63850 Federal Register / Vol. 88, No. 179 / Monday, September 18, 2023 / Rules and Regulations 

1See Expanding Flexible Use of the 12.2–12.7 

GHz Band; Expanding Use of the 12.7–13.25 GHz 

Band for Mobile Broadband or Other Expanded 

Use, WT Docket No. 20–443, GN Docket No. 22– 

352, FCC 23–36, Report and Order and Further 

Notice of Proposed Rulemaking and Notice of 

Proposed Rulemaking and Order, 2023 WL 

3686032, at *25–54, paragraphs. 58–147 (May 19, 

2023) (NPRM and Order). The NPRM and Order 

were subsequently published separately in the 

Federal Register. See NPRM, 88 FR 43938 (July 10, 

2023), and Order, 88 FR 43460 (July 10, 2023). 

International Priority Airmail, Commercial 

ePacket, Priority Mail Express 

International, Priority Mail International 

& First-Class Package International 

Service with Reseller Contract 3 

International Priority Airmail, Commercial 

ePacket, Priority Mail Express 

International, Priority Mail International 

& First-Class Package International 

Service with Reseller Contract 4 

International Priority Airmail, Commercial 

ePacket, Priority Mail Express 

International, Priority Mail International 

& First-Class Package International 

Service with Reseller Contract 5 

International Priority Airmail, Commercial 

ePacket, Priority Mail Express 

International, Priority Mail International 

& First-Class Package International 

Service with Reseller Contract 6 

International Priority Airmail, Commercial 

ePacket, Priority Mail Express 

International, Priority Mail International 

& First-Class Package International 

Service with Reseller Contract 7 

International Priority Airmail, Commercial 

ePacket, Priority Mail Express 

International, Priority Mail International 

& First-Class Package International 

Service with Reseller Contract 8 

International Priority Airmail Contracts 

International Priority Airmail, 

International Surface Air Lift, 

Commercial ePacket, Priority Mail 

Express International, Priority Mail 

International & First-Class Package 

International Service Contracts 

International Priority Airmail, 

International Surface Air Lift, 

Commercial ePacket, Priority Mail 

Express International, Priority Mail 

International & First-Class Package 

International Service Contract 1 

International Priority Airmail, 

International Surface Air Lift, 

Commercial ePacket, Priority Mail 

Express International, Priority Mail 

International & First-Class Package 

International Service with Reseller 

Contracts 

Inbound International* 

International Business Reply Service 

(IBRS) Competitive Contracts 

International Business Reply Service 

Competitive Contract 1 

International Business Reply Service 

Competitive Contract 3 

Inbound Direct Entry Contracts with 

Customers 

Inbound Direct Entry Contracts with 

Foreign Postal Administrations 

Inbound Direct Entry Contracts with 

Foreign Postal Administrations 

Inbound Direct Entry Contracts with 

Foreign Postal Administrations 1 

Inbound EMS 

Inbound EMS 2 

Inbound Air Parcel Post (at non-UPU rates) 

Inbound Competitive Multi-Service 

Agreements with Foreign Postal 

Operators 

Inbound Competitive Multi-Service 

Agreements with Foreign Postal 

Operators 1 

SPECIAL SERVICES* 

Address Enhancement Services 

Greeting Cards, Gift Cards, and Stationery 

International Ancillary Services 

International Money Transfer Service— 

Outbound 

International Money Transfer Service— 

Inbound 

Premium Forwarding Service 

Shipping and Mailing Supplies 

Post Office Box Service 

Competitive Ancillary Services 

NONPOSTAL SERVICES* 

Advertising 

Licensing of Intellectual Property other 

than Officially Licensed Retail Products 

(OLRP) 

Mail Service Promotion 

Officially Licensed Retail Products (OLRP) 

Passport Photo Service 

Photocopying Service 

Rental, Leasing, Licensing or other NonSale Disposition of Tangible Property 

Training Facilities and Related Services 

USPS Electronic Postmark (EPM) Program 

MARKET TESTS* 

[FR Doc. 2023–20143 Filed 9–15–23; 8:45 am] 

BILLING CODE 7710–FW–P 

FEDERAL COMMUNICATIONS 

COMMISSION 

47 CFR Parts 1, 2, 15, 25, 27, 74, 78, 

and 101 

[GN Docket No. 22–352; DA 23–794; FR ID 

171507] 

BAS and CARS Licensees Must Certify 

the Accuracy of the Information on 

Their 12.7–13.25 GHz Band Licenses 

AGENCY: Federal Communications 

Commission. 

ACTION: Procedure for filing 

certification. 

SUMMARY: In this document, the 

Wireless Telecommunications Bureau 

(WTB), in coordination with the Media 

Bureau (MB) provides detailed 

instructions for 12.7–13.25 GHz band 

(12.7 GHz band) Broadband Auxiliary 

Service (BAS) and Cable Television 

Relay Services (CARS) licensees to file 

certifications of accuracy, or 

modification applications to correct, 

existing information in the Universal 

Licensing System (ULS) and Cable 

Operations & Licensing System 

(COALS), respectively, and these 

Bureaus establish a window for the 

filing of these certifications. 

DATES: The mandatory compliance 

deadline to file certifications or 

modification applications is November 

29, 2023. 

ADDRESSES: Federal Communications 

Commission, 45 L Street NE, 

Washington, DC 20554. 

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: BAS 

licensees. For technical assistance with 

filing a Certification or FCC Form 601, 

contact the ULS Support Hotline at 877– 

480–3201, option 2; or 717–338–2824 

(TTY) or ASL Videophone: 844–432– 

2275. The ULS Support Hotline is 

available Monday through Friday from 8 

a.m. to 6 p.m. ET. There are no weekend 

hours, and the hotline is closed on all 

Federal holidays. To provide quality 

service and ensure security, all 

telephone calls are recorded. Inquiries 

may also be submitted via the internet 

at www.fcc.gov/support. For nontechnical questions: contact Simon 

Banyai, Senior Attorney, Broadband 

Division, WTB, at simon.banyai@fcc.gov 

or (202) 418–1443. CARS licensees. For 

technical assistance with filing a 

Certification or FCC Form 327, contact 

form327@fcc.gov or COALS_Help@

fcc.gov. For non-technical questions: 

contact Jeffrey Neumann, Chief 

Engineer, MB, at jeffrey.neumann@

fcc.gov or (202) 418–2046. 

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: This is a 

summary of the WTB and MB 

document, GN Docket No. 22–352; DA 

23–794, released on August 31, 2023. 

The released, formatted version of this 

document, including Attachment 1 

(Example of Certification of Accuracy 

for BAS License) and Attachment 2 

(Example of Certification of Accuracy 

for CARS License) is available at https:// 

docs.fcc.gov/public/attachments/DA-23- 

794A1.pdf. Text and Microsoft Word 

formats are also available (replace 

‘‘.pdf’’ in the link with ‘‘.txt’’ or ‘‘.docx’’, 

respectively. Alternative formats are 

available for people with disabilities 

(braille, large print, electronic files, 

audio format), by sending an email to 

fcc504@fcc.gov or call the Commission’s 

Consumer and Governmental Affairs 

Bureau at (202) 418–0530 (voice), (202) 

418–0432 (TTY). 

Synopsis 

On May 19, 2023, the Commission 

released a Notice of Proposed 

Rulemaking (NPRM) and Order in the 

above-referenced docket proposing to 

repurpose some or all of the 12.7–13.25 

GHz band (12.7 GHz band) spectrum for 

mobile broadband or other expanded 

use.1 To improve the data that the 

public and the Commission have to 

make informed comments and decisions 


lotter on DSK11XQN23PROD with RULES1
Federal Register / Vol. 88, No. 179 / Monday, September 18, 2023 / Rules and Regulations 63851 

2NPRM and Order at *53, paragraph. 145. See 

generally id. 

3See NPRM and Order at *34, paragraph. 83; see 

also id. at *54, paragraph. 147. 

4See NPRM and Order at *53, paragraph. 145. As 

noted in the Order portion of the item, the 

certification of accuracy is not an ‘‘information 

collection’’ for purposes of the Paperwork 

Reduction Act of 1995 (PRA) and not subject to 

approval from the Office of Management and 

Budget. See id. at n.430 (citing 5 CFR 1320.3(h)(1)). 

5See id. We clarify that the exemption for 

modification applications includes applications for 

both renewal and modification (but does not 

include renewal-only applications). 

6See 47 CFR 74.600–74.690. See also FCC Form 

601 Schedule I (Technical Data Schedule for the 

Fixed Microwave and Microwave Broadcast 

Auxiliary Services (Parts 101 and 74)). 7See id. §§ 78.1–78.115. See also FCC Form 327. 

about the proposals discussed in the 

NPRM, the Commission’s Order directed 

non-exempt fixed and mobile Broadcast 

Auxiliary Services (BAS) and Cable 

Television Relay Services (CARS) 

licensees in the 12.7 GHz band to certify 

the accuracy of the information reflected 

on their licenses, including whether the 

facilities are operating as authorized.2 In 

the NPRM, the Commission proposes to 

define certain incumbent operations 

entitled to protection or relocation 

during a transition period based on the 

Commission’s licensing records.3

For non-exempt BAS and CARS 

licenses, the Commission proposes to 

limit eligibility for incumbent status to 

licenses for which the licensee has filed 

the required certification. 

By this document, WTB, in 

coordination with MB, (1) provides 

detailed instructions for 12.7 GHz band 

BAS and CARS licensees to file 

certifications regarding existing 

information in the Universal Licensing 

System (ULS) and the Cable Operations 

& Licensing System (COALS), 

respectively; and, (2) establishes a 

window for the filing of these 

certifications.4

1. Exemption for New or Modified 

Licenses Applied-for on or After Jan. 1, 

2021 

A licensee that filed an application, 

on or after January 1, 2021, for a new or 

modified BAS or CARS license to 

operate in the 12.7 GHz band is exempt 

from this certification requirement as to 

the specific license (Call Sign) involved 

in that application filed on or after 

January 1, 2021.5 Such a licensee is 

nevertheless required to make 

corrections to its license if necessary to 

keep the license accurate and complete. 

We clarify that a licensee who files a 

modification application on or before 

November 29, 2023, as described in 

section 5 below, to correct or complete 

information in the Commission’s 

licensing databases, does not need to 

file a certification for that particular 

license. A licensee is required to file a 

certification for any other 12.7 GHz 

band BAS or CARS licenses that it holds 

that are not exempt from the 

certification requirement. 

2. Window for Filing of Certifications 

Non-exempt 12.7 GHz band BAS and 

CARS licensees may file their required 

certifications beginning on or after the 

August 31, 2023, release date of DA 23– 

794. The deadline for filing required 

certifications is no later than November 

29, 2023. If a licensee is unable to make 

the certification for a license because, 

e.g., required technical data are 

inaccurate, missing or incomplete, the 

license has terminated automatically, or 

the facilities are not operating as 

authorized, the licensee must cancel the 

license or file a modification application 

to correct the data reflected in the 

license no later than November 29, 2023 

(see section 5, below). If such a 

modification application is ultimately 

granted, the modified license will be 

considered timely certified. In general, 

certifications must be made as follows: 

• BAS licensees must file their 

certifications in ULS. 

• CARS licensees must file their 

certifications in COALS. 

• Do not file certifications in the 

Electronic Comments Filing System 

(ECFS). 

3. Certifications for BAS Licenses in 

ULS 

For each non-exempt BAS license in 

the 12.7 GHz band, if the information 

reflected on the license in ULS is 

accurate and complete under the rules 

and application forms applicable to the 

BAS license, and the facilities are 

operating as authorized,6 the licensee 

must certify (1) the present accuracy of 

all information reflected in the license, 

and (2) that the facilities are operating 

as authorized. Each certification must 

include the relevant Call Sign, any 

relevant file number(s), the name of the 

licensee, and the signature, printed 

name, and title, if applicable, of the 

individual making the certification. For 

example, a certification of accuracy for 

a BAS license should provide the 

Licensee Name and Call Sign and state 

that: 

Pursuant to the FCC’s Order in FCC 23–36 

and the Public Notice, DA 23–794, the 

undersigned authorized agent of the licensee, 

individually and for the licensee, hereby 

certifies that all information reflected in this 

license in the FCC’s Universal Licensing 

System, including any attachments or 

exhibits, is true, complete and correct. The 

facilities authorized by this license are 

operated as authorized and the license is not 

subject to automatic termination in whole or 

in part. See 47 CFR 1.946(c), 1.953, 1.955 

(automatic termination based on expiration 

without renewal, failure to timely construct, 

permanent discontinuance of operations). 

This certification is made under penalty of 

perjury to the best of my knowledge and 

belief, and is made in good faith. 

Such a certification must be signed by 

an authorized agent. See Attachment 1 

to the released, formatted version of this 

document at https://docs.fcc.gov/public/ 

attachments/DA-23-794A1.pdf). 

How to file. BAS licensees must file 

their certifications in ULS using the 

online portal for non-docketed 

Pleadings, https://wireless2.fcc.gov/ 

UlsEntry/pleadings/pleadingsType.jsp. 

On the first screen, select ‘‘Licensee 

Certification of Accuracy of License 

Data’’ for the Pleading Type, complete 

the Filer Information using the name of 

the Licensee as the Company, and the 

Contact Information. 

• On the next screen, select ‘‘ULS 

Call Sign,’’ enter the Call Sign in the 

text box, and Submit. (If a licensee is 

uploading one certification file for 

multiple Call Signs, there is an option 

to add additional Call Signs.) 

• The Call Sign will appear below the 

message: ‘‘Your Pleading will be 

associated with the following Call 

Sign(s)/File Number(s)/Registration 

Number(s).’’ Click the box next to the 

Call Sign(s) to checkmark it. 

• On the next screen, you will attach 

your certification file. Select ‘‘Pleading’’ 

as the Type, click ‘‘Browse’’ to navigate 

to and select your file for attachment, 

and add a Description such as 

‘‘Certification for Call Sign(s) ll.’’ 

• Review the ‘‘Current Attachments’’ 

list to confirm that your file uploaded. 

4. Certifications for CARS Licenses in 

COALS 

For each non-exempt CARS license in 

the 12.7 GHz band, if the information 

reflected on the license in COALS is 

accurate and complete under the rules 

and application forms applicable to the 

CARS license, and the facilities are 

operating as authorized,7 the licensee 

must certify (1) the present accuracy of 

all information reflected in the license, 

and (2) that the facilities are operating 

as authorized. Each certification must 

include the relevant Call Sign, any 

relevant file number(s), the name of the 

licensee, and the signature, printed 

name, and title, if applicable, of the 

individual making the certification. For 

example, a certification of accuracy for 

a CARS license should provide the 


lotter on DSK11XQN23PROD with RULES1
63852 Federal Register / Vol. 88, No. 179 / Monday, September 18, 2023 / Rules and Regulations 

8See 180-Day Freeze on Applications for New or 

Modified Authorizations for the 12.7–13.25 GHz 

Band, Public Notice, DA 22–974, 2022 WL 4358635 

(IB/PSHSB/MB/WTB Sept. 19, 2022), 87 FR 63494 

(Oct. 19, 2022) (Freeze Public Notice); Expanding 

Use of the 12.7–13.25 GHz Band for Mobile 

Broadband or Other Expanded Use, GN Docket No. 

22–352, Notice of Inquiry and Order, FCC 22–80, 

2022 WL 16634851, at *14, paragraph. 44 (Oct. 28, 

2022) (the Commission ordered the extension of the 

temporary freeze pending the outcome of GN 

Docket No. 22–352 and clarified that the Bureaus 

retain jurisdiction to modify the freeze 

notwithstanding this order) (Freeze Extension 

Order), 87 FR 67688 (Nov. 9, 2022). 

9See Freeze Public Notice at *1–2. 

10See 47 CFR 1.947(b) (licensees may make 

certain minor modifications to station 

authorizations, as defined in § 1.929 (Classification 

of filings as major minor). Section 1.929(d) 

discusses major actions in the microwave, aural 

broadcast auxiliary, and television broadcast 

auxiliary services and § 1.929(k) states that any 

change not specifically listed as major is considered 

minor. See 47 CFR 1.929(d) and (k); see also id. at 

§§ 78.109(c) through(d) (defining minor 

modifications for CARS licenses). 11See Freeze Public Notice at *2. 

Licensee Name and Call Sign and state 

that: 

Pursuant to the FCC’s Order in FCC 23–36 

and the Public Notice, DA 23–794, the 

undersigned authorized agent of the licensee, 

individually and for the licensee, hereby 

certifies that all information reflected in this 

license in the Cable Operations and 

Licensing System, including any attachments 

or exhibits, is true, complete and correct. The 

facilities authorized by this license are 

constructed and operational as authorized 

and the license is not subject to automatic 

termination in whole or in part due to 

voluntary removal or alteration of the 

facilities, so as to render the station not 

operational for a period of 30 days or more, 

see 47 CFR 78.30(a), or for permanent 

discontinuance of operations, see 47 CFR 

78.30(b). This certification is made under 

penalty of perjury to the best of my 

knowledge and belief, and is made in good 

faith. 

Such a certification must be signed by 

an authorized agent. See Attachment 2 

to the released, formatted version of this 

document at https://docs.fcc.gov/public/ 

attachments/DA-23-794A1.pdf) for an 

example. 

How to file. CARS licensees must file 

their certifications in COALS by 

accessing the COALS Portal at https://

fccprod.servicenowservices.com/coals. 

• After logging in with a Commission 

Registration System (CORES) Username 

and Password, select the FRN of the 

business entity which holds the license. 

• From the list of CARS licenses on 

the COALS dashboard, select each 

license for which a certification must be 

filed. 

• The license will display an option 

to complete a certification form; 

selecting this option will present the 

certification with the relevant 

information pre-filled, similar to 

Attachment 2 of the released, formatted 

version, and will allow the submission 

of the form. 

5. Modification Applications 

If a licensee is unable to make the 

certification for a license because, for 

example, the license’s required 

technical data are inaccurate, missing or 

incomplete; the license has terminated 

automatically; or the license facilities 

are not operating as authorized, the 

licensee must cancel the license or file 

a modification application no later than 

November 29, 2023, to correct the 

information reflected in the license in 

accordance with the Commission’s rules 

and the relevant application forms and 

instructions. If a licensee files a 

modification application, it does not 

need to file a certification for that 

license. 

a. Exception or Waiver of Filing Freeze 

To File Modification Applications 

A freeze is in effect on the filing of 

new or modification applications for 

licenses or other authorizations in the 

12.7 GHz band.8 The purpose of this 

freeze is to preserve the current 

landscape of authorized operations in 

the 12.7 GHz band pending the 

Commission’s consideration of actions 

in GN Docket No. 22–352. During the 

freeze, WTB and MB will dismiss 

applications received for new or major 

modifications to fixed or mobile BAS 

and CARS stations to operate in the 12.7 

GHz band, respectively.9

The freeze does not extend to BAS 

and CARS applications for renewal, 

cancellation, or to minor 

modifications,10 if the licensee 

establishes in an exhibit attached to its 

application that the modification would 

not add to any relocation costs, if 

applicable in the future. The 

appropriate Bureau also will consider 

requests for waiver of this freeze on a 

case-by-case basis. Accordingly, BAS 

and CARS licensees filing modification 

applications must either establish in an 

exhibit uploaded as an attachment that 

the application is minor and would not 

add to any relocation costs, or they must 

request a waiver of the freeze (see 

details below). 

b. BAS Modification Applications in 

ULS 

BAS licensees must file modification 

applications in ULS. 

• Access ULS through an internet 

web browser by entering www.fcc.gov/ 

uls. Under the ‘‘Filing’’ section of the 

ULS homepage, click the ‘‘File Online’’ 

hyperlink. 

• On the ‘‘ULS License Manager 

Login’’ page, enter the applicant’s FRN 

and password. Click ‘‘Submit.’’ ULS 

will verify that you have entered a valid 

FRN or otherwise prompt you to obtain 

an FRN. 

• After entering the FRN and 

password correctly, the ‘‘My 

Applications’’ page or the ‘‘My 

Licenses’’ page displays the applicant’s 

existing applications (if any) and 

licenses and related information. 

• To apply to modify an existing 

license, click the ‘‘My Licenses’’ link in 

the left-hand navigation menu. Click 

‘‘Update Licenses’’ and then select the 

Call Sign to be modified. Click 

Continue. 

• Select the appropriate update. 

Available options include ‘‘Technical 

Data,’’ which covers locations, antennas, 

frequencies, etc. 

• Supply the information requested 

by FCC Form 601 and the Commission’s 

rules. Complete the questions on the 

pages as they appear, following the 

onscreen prompts and instructions. Use 

the buttons at the bottom of each page 

to continue to the next page or go back 

to the previous page. Provide 

attachments as instructed by clicking 

the ‘‘Attachments’’ link at the top of the 

page. Be sure to use the standard 

attachment types (Word, Adobe 

Acrobat) and file descriptions. 

• Unless you are attaching an exhibit 

that establishes that your application is 

excepted from the filing freeze (see 

section 5.a. above), you must request a 

waiver of the filing freeze. Select ‘‘Yes’’ 

to the question ‘‘Does this application 

include a request for a Waiver of the 

Commission’s Rule(s)?’’ Then upload an 

exhibit that demonstrates that waiving 

the filing freeze for your application 

would serve the public interest and not 

undermine the objectives of the freeze.11

The request should be filed with the 

corresponding application. Upload the 

waiver request as a file, select 

Attachment Type ‘‘Waiver’’ and enter 

‘‘Waiver Request’’ in the ‘‘Description’’ 

field on the ‘‘Attachments’’ page. 

c. CARS Modification Applications in 

COALS 

CARS licensees must file 

modifications in COALS by accessing 

the COALS Portal at https://

fccprod.servicenowservices.com/coals. 

• After logging in with a CORES 

Username and Password, select the FRN 

of the business entity which holds the 

license. From the list of CARS licenses 

on the COALS dashboard, select the 

license for which a modification is 

needed. COALS will display the option 

to complete a major or minor 

modification. 


lotter on DSK11XQN23PROD with RULES1
Federal Register / Vol. 88, No. 179 / Monday, September 18, 2023 / Rules and Regulations 63853 

12Ordinarily, FCC Form 327, Schedule A, Item 7 

requires the applicant ‘‘[f]or a new station or major 

change, (e.g., a change in azimuth or transmit 

antenna or an increase in power or frequency, etc.)’’ 

to attach as Exhibit A–4 a statement or showing 

detailing the results of a frequency coordination 

study performed pursuant to 47 CFR 78.36. 

13See Freeze Public Notice at *2. 

14See 47 CFR 74.5(a)(4), 1.946, 1.953, 1.955. 

15 Id. § 78.30(a). 

16 Id. § 78.30(b). 

• Select the appropriate option. 

Æ In situations where online records 

reference paper filings (e.g., ‘‘See File’’ 

is displayed instead of paths, 

frequencies, or other information; or 

information available online is simply 

blank), the filing fee for the modification 

application as well as the freeze on the 

filing of modification applications will 

be waived to allow the licensee to enter 

data from paper filings to COALS. To 

request a waiver of the filing fee, select 

‘‘Request Waiver of Filing Fee’’ for 

Major Modifications option and provide 

a short explanation of the reason the fee 

should be waived (e.g., that data in the 

online system references prior paper 

filings and the instant application is 

limited to entering accurate data from 

paper filings to COALS). Additionally, 

while helpful, where filers are providing 

missing information, Exhibit A–4, the 

‘‘Result of a Frequency Coordination 

Study,’’ is not required and a statement 

that the paper license that is being 

entered into COALS has been 

previously coordinated will suffice.12

Æ Licenses which contain incorrect 

information as a result of subsequent 

changes to the operations of the CARS 

license are not eligible for a waiver of 

the application processing fee and the 

licensee must request a waiver of the 

filing freeze (see below) for the 

modification application necessary to 

make the license accurate and complete. 

Æ All technical information must be 

entered into COALS for the CARS 

license to be eligible for incumbent 

status. 

• Supply the information requested 

by FCC Form 327. To request a waiver 

of the filing freeze for applications 

where more than the mere completion 

of online records is taking place, append 

a short statement to Exhibit A–3, the 

‘‘Statement of Eligibility,’’ establishing 

the reasoning for the waiver (i.e., that 

demonstrates that waiving the filing 

freeze for your application would serve 

the public interest and not undermine 

the objectives of the freeze).13 Complete 

the relevant certifications and submit 

the modification to complete the 

process. 

6. License Cancellations 

BAS licenses are subject to 

termination following a discontinuance 

of service or failure to meet construction 

or coverage requirements.14 If a BAS 

license has terminated automatically the 

licensee should cancel it in ULS. CARS 

licenses are forfeited in whole or in part 

upon the voluntary removal or 

alteration of their facilities so as to 

render them not operational for a period 

of 30 days or more.15 CARS licensee 

stations that have not operated for one 

year or more are considered to have 

been permanently discontinued and are 

required to cancel their license in 

COALS.16

Federal Communications Commission. 

Blaise Scinto, 

Chief, Broadband Division, Wireless 

Telecommunications Bureau. 

[FR Doc. 2023–20089 Filed 9–15–23; 8:45 am] 

BILLING CODE 6712–01–P 

FEDERAL COMMUNICATIONS 

COMMISSION 

47 CFR Part 8 

[CG Docket No. 22–2; FCC 23–68; FR ID 

170837] 

Empowering Broadband Consumers 

Through Transparency 

AGENCY: Federal Communications 

Commission. 

ACTION: Final rule. 

SUMMARY: In this document, the Federal 

Communications Commission 

(Commission) addresses three petitions 

requesting that the Commission clarify 

and/or reconsider certain of its 

broadband consumer label 

requirements. Specifically, we affirm 

our determinations that providers must 

itemize monthly discretionary fees on 

the label and state how much data is 

provided with the service plan, as 

outlined by the label template. We also 

clarify that E-Rate and Rural Health Care 

(RHC) Program service providers are not 

required to include a broadband label 

for enterprise and special access 

services provided through those 

programs. In addition, we revise the 

Commission’s requirement to document 

each instance when a provider directs a 

consumer to a label at an alternative 

sales channel and to retain such 

documentation for two years. And we 

make clear that providers that opt to 

include government taxes in their 

monthly base price may state on the 

label that government taxes are 

included. Our actions preserve 

consumer access to clear, easy-tounderstand, and accurate information 

about the cost for broadband services 

and will empower consumers to choose 

services that best meet their needs and 

match their budgets. 

DATES: 

Effective date: September 18, 2023. 

Compliance date: FCC will announce 

compliance dates for the amendments to 

47 CFR 8.1(a)(1) and (2) and (b) by 

publication of a document in the 

Federal Register. 

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: 

Erica H. McMahon, Erica.McMahon@

fcc.gov or (202) 418–0346, of the 

Consumer and Governmental Affairs 

Bureau, Consumer Policy Division. For 

information regarding the PRA 

information collection requirements 

contained in the PRA, contact Cathy 

Williams, Office of Managing Director, 

at (202) 418–2918, or Cathy.Williams@

fcc.gov. 

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: This is a 

summary of the Commission’s Order on 

Reconsideration, FCC 23–68, in CG 

Docket No. 22–2, adopted on August 25, 

2023 and released on August 29, 2023, 

which amends the Commission’s 

broadband consumer label 

requirements. The full text of this 

document is available online at https:// 

docs.fcc.gov/public/attachments/FCC23-68A1.pdf. To request this document 

in accessible formats for people with 

disabilities (e.g., Braille, large print, 

electronic files, audio format) or to 

request reasonable accommodations 

(e.g., accessible format documents, sign 

language interpreters, CART), send an 

email to fcc504@fcc.gov or call the 

FCC’s Consumer and Governmental 

Affairs Bureau at (202) 418–0530 

(voice). 

Final Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 

Analysis 

This document may contain new or 

modified information collection 

requirements subject to the Paperwork 

Reduction Act of 1995 (PRA), Public 

Law 104–13. All such new or modified 

information collection requirements 

will be submitted to the Office of 

Management and Budget (OMB) for 

review under section 3507(d) of the 

PRA. OMB, the general public, and 

other Federal agencies will be invited to 

comment on any new or modified 

information collection requirements 

contained in this proceeding. 

In addition, we note that pursuant to 

the Small Business Paperwork Relief 

Act of 2002, Public Law 107–198, see 44 

U.S.C. 3506(c)(4), we previously sought 

specific comment on how the 

Commission might further reduce the 

information collection burden for small 

business concerns with fewer than 25 


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