80 FR 11326 - Reform of Rules and Policies on Foreign Carrier Entry Into the U.S. Telecommunications Market

FEDERAL COMMUNICATIONS COMMISSION

Federal Register Volume 80, Issue 41 (March 3, 2015)

In this document, the Federal Communications Commission (Commission) announces that the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) has approved, for a period of three years, the information collection requirements associated with the Commission's Report and Order, IB Docket No. 12-299, FCC 14-48. This notice is consistent with the Report and Order, which stated that the Commission would publish a document in the Federal Register announcing OMB approval and the effective date of the requirements.

[Federal Register Volume 80, Number 41 (Tuesday, March 3, 2015)]
[Rules and Regulations]
[Pages 11326-11328]
From the Federal Register Online  [www.thefederalregister.org]
[FR Doc No: 2015-04336]


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FEDERAL COMMUNICATIONS COMMISSION

47 CFR Parts 1 and 63

[IB Docket No. 12-299; FCC 14-48]


Reform of Rules and Policies on Foreign Carrier Entry Into the 
U.S. Telecommunications Market

AGENCY: Federal Communications Commission.

ACTION: Final rule; announcement of effective date.

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SUMMARY: In this document, the Federal Communications Commission 
(Commission) announces that the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) 
has approved, for a period of three years, the information collection 
requirements associated with the Commission's Report and Order, IB 
Docket No. 12-299, FCC 14-48. This notice is consistent with the Report 
and Order, which stated that the Commission would publish a document in 
the Federal Register announcing OMB approval and the effective date of 
the requirements.

DATES: The amendments to 47 CFR 1.767(a)(8), 1.768(g)(2), 63.11(g)(2) 
and 63.18(k), published at 79 FR 31873, June 3, 2014 are effective on 
March 3, 2015.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: For additional information contact 
Cathy Williams, [email protected], (202) 418-2918.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: This document announces that, on February 
10, 2015 and February 20, 2015, OMB approved the information collection 
requirements contained in the Commission's Report and Order, FCC 14-48, 
published at 79 FR 31873, June 3, 2014. The OMB Control Numbers are 
3060-0686 and 3060-0944. The Commission publishes this notice as an 
announcement of the effective date of the requirements. If you have any 
comments on the burden estimates listed below, or how the Commission 
can improve the collections and reduce any burdens caused thereby, 
please contact Cathy Williams, Federal Communications Commission, Room 
1-C823, 445 12th Street SW., Washington, DC 20554. Please include the 
OMB Control Number, 3060-0686, in your correspondence. The Commission 
will also accept your comments via email at [email protected].
    To request materials in accessible formats for people with 
disabilities (Braille, large print, electronic files, audio format), 
send an email to [email protected] or call the Consumer and Governmental 
Affairs Bureau at (202) 418-0530 (voice), (202) 418-0432 (TTY).

Synopsis

    As required by the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 (44 U.S.C. 
3507), the FCC is notifying the public that it received OMB approval on 
February 10, 2015 and February 20, 2015, for the new information 
collection requirements contained in the Commission's rules at 47 CFR 
1.767(a)(8), 1.768(g)(2), 63.11(g)(2) and 63.18(k).
    Under 5 CFR part 1320, an agency may not conduct or sponsor a 
collection of information unless it displays a current, valid OMB 
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 
that does not display a current, valid OMB Control Number. The OMB 
Control Numbers are 3060-0686 and 3060-0944.
    The foregoing notice is required by the Paperwork Reduction Act of 
1995,

[[Page 11327]]

Public Law 104-13, October 1, 1995, and 44 U.S.C. 3507.
    The total annual reporting burdens and costs for the respondents 
are as follows:
    OMB Control Number: 3060-0686.
    OMB Approval Date: February 20, 2015.
    OMB Expiration Date: February 28, 2018.
    Title: International Section 214 Authorization Process and Tariff 
Requirements--47 CFR Sections 63.10, 63.11, 63.13, 63.18, 63.19, 63.21, 
63.24, 63.25 and 1.1311.
    Form Number: International Section 214 Application--New 
Authorization; International Section 214 Authorizations--Transfer of 
Control/Assignment; International Section 214--Special Temporary 
Authority and International Section 214--Foreign Carrier Affiliation 
Notification.
    Respondents: Business and other for-profit.
    Number of Respondents and Responses: 495 respondents; 748 
responses.
    Estimated Time per Response: 0.50 hour to 15 hours.
    Frequency of Response: On occasion reporting requirement, Quarterly 
reporting requirement, Recordkeeping requirement and third party 
disclosure requirement.
    Obligation to Respond: Required to obtain or retain benefits. The 
statutory authority for this collection is contained in sections 1, 
4(i), 4(j), 11, 201-205, 208, 211, 214, 219, 220, 303(r), 309, 310 and 
403 of the Communications Act of 1934, as amended, 47 U.S.C. 151, 
154(i), 154(j), 161, 201-205, 208, 211, 214, 219, 220, 303(r), 309, 310 
and 403.
    Total Annual Burden: 3,286 hours.
    Total Annual Cost: $755,400.
    Nature and Extent of Confidentiality: In general, there is no need 
for confidentiality with this collection of information. In those cases 
where a respondent believes information requires confidentiality, the 
respondent can request confidential treatment under Sec.  0.459 of the 
Commission's rules, 47 CFR 0.459.
    Privacy Act Impact Assessment: No impact(s).
    Needs and Uses: The Federal Communications Commission (Commission) 
received approval for a revision of OMB Control No. 3060-0686 from the 
Office of Management and Budget (OMB). The purpose of this revision was 
to obtain OMB approval of rules adopted in the Commission's Report and 
Order in IB Docket No. 12-299, FCC 14-48, adopted and released on April 
22, 2014 (Report and Order). In the Report and Order, the Commission 
eliminated the effective competitive opportunities (ECO) test from 
Sec. Sec.  63.11(g)(2) and 63.18(k) of the Commission's rules, 47 CFR 
63.11(g)(2), 63.18(k), which apply to applications filed under section 
63.18, 47 CFR 63.18, for authority to provide U.S.-international 
telecommunications service pursuant to section 214 of the 
Communications Act of 1934, as amended (Communications Act), 47 U.S.C. 
214, and to foreign carrier affiliation notifications filed under Sec.  
63.11 of the Commission's rules, 47 CFR 63.11. The Commission is also 
making adjustments to the hour and cost burdens associated with other 
rules and requirements covered by this information collection. The 
information will be used by the Commission staff in carrying out its 
duties under the Communications Act.
    The information will be used by the staff in carrying out its 
duties under the Communications Act. The information collections are 
necessary largely to determine the qualifications of applicants to 
provide common carrier international telecommunications service, 
including applicants that are, or are affiliated with, foreign 
carriers, and to determine whether and under what conditions the 
authorizations are in the public interest, convenience, and necessity. 
The information collections are also necessary to maintain effective 
oversight of U.S. international carriers generally.
    If the collections are not conducted or are conducted less 
frequently, applicants will not obtain the authorizations necessary to 
provide telecommunications services, and the Commission will be unable 
to carry out its mandate under the Communications Act. In addition, 
without the information collections, the United States would jeopardize 
its ability to fulfill the U.S. obligations as negotiated under the WTO 
Basic Telecom Agreement because these collections are imperative to 
detecting and deterring anticompetitive conduct. They are also 
necessary to preserve the Executive Branch agencies' and the 
Commission's ability to review foreign investments for national 
security, law enforcement, foreign policy, and trade concerns.
    OMB Control Number: 3060-0944.
    OMB Approval Date: February 10, 2015.
    OMB Expiration Date: February 28, 2018.
    Title: Cable Landing License Act, 47 CFR 1.767; 1.768; Executive 
Order 10530.
    Form Number: Submarine Cable Landing License Application.
    Respondents: Business and other for-profit.
    Number of Respondents and Responses: 38 respondents; 94 responses.
    Estimated Time per Response: 0.50 hour to 17 hours.
    Frequency of Response: On occasion reporting requirement, Quarterly 
reporting requirement, Recordkeeping requirement and third party 
disclosure requirement.
    Obligation to Respond: Required to obtain or retain benefits. The 
statutory authority for this collection is contained in the Submarine 
Cable Landing License Act of 1921, 47 U.S.C. 34-39, Executive Order 
1050, section 5(a), and the Communications Act of 1934, as amended, 47 
U.S.C. 151, 152, 154(i)-(j), 155, 303(r), 309, and 403.
    Total Annual Burden: 421 hours.
    Total Annual Cost: $88,505.
    Nature and Extent of Confidentiality: In general, there is no need 
for confidentiality with this collection of information. In those cases 
where a respondent believes information requires confidentiality, the 
respondent can request confidential treatment under Sec.  0.459 of the 
Commission's rules, 47 CFR 0.459.
    Privacy Act Impact Assessment: No impact(s).
    Needs and Uses: The Federal Communications Commission (Commission) 
received approval for a revision of OMB Control No. 3060-0944 from the 
Office of Management and Budget (OMB). The purpose of this revision was 
to obtain OMB approval of rules adopted in the Commission's Report and 
Order in IB Docket No. 12-299, FCC 14-48, adopted and released on 
August 22, 2014 (Report and Order). In the Report and Order, the 
Commission eliminated the effective competitive opportunities (ECO) 
test from Sec. Sec.  1.767(a)(8) and 1.768(g)(2) of the Commission's 
rules, 47 CFR 1.767(a)(8), 1.768(g)(2), which apply to cable landing 
license applications filed under the Submarine Cable Landing License 
Act of 1921, 47 U.S.C. 34-39, and Sec.  1.767 of the Commission's 
rules, 47 CFR 1.767, and to foreign carrier affiliation notifications 
filed under Sec.  1.768 of the Commission's rules, 47 CFR 1.768. The 
Commission is also making adjustments to the hour and cost burdens 
associated with other rules and requirements covered by this 
information collection.
    The information will be used by the Commission staff in carrying 
out its duties under the Submarine Cable Landing License Act of 1921, 
47 U.S.C. 34-39, Executive Order 10530, section 5(a), and the 
Communications Act of

[[Page 11328]]

1934, as amended. The information collections are necessary largely to 
determine whether and under what conditions the Commission should grant 
a license for proposed submarine cables landing in the United States, 
including applicants that are, or are affiliated with, foreign carriers 
in the destination market of the proposed submarine cable. Pursuant to 
Executive Order No. 10530, the Commission has been delegated the 
President's authority under the Cable Landing License Act to grant 
cable landing licenses, provided that the Commission must obtain the 
approval of the State Department and seek advice from other government 
agencies as appropriate. If the collection is not conducted or is 
conducted less frequently, applicants will not obtain the 
authorizations necessary to provide telecommunications services and 
facilities, and the Commission will be unable to carry out its mandate 
under the Cable Landing License Act and Executive Order 10530. In 
addition, without the collection, the United States would jeopardize 
its ability to fulfill the U.S. obligations as negotiated under the 
World Trade Organization (WTO) Basic Telecom Agreement because certain 
of these information collection requirements are imperative to 
detecting and deterring anticompetitive conduct. They are also 
necessary to preserve the Executive Branch agencies' and the 
Commission's ability to review foreign investments for national 
security, law enforcement, foreign policy, and trade concerns.

Federal Communications Commission.
Marlene H. Dortch,
Secretary.
[FR Doc. 2015-04336 Filed 3-2-15; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6712-01-P