81 FR 22266 - Information Collection Being Reviewed by the Federal Communications Commission

FEDERAL COMMUNICATIONS COMMISSION

Federal Register Volume 81, Issue 73 (April 15, 2016)

The Federal Communications Commission (FCC), as part of its continuing effort to reduce paperwork burdens, 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 (PRA) of 1995. 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; (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; and (e) ways to further reduce the information collection burden on small business concerns with fewer than 25 employees. The FCC 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 PRA that does not display a valid Office of Management and Budget (OMB) control number.

[Federal Register Volume 81, Number 73 (Friday, April 15, 2016)]
[Notices]
[Pages 22266-22268]
From the Federal Register Online  [www.thefederalregister.org]
[FR Doc No: 2016-08675]


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FEDERAL COMMUNICATIONS COMMISSION

[OMB 3060-1203]


Information Collection Being Reviewed by the Federal 
Communications Commission

AGENCY: Federal Communications Commission.

ACTION: Notice and request for comments.

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SUMMARY: The Federal Communications Commission (FCC), as part of its 
continuing effort to reduce paperwork burdens, 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 (PRA) of 1995. 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; (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; and (e) ways to further reduce the information 
collection burden on small business concerns with fewer than 25 
employees.
    The FCC 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 PRA that does not display a valid Office of 
Management and Budget (OMB) control number.

DATES: Written PRA comments should be submitted on or before June 14, 
2016. 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 PRA comments to the Federal Communications 
Commission via email to [email protected] and [email protected].

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: For additional information about the 
information collection, contact Cathy Williams at (202) 418-2918.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
    OMB Control Number: 3060-1203.
    Title: Section 79.107--User Interfaces Provided by Digital 
Apparatus; Section 79.108--Video Programming Guides and Menus Provided 
by Navigation Devices; Section 79.110--Complaint Procedures for User 
Interfaces, Menus and Guides, and Activating Accessibility Features on 
Digital Apparatus and Navigation Devices.
    Form Number: N/A.
    Type of Review: Revision of a currently approved collection.
    Respondents: Business or other for-profit entities; individuals or 
households; not-for-profit institutions; and state, local, or tribal 
Governments.
    Number of Respondents and Responses: 4,245 respondents; 517,052 
responses.
    Estimated Time per Response: 0.0167 hours to 10 hours.
    Frequency of Response: On occasion reporting requirement; Third 
party disclosure requirement; Recordkeeping requirement.
    Obligation to Respond: Voluntary. The statutory authority for this 
information collection is contained in the Twenty-First Century 
Communications and Video Accessibility Act of 2010, Public Law 111-260, 
124 Stat. 2751, and Sections 4(i), 4(j), 303(r), 303(u), 303(aa), 
303(bb), and 716(g) of the Communications Act of 1934, as amended, 47 
U.S.C. 154(i), 154(j), 303(r), 303(u), 303(aa), 303(bb), and 617(g).
    Total Annual Burden: 24,153 hours.
    Total Annual Cost: $70,500.
    Nature and Extent of Confidentiality: Confidentiality is an issue 
to the extent that individuals and households provide personally 
identifiable information, which is covered under the FCC's updated 
system of records notice (SORN), FCC/CGB-1, ``Informal Complaints and 
Inquiries,'' which became effective on January 25, 2010. The Commission 
believes that it provides sufficient safeguards to protect

[[Page 22267]]

the privacy of individuals who file complaints under 47 CFR 79.110.
    Privacy Impact Assessment: The Privacy Impact Assessment (PIA) for 
Informal Complaints and Inquiries was completed on June 28, 2007. It 
may be reviewed at http://www.fcc.gov/omd/privacyact/Privacy-Impact-Assessment.html. The Commission is in the process of updating the PIA 
to incorporate various revisions to it as a result of revisions to the 
SORN.
    Needs and Uses: On November 20, 2015, in document FCC 15-156, the 
Commission released a Second Report and Order, Order on 
Reconsideration, and Further Notice of Proposed Rulemaking, MB Docket 
No. 12-108, FCC 15-156, adopting additional rules implementing Sections 
204 and 205 of the Twenty-First Century Communications and Video 
Accessibility Act of 2010 (CVAA) related to accessible user interfaces 
and video programming guides and menus. These rules are codified at 47 
CFR 79.107 and 79.108. First, the Second Report and Order implements 
Section 204's requirement that both the ``appropriate built-in 
apparatus functions'' and the ``on-screen text menus or other visual 
indicators built in to the digital apparatus'' to access such functions 
be ``usable by individuals who are blind or visually impaired'' by 
relying on the existing definition of ``usable'' in Section 6.3(l) of 
the Commission's rules. The 6.3(l) definition of ``usable'' requires 
that ``individuals with disabilities have access to the full 
functionality and documentation for the product, including 
instructions, product information (including accessible feature 
information), documentation, bills and technical support which is 
provided to individuals without disabilities.'' In addition, the Second 
Report and Order adopts information, documentation, and training 
requirements comparable to those in Section 6.11 of the Commission's 
rules for entities covered by both Section 204 and Section 205 of the 
CVAA. The Second Report and Order also adopts consumer notification 
requirements for equipment manufacturers of digital apparatus and 
navigation devices that will require manufacturers to publicize the 
availability of accessible devices on manufacturer Web sites that must 
be accessible to those with disabilities. The Second Report and Order 
requires MVPDs, as well as manufacturers, to ensure that the contact 
office or person listed on their Web site is able to answer both 
general and specific questions about the availability of accessible 
equipment, including, if necessary, providing information to consumers 
or directing consumers to a place where they can locate information 
about how to activate and use accessibility features.
    The following rule sections and other requirements contain new and 
revised information collection requirements for which the Commission is 
seeking approval from the Office of Management and Budget (OMB):
    (1) Usability requirements for manufacturers of digital apparatus.
    The Second Report and Order adopts usability requirements for 
digital apparatus covered by 47 CFR 79.107. A digital apparatus 
manufacturer must make functions that are used for the reception, play 
back, or display of video programming, as well as on-screen text menus 
or other visual indicators used to access these functions, usable to 
individuals who are blind or visually impaired. Pursuant to 47 CFR 
79.107(a)(5), the term ``usable'' means that individuals with 
disabilities have access to information and documentation on the full 
functionalities of digital apparatus, including instructions, product 
information (including accessible feature information), documentation, 
bills, and technical support which are provided to individuals without 
disabilities.
    (2) Information, documentation, and training requirements for 
manufacturers of digital apparatus.
    Pursuant to 47 CFR 79.107(d), manufacturers of digital apparatus 
must ensure access to information and documentation provided to 
customers, including user guides, bills, installation guides for end-
user installable devices, and product support communications, regarding 
both the product in general and the accessibility features of the 
product. Manufacturers of digital apparatus must include the contact 
method for obtaining this information and documentation in general 
product information. Manufacturers should take such other steps as 
necessary including providing a description of the accessibility and 
compatibility features of the product and end-user product 
documentation upon request in alternate formats or alternate modes at 
no additional charge; and ensuring usable customer support and 
technical support in the call centers and service centers which support 
their products at no additional charge. In developing training 
programs, manufacturers of digital apparatus must consider the 
following topics: (i) Accessibility requirements of individuals with 
disabilities; (ii) means of communicating with individuals with 
disabilities; (iii) commonly used adaptive technology used with the 
manufacturer's products; (iv) designing for accessibility; and (v) 
solutions for accessibility and compatibility.
    (3) Information, documentation, and training requirements for 
covered MVPDs and manufacturers of navigation devices.
    Pursuant to 47 CFR 79.108(f), covered MVPDs and manufacturers of 
navigation devices must ensure access to information and documentation 
provided to customers, including user guides, bills, installation 
guides for end-user installable devices, and product support 
communications, regarding both the product in general and the 
accessibility features of the product. MVPDs and manufacturers of 
navigation devices must include the contact method for obtaining this 
information and documentation in general product information. MVPDs and 
manufacturers should take such other steps as necessary including 
providing a description of the accessibility and compatibility features 
of the product and end-user product documentation upon request in 
alternate formats or alternate modes at no additional charge; and 
ensuring usable customer support and technical support in the call 
centers and service centers which support their products at no 
additional charge. In developing training programs, MVPDs and 
manufacturers of navigation devices must consider the following topics: 
(i) Accessibility requirements of individuals with disabilities; (ii) 
means of communicating with individuals with disabilities; (iii) 
commonly used adaptive technology used with the manufacturer's 
products; (iv) designing for accessibility; and (v) solutions for 
accessibility and compatibility. If a consumer with a disability 
requests an accessible navigation device, this also constitutes a 
request for a description of the accessibility features of the device 
and end-user product documentation in accessible formats.
    (4) Notifications by covered manufacturers regarding the 
availability of accessible digital apparatus. Pursuant to 47 CFR 
79.107(e), manufacturers of digital apparatus must provide notice on 
their official Web sites about the availability of accessible devices. 
Manufacturers must prominently display information about accessible 
devices and solutions on their Web sites in a way that makes such 
information available to all consumers and in a format that is 
accessible to people with disabilities. The notice for digital 
apparatus must publicize the availability of accessible devices and the 
specific person, office or entity who can answer consumer questions 
about

[[Page 22268]]

which products contain the required accessibility features. The contact 
office or person listed on the Web site must be able to answer both 
general and specific questions about the availability of accessible 
equipment, including, if necessary, providing information to consumers 
or directing consumers to a place where they can locate information 
about how to activate and use accessibility features.
    (5) Notifications by covered manufacturers regarding the 
availability of accessible navigation devices.
    Pursuant to 47 CFR 79.108(d)(2), manufacturers of navigation 
devices must provide notice on their official Web sites about the 
availability of accessible devices. Manufacturers must prominently 
display information about accessible devices and solutions on their Web 
sites in a way that makes such information available to all consumers 
and in a format that is accessible to people with disabilities. The 
notice for navigation devices must publicize the availability of 
accessible devices and separate solutions and explain the means for 
making requests for accessible equipment and the specific person, 
office, or entity to whom such requests are to be made. The contact 
office or person listed on the Web site must be able to answer both 
general and specific questions about the availability of accessible 
equipment, including, if necessary, providing information to consumers 
or directing consumers to a place where they can locate information 
about how to activate and use accessibility features.

Federal Communications Commission.
Marlene H. Dortch,
Secretary, Office of the Secretary.
[FR Doc. 2016-08675 Filed 4-14-16; 8:45 am]
 BILLING CODE 6712-01-P