82 FR 48511 - Information Collections Being Submitted for Review and Approval to the Office of Management and Budget

FEDERAL COMMUNICATIONS COMMISSION

Federal Register Volume 82, Issue 200 (October 18, 2017)

As part of its continuing effort to reduce paperwork burdens, and as required by the Paperwork Reduction Act (PRA) of 1995, the Federal Communications Commission (FCC or the Commission) invites the general public and other Federal agencies to take this opportunity to comment on the following information collection. Comments are requested concerning: 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; the accuracy of the Commission's burden estimate; ways to enhance the quality, utility, and clarity of the information collected; 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 ways to further reduce the information collection burden on small business concerns with fewer than 25 employees. The Commission may not conduct or sponsor a collection of information unless it displays a currently valid Office of Management and Budget (OMB) 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 OMB control number.

[Federal Register Volume 82, Number 200 (Wednesday, October 18, 2017)]
[Notices]
[Pages 48511-48513]
From the Federal Register Online  [www.thefederalregister.org]
[FR Doc No: 2017-22632]


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FEDERAL COMMUNICATIONS COMMISSION

[OMB 3060-XXXX and 3060-0761]


Information Collections Being Submitted for Review and Approval 
to the Office of Management and Budget

AGENCY: Federal Communications Commission.

ACTION: Notice and request for comments.

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SUMMARY: As part of its continuing effort to reduce paperwork burdens, 
and as required by the Paperwork Reduction Act (PRA) of 1995, the 
Federal Communications Commission (FCC or the Commission) invites the 
general public and other Federal agencies to take this opportunity to 
comment on the following information collection. Comments are requested 
concerning: 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; the 
accuracy of the Commission's burden estimate; ways to enhance the 
quality, utility, and clarity of the information collected; 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 ways to further reduce the 
information collection burden on small business concerns with fewer 
than 25 employees.
    The Commission may not conduct or sponsor a collection of 
information unless it displays a currently valid Office of Management 
and Budget (OMB) 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 OMB control number.

DATES: Written comments should be submitted on or before November 17, 
2017. 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 contacts listed below as soon as possible.

ADDRESSES: Direct all PRA comments to Nicholas A. Fraser, OMB, via 
email [email protected]; and to Cathy Williams, FCC, via 
email [email protected] and to [email protected]. Include in the 
comments the OMB control number as shown in the SUPPLEMENTARY 
INFORMATION below.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: For additional information or copies 
of the information collection, contact Cathy Williams at (202) 418-
2918. To view a copy of this information collection request (ICR) 
submitted to OMB: (1) Go to the Web page http://www.reginfo.gov/public/do/PRAMain, (2) look for the section of the Web page called ``Currently 
Under Review,'' (3) click on the downward-pointing arrow in the 
``Select Agency'' box below the ``Currently Under Review'' heading, (4) 
select ``Federal Communications Commission'' from the list of agencies 
presented in the ``Select Agency'' box, (5) click the ``Submit'' button 
to the right of the ``Select Agency'' box, (6) when the list of FCC 
ICRs currently under review appears, look for the OMB control number of 
this ICR and then click on the ICR Reference Number. A copy of the FCC 
submission to OMB will be displayed.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: As part of its continuing effort to reduce 
paperwork burdens, and as required by the Paperwork Reduction Act (PRA) 
of 1995 (44 U.S.C. 3501-3520), the Federal Communications Commission 
(FCC or the Commission) invites the general public and other Federal 
agencies to take this opportunity to comment on the following 
information collection. Comments are requested concerning: 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; the accuracy of the 
Commission's burden estimate; ways to enhance the quality, utility, and 
clarity of the information collected; 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 ways to further reduce the information collection 
burden on small business concerns with fewer than 25 employees.
    OMB Control Number: 3060-XXXX.
    Title: Transition from TTY to Real-Time Text Technology, CG Docket 
No. 16-145 and GN Docket No. 15-178.
    Form Number: N/A.
    Type of Review: New collection.
    Respondents: Businesses or other for-profit entities.

[[Page 48512]]

    Number of Respondents and Responses: 967 respondents; 5,557 
responses.
    Estimated Time per Response: 0.2 hours (12 minutes) to 60 hours.
    Frequency of Response: Annual, ongoing, one-time, and semiannual 
reporting requirements; recordkeeping requirement.
    Obligation To Respond: Required to obtain or retain benefit. The 
statutory authority can be found at sections 4(i), 225, 255, 301, 
303(r), 316, 403, 715, and 716 of the Communications Act of 1934, as 
amended, and section 106 of the Twenty-First Century Communications and 
Video Accessibility Act of 2010, 47 U.S.C. 154(i), 225, 255, 301, 
303(r), 316, 403, 615c, 616, 617; Public Law 111-260, 106, 124 Stat. 
2751, 2763 (2010).
    Total Annual Burden: 127,360 hours.
    Total Annual Cost: No cost.
    Nature and Extent of Confidentiality: There is no need for 
confidentiality with this collection of information.
    Privacy Impact Assessment: This information collection does not 
affect individuals or households; therefore, the Privacy Act is not 
impacted.
    Needs and Uses: TTY technology provides the primary means for 
people with disabilities to send and receive text communications over 
the public switched telephone network (PSTN). Changes to communications 
networks, particularly ongoing technology transitions from circuit 
switched to IP-based networks and from copper to wireless and fiber 
infrastructure, have affected the quality and utility of TTY 
technology, prompting discussions on transitioning to an alternative 
advanced communications technology for text communications. 
Accordingly, on December 16, 2016, the Commission released Transition 
from TTY to Real-Time Text Technology, Report and Order, document FCC 
16-169, 82 FR 7699, January 23, 2017, amending its rules that govern 
the obligations of wireless service providers and manufacturers to 
support TTY technology to permit such providers and manufacturers to 
provide support for real-time text (RTT) over wireless IP-based 
networks to facilitate an effective and seamless transition to RTT in 
lieu of continuing to support TTY technology.
    In document FCC 16-169, the Commission adopted measures requiring 
the following:
    (a) Each wireless provider and manufacturer that voluntarily 
transitions from TTY technology to RTT over wireless IP-based networks 
and services is encouraged to develop consumer and education efforts 
that include (1) the development and dissemination of educational 
materials that contain information pertinent to the nature, purpose, 
and timelines of the RTT transition; (2) Internet postings, in an 
accessible format, of information about the TTY to RTT transition on 
the Web sites of covered entities; (3) the creation of a telephone 
hotline and an online interactive and accessible service that can 
answer consumer questions about RTT; and (4) appropriate training of 
staff to effectively respond to consumer questions. All consumer 
outreach and education should be provided in accessible formats 
including, but not limited to, large print, Braille, videos in American 
Sign Language and that are captioned and video described, emails to 
consumers who have opted to receive notices in this manner, and printed 
materials. Service providers and manufacturers are also encouraged to 
coordinate with consumer, public safety, and industry stakeholders to 
develop and distribute education and outreach materials. The 
information will inform consumers of alternative accessible technology 
available to replace TTY technology that may no longer be available to 
the consumer through their provider or on their device.
    (b) Each wireless provider that requested or will request and 
receives a waiver of the requirement to support TTY technology over 
wireless IP-based networks and services must apprise their customers, 
through effective and accessible channels of communication, that (1) 
until TTY is sunset, TTY technology will not be supported for calls to 
911 services over IP-based wireless services, and (2) there are 
alternative PSTN-based and IP-based accessibility solutions for people 
with disabilities to reach 911 services. These notices must be 
developed in coordination with PSAPs and national consumer 
organizations, and include a listing of text-based alternatives to 911, 
including, but not limited to, TTY capability over the PSTN, various 
forms of PSTN-based and IP-based TRS, and text-to-911 (where 
available). The notices will inform consumers on the loss of the use of 
TTY for completing 911 calls over the provider's network and alert them 
to alternatives service for which TTY may be used.
    (c) Once every six months, each wireless provider that requests and 
receives a waiver of the requirement to support TTY technology must 
file a report with the Commission and inform its customers regarding 
its progress toward and the status of the availability of new IP-based 
accessibility solutions. Such reports must include (1) information on 
the interoperability of the provider's selected accessibility solution 
with the technologies deployed or to be deployed by other carriers and 
service providers, (2) the backward compatibility of such solution with 
TTYs, (3) a showing of the provider's efforts to ensure delivery of 911 
calls to the appropriate PSAP, (4) a description of any obstacles 
incurred towards achieving interoperability and steps taken to overcome 
such obstacles, and (5) an estimated timetable for the deployment of 
accessibility solutions. The information will inform consumers of the 
progress towards the availability of alternative accessible means to 
replace TTY, and the Commission will be able to evaluate the reports to 
determine if any changes to the waivers are warranted or of any 
impediments to progress that it may be in a position to resolve.
    OMB Control Number: 3060-0761.
    Title: Section 79.1, Closed Captioning of Video Programming, CG 
Docket No. 05-231.
    Form No.: N/A.
    Type of Review: Revision of a currently approved collection.
    Respondents: Business or other for-profit entities; Individuals or 
households; and Not-for-profit entities.
    Number of Respondents and Responses: 59,995 respondents; 512,831 
responses.
    Estimated Time per Response: 0.25 (15 minutes) to 60 hours.
    Frequency of Response: Annual reporting requirements; Third party 
disclosure requirement; Recordkeeping requirement.
    Obligation To Respond: Required to obtain or retain benefits. The 
statutory authority for this obligation is found at section 713 of the 
Communications Act of 1934, as amended, 47 U.S.C. 613, and implemented 
at 47 CFR 79.1.
    Total Annual Burden: 702,562 hours.
    Annual Cost Burden: $35,638,596.
    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 system of 
records notice (SORN), FCC/CGB-1, ``Informal Complaints, Inquiries, and 
Requests for Dispute Assistance.'' As required by the Privacy Act, 5 
U.S.C. 552a, the Commission also published a SORN, FCC/CGB-1 ``Informal 
Complaints, Inquiries, and Requests for Dispute Assistance'' in the 
Federal Register on August 15, 2014, published at 79 FR 48152, which 
became effective on September 24, 2014.
    Privacy Act Impact Assessment: Yes.
    Needs and Uses: The Commission seeks to extend existing information 
collection requirements in its closed

[[Page 48513]]

captioning rules (47 CFR 79.1), which require that, with some 
exceptions, all new video programming, and 75 percent of ``pre-rule'' 
programming, be closed captioned. The existing collections include 
petitions by video programming providers, producers, and owners for 
exemptions from the closed captioning rules, responses by commenters, 
and replies; complaints by viewers alleging violations of the closed 
captioning rules, responses by video programming distributors (VPDs) 
and video programmers, recordkeeping in support of complaint responses, 
and compliance ladder obligations in the event of a pattern or trend of 
violations; records of monitoring and maintenance activities; caption 
quality best practices procedures; making video programming distributor 
contact information available to viewers in phone directories, on the 
Commission's Web site and the Web sites of video programming 
distributors (if they have them), and in billing statements (to the 
extent video programming distributors issue them); and video 
programmers filing contact information and compliance certifications 
with the Commission.
    On February 19, 2016, the Commission adopted the Closed Captioning 
Quality Second Report and Order, published at 81 FR 57473, August 23, 
2016, amending its rules to allocate the responsibilities of VPDs and 
video programmers with respect to the provision and quality of closed 
captioning. The Commission took the following actions, among others:
    (a) Required video programmers to file certifications with the 
Commission that (1) the video programmer (i) is in compliance with the 
rules requiring the inclusion of closed captions, and (ii) either is in 
compliance with the captioning quality standards or has adopted and is 
following related Best Practices; or (2) is exempt from the captioning 
obligation and specifies the exemption claimed.
    (b) Revised the procedures for receiving, serving, and addressing 
television closed captioning complaints in accordance with a burden-
shifting compliance model.
    (c) Established a compliance ladder for the Commission's television 
closed captioning quality requirements.
    (d) Required VPDs to use the Commission's web form when providing 
contact information to the VPD registry.
    (e) Required video programmers to register their contact 
information with the Commission for the receipt and handling of written 
closed captioning complaints.

Federal Communications Commission.
Marlene H. Dortch,
Secretary, Office of the Secretary.
[FR Doc. 2017-22632 Filed 10-17-17; 8:45 am]
 BILLING CODE 6712-01-P