitor and take effective

action to ensure network reliability.

OMB Control Number: 3060-0421.

Title: New Service Reporting Requirements Under Price Cap

Regulation.

Form Number: N/A.

Type of Review: Extension of a currently approved collection.

Respondents: Businesses or other for profit entities.

Number of Respondents: 16.

Estimated Time Per Response: 20 hours (avg.).

Frequency of Response: Annually.

Total Annual Burden: 320 hours.

Estimated Cost to Respondents: None.

Needs and Uses: Price cap carriers filing new service tariffs are

subject to an annual reporting requirement which commences six months

after initiation of new services. The net revenue data report is useful

to the public and the Commission in determining the reasonableness of

rates for new services. These reports are used to compare actual

operating results with projections.

OMB Control Number: 3060-0687.

Title: Access to Telecommunications Equipment and Services by

Persons with Disabilities, CC Docket No. 87-124.

Form Number: N/A.

Type of Review: Extension of a currently approved collection.

Respondents: Businesses or other for profit entities.

Number of Respondents: 806,100.

Estimated Time Per Response: 2.028 hours (avg.).

Frequency of Response: On occasion reporting requirements; Third

party disclosure.

Total Annual Burden: 1,635,000 hours.

Estimated Cost to Respondents: $638,500.

Needs and Uses: The Commission requires that telephones with

electro-magnetic coil hearing aid compatibility be stamped with the

letters HAC. Section 68.112(b)(3)(E) requires that employers with

fifteen or more employees provide emergency telephones for use by

employees with hearing disabilities and that the employers

``designate'' such telephones for emergency use. Section 68.224(a)

requires a notice to be contained on the surface of the packaging of a

non-hearing aid compatible telephone that the telephone is not hearing

aid compatible. The requirements were

[[Page 57687]]

implemented to assist the Commission in carrying out its

responsibilities.

OMB Control Number: 3060-0804.

Title: Universal Service--Health Care Providers Universal Service

Program.

Form Numbers: FCC Form 465, FCC Form 466, FCC Form 467, and FCC

Form 468.

Type of Review: Extension of a currently approved collection.

Respondents: Businesses or other for profit entities; Not for

profit institutions.

Number of Respondents: 73,000 (Form 465: 12,000; Form 466: 15,000;

Form 467: 12,000; and Form 468: 34,000).

Estimated Time Per Response: Form 465: 2.5 hours; Form 466: 1.5

hours; Form 467: 1.5 hours; and Form 468: 1.5 hours.

Frequency of Response: On occasion reporting requirements.

Total Annual Burden: 121,500 hours (Form 465: 30,000 hours; Form

466: 22,500 hours; Form 467: 18,000 hours; and Form 468: 51,000 hours).

Estimated Cost to Respondents: None.

Needs and Uses: The Commission adopted rules providing support for

all telecommunications services, limited distance charges, and Internet

access for all eligible health care providers. Health care providers

who want to participate in the universal service program must file the

following forms. FCC Form 465 to request eligible services; FCC Form

466 to certify that the most cost effective method of providing the

services has been requested; FCC Form 467 to confirm the receipt of the

requested services; and FCC Form 468 to ensure that the proper amount

of universal service support has been calculated. All the information

is used to administer the universal service health care program.

OMB Control Number: 3060-0540.

Title: Tariff Filing Requirements for Nondominant Common Carriers.

Form Number: N/A.

Type of Review: Extension of a currently approved collection.

Respondents: Businesses or other for-profit entities.

Number of Respondents: 2,000.

Estimated Time Per Response: 10.5 hours (avg.).

Frequency of Response: On occasion reporting.

Total Annual Burden: 21,000 hours.

Estimated Cost to Respondents: $1,130,000.

Needs and Uses: Domestic nondominant carriers must file tariffs

pursuant to 47 U.S.C. Section 203; implementing regulations are found

at 47 CFR Sections 61.20-61.23. The information collected pursuant to

the nondominant tariff filing rules is used to comply with Section 203

of the Communications Act of 1934, as amended, which requires that

carriers file schedules indicating the rates, terms, and conditions of

their service offerings. The information collected pursuant to the

tariff filing requirements is used by the Commission to determine

whether the rates, terms, and conditions of service offered are just

and reasonable as the Act requires. These tariff filing requirements

enable the Commission and the public to ensure that the service

offerings of communications common carriers comply with the

requirements of the Act.

OMB Control Number: 3060-0856.

Title: Universal Service--Schools and Libraries Universal Service

program Reimbursement Forms.

Form Number: FCC Form 472, FCC Form 473, and FCC Form 474.

Type of Review: Extension of a currently approved collection.

Respondents: Businesses or other for-profit entities.

Number of Respondents: 61,800 (Form 472: 50,000; Form 473: 9,300;

and Form 474: 2,500).

Estimated Time Per Response: Form 472: 1.5 hours; Form 473: 1.0

hours; and Form 474: 1.5 hours.

Frequency of Response: Annually; On occasion reporting

requirements.

Total Annual Burden: 88,050 hours (Form 472: 75,000 hours; Form

473: 9,300 hours; and Form 474: 3,750 hours).

Estimated Cost to Respondents: None.

Needs and Uses: The Commission adopted rules providing universal

service support for all telecommunications services, Internet access,

and internal connections for all eligible schools and libraries. The

Telecommunications Act of 1996 contemplates that discounts on eligible

services shall be provided to schools and libraries, and that service

providers shall seek reimbursement for the amount of the discounts.

FCC Form 472--Billed Entity Applicant Reimbursement Form. The

information to be collected in the Billed Entity Applicant

Reimbursement Form is necessary to enable the fund administrator, the

SLC, to pay universal service support to service providers who provide

discounted services to eligible schools, libraries, and consortia of

those entities. The information is to be collected from each Form 471

Billed Entity Applicant (Applicant) that received a funding Commitment

Decisions Letter from the administrator and filed a Form 486 to

indicate the applicant intended to prepare and submit to the SLC an

invoice for reimbursement. The information to be collected on the

Billed Entity Applicant Reimbursement Form should be completed by an

applicant to seek reimbursement for payments on approved services and/

or products delivered to the applicant from the actual service start

date, as reported in the applicant's Form 486 Column (E), through no

later than December 31, 1998. This information is necessary to identify

the amount of the discounts due and owing from the service provider to

the applicant, so that the service provider may reimburse this amount

to the applicant.

FCC Form 473--Submission of Service Provider Annual Certification

Form. The Service Provider Annual Certification Form is to be submitted

by each service provider or vendor, hereinafter collectively referred

to as service providers, that was assigned a service provider

identification number (SPIN) by the Universal Service Administrative

Company (USAC) and that participates in the universal service support

mechanism for schools and libraries. The purpose of the Annual

Certification Form is to confirm that, for each Invoice Form submitted

by the service provider, the Invoice form is in compliance with the

FCC's rules governing the schools and libraries universal service

support mechanism, and the Invoice Form is true, accurate, and

complete. FCC Form 474--Submission of Service Provider Invoice Form.

The Service Provider Invoice Form is to be used by all service

providers or vendors, hereinafter collectively referred to as service

providers, who were assigned a SPIN by the USAC and participate in the

universal service support mechanism for schools and libraries. The

purpose of the Invoice Form is for the service provider/vendor to seek

reimbursement for the cost of discounts. The information to be

collected on the Service Provider Invoice Form must be received by the

SLC before a service provider participating in the universal service

program for schools and libraries can receive payment for the

discounted portion of its bill for eligible services to eligible

entities. All of the information collected is used to administer the

universal service schools and libraries program.

OMB Control Number: 3060-0843.

Title: Carrier Identification Codes Blocking Data Request.

Form Number: N/A.

Type of Review: Extension of a currently approved collection.

Respondents: Business or other for-profit entities.

Number of Respondents: 6.

[[Page 57688]]

Estimated Time Per Response: 8 hours (avg.).

Frequency of Response: One-time requirement.

Total Annual Burden: 48 hours.

Estimated Cost to Respondents: None.

Needs and Uses: The five regional Bell Operating Companies and GTE

are required to submit reports to the Common Carrier Bureau describing

their progress in phasing out three-digit Carrier Identification codes

(CICs). This data are critical to the general and specific

implementation and oversight responsibilities that the Commission bears

under the Communications Act to evaluate the status of development of

competition in the provision of local exchange telecommunications

services. The data request will be used to evaluate the status of

developing competition in the long distance telecommunications markets.

The information will be used by the Commission to determine whether the

phase-out of three-digit CICs is being implemented.

OMB Control Number: 3060-0816.

Title: Local Competition in the Local Exchange Telecommunications

Services Report.

Form Number: N/A.

Type of Review: Extension of a currently approved collection.

Respondents: Business or other for-profit entities.

Number of Respondents: 20.

Estimated Time Per Response: 900 hours (avg.).

Frequency of Response: Quarterly; On occasion reporting

requirements.

Total Annual Burden: 18,000 hours.

Estimated Cost to Respondents: None.

Needs and Uses: The Telecommunications Act of 1996 directed the

Commission to undertake various initiatives to implement new statutory

directives concerning the development of local exchange competition.

Central to these directives are new Section 251, governing incumbent

local exchange carrier (LEC) provision of interconnection to

competitors, and new Section 271 which provides a means whereby Bell

Operating Companies (BOCs)--long prohibited from entering various

telecommunications markets--may now do so upon submission of qualifying

applications. Pursuant to its new statutory obligations and in its

general capacity as chief federal regulatory agency tasked with

implementing the 1996 Communications Act amendments, the Commission

must evaluate the status and development--nationwide--of local

competition, i.e., competition in the provision of local exchange

telecommunications services. Certain companies were asked to

voluntarily submit information to the Commission to evaluate the status

and development of developing competition in the local exchange

telecommunications markets. The request is limited to technical queries

about the nature and extent of carrier-provided access facilities;

switch ports and non-switched service lines; number of customers

purchasing specific services; state operations data; total carrier-

handled switched local, intrastate toll, and interstate toll minutes;

and number of local telephone numbers ported as of end-of-year 1997.

The information is used by Commission economists and carrier analysts

to advise the Commission about the efficacy of Commission rules and

policies adopted to implement the Telecommunications Act of 1996.

OMB Control Number: 3060-0853.

Title: Receipt of Service Confirmation Form--Universal Service for

Schools and Libraries.

Form Number: FCC Form 486.

Type of Review: Extension of a currently approved collection.

Respondents: Business or other for-profit entities.

Number of Respondents: 30,000.

Estimated Time Per Response: 1.5 hours (avg.)

Frequency of Response: On occasion reporting requirements.

Total Annual Burden: 45,000 hours.

Estimated Cost to Respondents: None.

Needs and Uses: The Commission adopted rules providing support for

all telecommunications services, Internet access, and internal

connections for all eligible schools and libraries. To participate in

the program schools and libraries must confirm that they are actually

receiving the services eligible for support. FCC Form 486, Receipt of

Service Confirmation Form, is used by all billed entities who filed a

FCC Form 471 on behalf of an eligible school, library, library

consortium, or consortium of multiple entities, to inform the SLC when

they begin receiving or have received service from the service

provider. The FCC Form 486 is also used to confirm that technology

plans of entities receiving universal service support pursuant to an

SLC-approved funding commitment have been approved, indicating that the

eligible entities applying for universal service support have a plan in

place to utilize the services for which they have contracted, and to

indicate the name of the authorized reviewing body, contact name, and

contact telephone number. The FCC Form 486 is used to implement the

congressional mandate for universal service.

Federal Communications Commisison.

Magalie Roman Salas,

Secretary.

[FR Doc. 98-28770 Filed 10-27-98; 8:45 am]

BILLING CODE 6712-01-P