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

January 7, 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, 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

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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 March 16,

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

via internet at [email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

OMB Control No.: 3060-0320.

Title: Section 73.1350, Transmission System Order.

Form No.: N/A.

Type of Review: Extension of a currently approved collection.

Respondents: Businesses or other for profit; not-for-profit

institutions.

Number of Respondents: 417.

Estimated Time Per Response: 0.5 hours.

Frequency of Response: On occasion reporting requirement.

Cost to Respondents: N/A.

Total Annual Burden: 209 hours.

Needs and Uses: Section 73.1350(g) requires licensees to submit a

notification to the FCC in Washington, DC whenever a transmission

system control point is established at a location other than at the

main studio or transmitter within 3 days of the initial use of that

point. This notification is not required if responsible station

personnel can be contacted at the transmitter or studio site during

hours of operation. The data is used by FCC staff to maintain complete

operating information regarding licensees to be used in the event that

FCC field staff needs to contact the station about interference.

OMB Control No.: 3060-0630.

Title: Section 73.62, Directional Antenna System Tolerances.

Form No.: N/A.

Type of Review: Extension of a currently approved collection.

Respondents: Businesses or other for profit; not-for-profit

institutions.

Number of Respondents: 750.

Estimated Time Per Response: 4.5 hours.

Frequency of Response: On occasion reporting requirement.

Cost to Respondents: N/A.

Total Annual Burden: 3,375 hours.

Needs and Uses: Section 73.62(b) requires an AM station with a

directional antenna system to measure and log every monitoring point at

least once for each mode of directional operation within 24 hours of

detection of variance of operating parameters from allowed tolerances.

The data is used by station engineers to correct the operating

parameters of the directional antenna. The data is also used by FCC

staff in field investigations to ensure that stations are in compliance

with the technical requirements of the Commission's rules.

OMB Control No.: 3060-0634.

Title: Section 73.691, Visual Modulation Monitoring.

Form No.: N/A.

Type of Review: Extension of a currently approved collection.

Respondents: Businesses or other for profit; not-for-profit

institutions.

Number of Respondents: 70 (2 notifications per respondent).

Estimated Time Per Response: 1.0 hours.

Frequency of Response: On occasion reporting requirement.

Cost to Respondents: N/A.

Total Annual Burden: 70 hours.

Needs and Uses: Section 73.691(b) requires TV stations to enter

into the station log the date and time of the initial technical

problems that make it impossible to operate a TV station in accordance

with the timing and carrier level tolerance requirements. If this

operation at variance is expected to exceed 10 consecutive days, a

notification must be sent to the FCC. The licensee must also notify the

FCC upon restoration of normal operations. If causes beyond the control

of the licensee prevent restoration of normal operations within 30

days, a written request must be made to the FCC. The data is used by

FCC staff to maintain accurate and complete technical information about

a station's operation. In the event that a complaint is received from

the public regarding a station's operation, this information is

necessary to provide an accurate response.

OMB Approval No.: 3060-0804.

Title: Universal Service--Health Care Providers Universal Service

Program.

Form No.: FCC Forms 465, 466, 467, and 468.

Type of Review: Extension of a currently approved collection.

Respondents: Business or other for profit.

Number of Respondents: 15,400.

Estimated Time Per Response: 2.5 hours per response (avg.).

Frequency of Response: On occasion reporting requirement.

Total Annual Burden: 117,000 hours.

Cost to Respondents: N/A.

Needs and Uses: FCC Form 465 ``Description of Services Requested

and Certification.'' All health care providers requesting services

eligible for universal service support must file a ``Description of

Services and Certification'' form with the Administrator. Filing this

form is the first step health care providers must take to participate

in the universal service program. The Administrator will then post a

description of the services sought on a website for all potential

competing service providers to see and respond to as if they were

requests for proposals (RFPs). 47 CFR 54.603(b)(2), 47 CFR 54.615(c).

FCC Form 466 ``Services Ordered and Certification.'' All health care

providers ordering services that are eligible for universal service

support must file a ``Services Ordered and Certification'' form with

the Administrator. 47 CFR 54.603(b)(4). Form 466, ``Services Ordered

and Certification,'' will be used to ensure health care providers have

selected the most cost-effective method of providing the requested

services as set forth in 47 CFR 54.603(b)(4). FCC Form 466 is also the

means by which an applicant informs the Administrator that it has

entered a contract with a telecommunications service provider for

services that are supported under the universal services support

program. The administrator must receive this form before it can commit

universal service funds to support the services for which the applicant

has contracted. FCC Form 467 ``Receipt of Service Confirmation.'' All

health care providers that are receiving supported telecommunications

service must file this form with the Administrator. The data in the

report will be used to ensure that health care providers are receiving

the services they have contracted for with telecommunications service

providers so that universal service support may be appropriate to the

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telecommunications service provider pursuant to 47 CFR 54.611. FCC Form

468 ``Telecommunications Service Providers Support.'' All health care

providers ordering services eligible for universal service support must

file this form. The data in the report will be used to ensure that

health care providers have calculated the amount of universal service

support as set forth in 47 CFR 54.609(b). Telecommunications carriers

must complete Form 468 by indicating the rural and urban rates for the

services they have provided and the amount of the discount for which

they must be reimbursed, and return it to the health care provider. The

health care provider must attach it to Form 466 and file both forms

with the administrator. These forms are used to administer the health

care providers universal service program. The information is used

primarily to determine eligibility.

OMB Approval No.: 3060-0806.

Title: Universal Service--Schools and Libraries Universal Service

Program.

Form No.: FCC Forms 470 and 471.

Type of Review: Extension of a currently approved collection.

Respondents: Business or other for profit.

Number of Respondents: 50,000.

Estimated Time Per Response: 12 hours per response.

Frequency of Response: On occasion reporting requirement.

Total Annual Burden: 600,000 hours.

Cost to Respondent: N/A.

Needs and Uses: On May 8, 1997, the Commission adopted rules in CC

Docket No. 96-45 providing discounts on all telecommunications

services, Internet access, and internal connections for all eligible

schools and libraries. The following forms are used to implement these

requirements and obligations: a. FCC Form 470 ``Description of Services

Requested and Certification.'' Schools and libraries ordering

telecommunications services, Internet access, and internal connections

under the universal service discount program must submit a description

of the services desired to the Administrator. Schools and libraries may

use the same description they use to meet the requirement that they

generally face to solicit competitive bids. The Administrator will then

post a description of the services sought on a website for all

potential competing service providers to see and respond to as if they

were requests for proposals (RFPs). b. FCC Form 471 ``Services Ordered

and Certification.'' Schools and libraries that have ordered

telecommunications services, Internet access, and internal connections

under the universal service discount program must file FCC Form 471

with the Administrator. This form requires schools and libraries to

indicate whether the funds are being requested for an existing

contract, a master contract or whether it wishes to terminate service.

Form 471 requires schools and libraries to list all services that have

been ordered and the corresponding discount to which it is entitled.

The school or library must also estimate its funding needs for the

current funding year and for the following funding year. All schools

and libraries planning to order services eligible for universal service

discounts must file FCC Forms 470 and 471. The purpose of this

information is to help determine which schools are eligible for the

greater discounts. Schools and libraries must certify to the

administrator that they have developed an approved technology plan via

Form 470.

OMB Approval No.: 3060-0807.

Title: 47 CFR Section 51.803 and Supplemental Procedures for

Petitions Pursuant to Section 252(e) of the Communications Act of 1934,

as amended.

Form No.: N/A.

Type of Review: Extension of a currently approved collection.

Respondents: Business or other for profit.

Number of Respondents: 50.

Estimated Time Per Response: 40.8 hours per response.

Frequency of Response: On occasion reporting requirement.

Total Annual Burden: 2,040 hours.

Cost to Respondent: N/A.

Needs and Uses: Any interested party seeking preemption of a state

commission's jurisdiction based on the state commission's failure to

act shall notify the Commission as follows: (1) File with the Secretary

of the Commission a detailed petition, supported by an affidavit, that

states with specificity the basis for any claim that it has failed to

act; and (2) serve the state commission and other parties to the

proceeding on the same day that the party serves the petition on the

Commission. Within 15 days of the filing of the petition, the state

commission and parties to the proceeding may file a response to the

petition. In a Public Notice (DA 97-2540), the Commission sets out

procedures for filing petitions for preemption pursuant to section

252(e) of the Communications Act of 1934, as amended. (a) Filing of

Petitions for Preemption. Each party seeking preemption should caption

its preemption petition, ``Petition of {Petitioner's Name} pursuant to

Section 252(e)(5) of the Communications Act (the Act).'' In addition,

on the date of the petition's filing, the petitioner should serve a

copy of the petition by hand delivery on the Common Carrier Bureau, and

send a copy to the Commission's contractor for public service records

duplication. Section 51.803(a)(2) of the Commission's rules requires

each party seeking preemption pursuant to section 252(e)(5) to ``ensure

that the state commission and the other parties to the proceeding or

matter for which preemption is sought are served with the petition * *

* on the same date that the petitioning party serves the petition on

the Commission.'' Therefore, each section 252(e)(5) petition should

state in its certificate of service the steps it is taking to comply

with this requirement (e.g., hand delivery or overnight mail).

Petitions seeking preemption must be supported by affidavit and state

with specificity the basis for the petition and any information that

supports the claim that the state has failed to act. Each petitioner

should append to its petition the full text of any State commission

decision regarding the proceeding or other matter giving rise to the

petition as well as the relevant portions of any transcripts, letters,

or other documents on which the petitioner relies. Each petitioner

should also provide a chronology of that proceeding or matter that

lists, along with any other relevant dates, the date the petitioner

requested interconnection, services, or network elements pursuant to

section 251 of the Act, the dates of any requests for mediation or

arbitration pursuant to section 252(a)(2) or (b)(1), and the dates of

any arbitration decisions in connection with the proceeding or matter.

(b) Submission of Written Comments by Interested Third Parties.

Interested third parties may file comments on a preemption petition in

accordance with a public notice to be issued by the Commission. All of

the requirements are used to ensure that petitioners have complied with

their obligations under the Communications Act of 1934, as amended.

OMB Approval No.: 3060-0253.

Title: Part 68--Connection of Telephone Equipment to the Telephone

Network (Sections 68.106, 68.108, 68.110).

Form No.: N/A.

Type of Review: Extension of a currently approved collection.

Respondents: Business or other for profit.

Number of Respondents: 57,540.

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Estimated Time Per Response: .057 hours per response (avg).

Frequency of Response: On occasion reporting requirement.

Total Annual Burden: 3,280 hours.

Cost to Respondents: N/A.

Needs and Uses: Part 68 sets forth the terms and conditions for

connection and for the registration of customer provided terminal

equipment. The purpose of part 68 is to protect the network from

certain types of harm and interference to other subscribers. Section

68.106 requires customers connecting terminal equipment or protective

circuitry to the telephone network to provide, upon request, the

particular line(s) to which such connection is made, the FCC

registration number and ringer equivalence numbers necessary to the

telephone company. Section 68.108 requires telephone companies to

notify customers of possible discontinuance of service when customer's

equipment is malfunctioning and to inform them of their right to file a

complaint. Section 68.110 requires telephone companies to provide

technical information concerning inter-face parameters not specified in

Part 68 and to notify customers of changes in telephone company

facilities, equipment, operations or procedures where such changes can

be reasonably expected to render any customer's terminal equipment

incompatible with the telephone company's communication facilities.

OMB Approval No.: 3060-0810.

Title: Procedures for Designation of Eligible Telecommunications

Carriers Pursuant to Section 214(e)(6) of the Communications Act of

1934, as amended.

Form No.: N/A.

Type of Review: Extension of a currently approved collection.

Respondents: Business or other for-profit, states.

Number of Respondents: 35.

Estimated Time per Response: 47 hours per response (avg.).

Frequency of Response: On occasion reporting requirement.

Total Annual Burden: 1,650 hours.

Cost to Respondents: N/A.

Needs and Uses: The Communications Act of 1934, as amended (the

Act), mandates that, after the date the Commission's rules implementing

section 254 of the Act, only eligible telecommunications carriers may

receive universal service support. The Commission's rules implementing

section 254 of the Act take effect on January 1, 1998. Under the Act,

state commissions must designate telecommunications carriers as

eligible. On December 1, 1997 Public Law 105-125 added subsection

(e)(6) to section 214(e) of the Act. New section 214(e)(6) states that

a telecommunications carrier that is not subject to the jurisdiction of

a state may request that the Commission determine whether it is

eligible. Specifically, section 214(e)(6) states that ``[i]n the case

of a common carrier * * * that is not subject to the jurisdiction of a

State commission, the Commission shall upon request designate such a

common carrier that meets the requirements of paragraph (1) as an

eligible telecommunications carrier for a service area designated by

the Commission * * *.'' The Commission must evaluate whether such

telecommunications carriers, almost all of which are expected to be

companies owned by Native American tribes, meet the eligibility

criteria set forth in the Act. a. Petition for Designation as Eligible

Telecommunications Carriers Pursuant to Section 214(e)(6). Carriers

seeking designation from the Commission pursuant to section 214(e)(6)

must demonstrate that they fulfill the requirements of section

214(e)(1). Carriers seeking designation from the Commission early in

1998 are instructed to provide specific information. See Public Notice,

FCC 97-219, released 12/29/97. (No. of respondents: 25; hours per

response: 58; total annual hours: 1450 hours). b. Submission of Written

Comments by Interested Third Parties. Oppositions or comments on

petitions are due 10 days after a Public Notice announcing receipt of a

petition is released. Reply comments are due 7 days after comments are

due. (No. of respondents: 10; hours per response: 20 hours; total

annual burden: 200 hours). The Commission will use the information

collected to determine whether the telecommunications carriers

providing the data are eligible to receive universal service support.

OMB Approval No.: 3060-0802.

Title: Administration of the North American Numbering Plan, Order

on Reconsideration, CC Docket No. 92-237 (Message Intercept

Requirement).

Form No.: N/A.

Type of Review: Extension of a currently approved collection.

Respondents: Business or other for profit.

Number of Respondents: 1,400.

Estimated Time Per Response: 9 hours per response (avg.).

Frequency of Response: On occasion reporting requirement.

Total Annual Burden: 12,600 hours.

Cost to Respondents: N/A.

Needs and Uses: In response to concern expressed in the

reconsideration record that LECs should develop intercept messages to

inform dial-around customers that they need to dial additional digits,

the Order on Reconsideration in CC Docket No. 92-237 requires that LECs

offer a standard intercept message beginning on or before June 30,

1998, explaining that a dialing pattern change has occurred and

instructing the caller to contact its IXC for further information. In

developing an intercept message, LECs must consult with IXCs and reach

agreement on the content of the message and on the period of time

during which the message will be provided. These requirements are

necessary to educate end users about their inability to reach carriers

using five-digit access codes, and the need to dial seven-digit access

codes instead.

OMB Approval No.: 3060-0760.

Title: Access Charge Reform--CC Docket No. 92-262, First Report and

Order; Second Order on Reconsideration and Memorandum Opinion and

Order.

Form No.: N/A.

Type of Review: Extension of a currently approved collection.

Respondents: Business or other for-profit.

Number of Respondents: 14.

Estimated Time Per Response: 128,906 hours per response (avg.).

Frequency of Response: On occasion and one-time reporting

requirements.

Total Annual Burden: 1,804,690 hours.

Cost to Respondents: $31,200.

Needs and Uses: In the First Report and Order, CC Docket No. 96-

262, Access Charge Reform and the Second Order on Reconsideration and

Memorandum Opinion and Order, the FCC adopts, that, consistent with

principles of cost-causation and economic efficiency, nontraffic

sensitive (NTS) costs associated with local switching should be

recovered on an NTS basis, through flat-rated, per month charges. a.

Showings under the Market-Based Approach: As competition develops in

the market, the FCC will gradually relax and ultimately remove existing

Part 69 federal access rate structure requirements and Part 61 price

caps restrictions on rate level changes. Regulatory reform will take

place in two phases. The first phase of regulatory reform will take

place when an incumbent Local Exchange Carrier's (LEC) network has been

opened to competition for interstate access services. The second phase

of rate structure reforms will take place when an actual competitive

presence has developed in the marketplace. LECs

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may have to submit certain information to demonstrate that they have

met the standards. b. Cost Study of Local Switching Costs: Price cap

LEC are required to conduct a cost study to determine the

geographically-average portion of local switching costs that is

attributable to the line-side ports, and to dedicated trunk side cards

and ports. c. Cost Study of Interstate Access Service that Remain

Subject to Price Cap Regulation: To implement our backstop to market-

based access charge reform, we require each incumbent price cap LEC to

file a cost study no later than February 8, 2001, demonstrating the

cost of providing those interstate access services that remain subject

to price cap regulation because they do not face substantial

competition. d. Tariff Filings: The Commission requires the filing of

various tariffs. e. Third-Party Disclosure: In the Second Order on

Reconsideration, the Commission requires LECs to provide IXCs with

customer-specific information about how many and what type of

presubscribed interexchange carrier charges (PICCs) they are assessing

for each of the IXC's presubscribed customers. One of the primary goals

of the First Report and Order was to develop a cost-recovery mechanism

that permits carriers to recover their costs in a manner that reflects

the way in which those costs are incurred. Without access to

information that indicates whether the LEC is assessing a primary or

non-primary residential PICC, or about how many local business lines

are presubscribed to a particular IXC, the IXCs will be unable to

develop rates that accurately reflect the underlying costs. The

information required under these Orders would be used in determining

whether the incumbent LECs should receive the regulatory relief

proposed in the Orders. The information collected under the Second

Order on Reconsideration and Memorandum Opinion and Order would be

submitted by the LECs to the interxchange carriers (IXCs) for use in

developing the most cost-efficient rates and rate structures.

Federal Communications Commission.

Magalie Roman Salas,

Secretary.

[FR Doc. 98-756 Filed 1-12-98; 8:45 am]

BILLING CODE 6712-01-P