Document
Information Collection Being Reviewed by the Federal Communications Commission
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 Com...
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
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.
OMB Control Number:
3060-1081.
Title:
Sections 1.2002, 54.201, 54.202, 54.205, Telecommunications Carriers Eligible for Universal Service Support.
Form Number:
N/A.
Type of Review:
Revision of a currently approved collection.
Respondents:
Business or other for-profit.
Number of Respondents and Responses:
24 respondents; 28 responses.
Estimated Time per Response:
1-40 hours.
Obligation to Respond:
Required to obtain or retain benefits. Statutory authority is contained in sections 201(b), 214(e)(6), and 303(r) of the Communications Act of 1934, as amended,
47 U.S.C. 201(b), 214(e)(6), 303(r).
Frequency of Response:
One-time reporting requirement.
Total Annual Burden:
808 hours.
Total Annual Cost:
No cost.
Needs and Uses:
Section 254(e) of the Communications Act of 1934, as amended (Act) provides that “only an ETC designated under section 214(e) shall be eligible to receive specific Federal universal service support.”
Section 214(e)(2) of the Act gives state commissions the primary responsibility for performing ETC designations.
Section 214(e)(6) vests the Commission with authority to designate as an ETC “a common carrier providing telephone exchange service and exchange access that is not subject to the jurisdiction of a State commission.”
Section 214(e)(4) provides that state commissions, in a case of a common carrier designated under paragraph (2) of this section, or the Commission, in a case of a common carrier designated under paragraph (6) of this section, “shall permit” an ETC to relinquish its designation “in any area served by more than one” ETC so long as “the remaining [ETCs] ensure that all customers served by the relinquishing carrier will continue to be served,” and the relinquishing carrier provides “sufficient notice to permit the purchase or construction of adequate facilities by any remaining eligible telecommunications carrier.” The ETC must provide advance notice to the state commission or the Commission.
The Commission's rules for ETC designation require the collection of information specified below, except where the Commission has waived information collection requirements when enforcing them would not serve the public interest.
On October 20, 2023, the Commission adopted the
Connect America Fund et al.,
WC Docket No. 10-90 et al. WT Docket No. 10-208, Notice of Proposed Rulemaking and Report and Order, FCC 23-87 (Oct. 20, 2023) (
Administrative Order). In the
Administrative Order,
the Commission modified, in relevant part, section 205 of the Commission's rules, to require an ETC that intends to relinquish its ETC designation to provide: (1) advance notice to the state commission and to the Commission of such intention to relinquish, and (2) notice to the Commission of the state authority's decision to permit or deny such relinquishment, within 10 days of its decision. These filings must be submitted regardless of whether the ETC is currently receiving federal support. The Commission identified its statutory authority to impose these requirements through section 254 of the Act and as reasonably ancillary thereto.
The Commission notes that information collections associated with the Lifeline-only ETC designations and relinquishments are reflected in OMB Control No. 3060-0819.
This information collection addresses the burdens associated with these requirements.
Federal Communications Commission.
Marlene Dortch,
Secretary, Office of the Secretary.