[Federal Register Volume 62, Number 155 (Tuesday, August 12, 1997)]
[Notices]
[Pages 43165-43167]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 97-21179]


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FEDERAL COMMUNICATIONS COMMISSION


Public Information Collections Approved by Office of Management 
and Budget

August 5, 1997.
    The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) has received Office of 
Management and Budget (OMB) approval for the following public 
information collections pursuant to the Paperwork Reduction Act of 
1995, Pub. L. 104-13. An agency may not conduct or sponsor and a person 
is not required to respond to a collection of information unless it 
displays a currently valid control number. For further information 
contact Shoko B. Hair, Federal Communications Commission, (202) 418-
1379.

Federal Communications Commission

    OMB Control No.: 3060-0785.
    Expiration Date: 01/31/98.
    Title: Changes to the Board of Directors of the National Exchange 
Carrier Association and the Federal-State Joint Board on Universal 
Service, CC Docket Nos. 97-21 and 96-45.
    Form No.: FCC Form 457, Universal Service Worksheet.
    Respondents: Business or other for profit.
    Estimated Annual Burden: 20,000 respondents; 4.31 hours per 
response (avg.); 86,250 total annual burden hours for all collections.
    Estimated Annual Reporting and Recordkeeping Cost Burden: 
$7,580,500.
    Frequency of Response: On occasion; semi-annual; quarterly; 
monthly.
    Description: The Telecommunications Act of 1996 (1996 Act) directed 
the Commission to initiate a rulemaking to reform our system of 
universal service so that universal service is preserved and advanced 
as markets move toward competition. To fulfill that mandate, based on 
the recommendations of the Federal-State Joint Board on Universal 
Service, the Commission adopted a Report and Order in CC Docket No. 96-
45 on May 8, 1997 to implement the Congressional directives set out in 
section 254 of the Communications Act of 1934, as amended by the 1996 
Act. In Changes to the Board of Directors of the National Exchange 
Carrier Association, Inc. and Federal-State Joint Board on Universal 
Service, Report and

[[Page 43166]]

Order and Second Order on Reconsideration, CC Docket Nos. 97-21 and 96-
45, the Commission further clarifies reporting requirements necessary 
to calculate contributions to universal service. Section 254(d) 
requires all telecommunications carriers that provide interstate 
telecommunications services to make equitable and nondiscriminatory 
contributions towards the preservation and advancement of universal 
service. Section 254(d) also permits the Commission to require 
providers of interstate telecommunications to contribute to universal 
service if it would serve the public interest. Pursuant to section 
54.703 of the Commission's rules, all contributors must contribute to 
the support mechanisms based on their end-user telecommunications 
revenues. End-user telecommunications revenues are those revenues 
derived from end users for telecommunications or telecommunications 
services. End-user telecommunications revenues also include revenues 
from subscriber line charges. Support for programs for schools, 
libraries, and rural health care providers will be based on interstate, 
intrastate and international end-user telecommunications revenues. 
Support for programs for high cost areas and low-income consumers will 
be based on interstate and international end-user telecommunications 
revenues.
    In order to compute contributions, contributors must submit semi-
annually information regarding their end-user telecommunications 
revenues. Section 54.711 of the Commission's rules requires 
contributing entities to submit a semi-annual Universal Service 
Worksheet, FCC Form 457 (the Worksheet) and quarterly contributions to 
universal service. See 47 CFR Section 54.711. The Worksheet requires 
entities to submit information regarding their end-user 
telecommunications revenues. It will require entities to list their 
revenues by several categories and to specify what portion of their 
revenues are attributable to interstate services. The Worksheet will be 
used by the Administrator or Temporary Administrator to calculate total 
end-user telecommunications revenues. This information shall be used to 
calculate the quarterly contribution factors which shall be applied to 
individual end-user telecommunications revenues to calculate individual 
contributions. Universal service contribution factors shall be based on 
the ratio of projected costs of the support mechanisms for the funding 
year, including administrative expenses, to the revenue base, 
calculated from information contained in the Worksheets. The 1998 
universal service funding year will begin January 1, 1998 and end 
December 31, 1998. The Administrator or Temporary Administrator will 
adjust the contribution factor every quarter based on projected demand 
for services, administrative costs, etc. The Report and Order set forth 
a partial listing of the types of interstate services for which 
contributions must be made. Carriers that provide interstate services, 
including, but not limited to: cellular telephone and paging services; 
mobile radio services; operator services; PCS; access to interexchange 
service; special access; WATS; toll-free services; 900 services; MTS; 
private line; telex; telegraph; video services; satellite services; and 
resale services must contribute to the universal service support 
mechanisms. See 47 CFR Section 54.703. The Administrator or Temporary 
Administrator will bill contributors and the contributor will then 
submit its quarterly payment to the Administrator or Temporary 
Administrator. Contributors that provide services to schools, 
libraries, and health care providers may be eligible to receive a 
credit against their contributions. A contributor seeking a credit must 
submit information to the Administrator or Temporary Administrator 
regarding the services provided at less than cost. See 47 CFR Section 
54.515. The Administrator or Temporary Administrator will send 
contributors a quarterly bill that will set out the quarterly 
contribution due. In addition, contributors will be allowed to submit 
their quarterly contribution with the information necessary to 
calculate any credits. The Commission exempts certain carriers from the 
contribution requirement. If based on the funding year's first quarter 
contribution percentage, a contributor's yearly contribution would be 
less than $100, it will not be required to submit a Worksheet and a 
contribution. Failure to file the Worksheet or to submit required 
contributions may subject the contributors to the enforcement 
provisions of the Act and any other applicable law. See 47 CFR Section 
54.713. Statutory authority for this collection of information is 
contained in 47 USC Secs. 154(i), 254(d), as amended. The information 
will be used by the Commission and the Administrator or Temporary 
Administrator to calculate contributions to the universal service 
support mechanisms. The Universal Service Worksheet can be obtained 
from the Commission's website (www.fcc.gov). The Worksheet is also 
available through the FCC Fax-on-Demand system. Copies may be ordered 
via fax 24 hours a day by calling 202-418-0177 from the handset of any 
fax machine. The document retrieval number is 000457. The files contain 
both the instructions and the form. Follow the system voice prompts and 
enter the document retrieval number when requested. Due to the limited 
number of phone lines into the forms Fax-on Demand system, callers may 
wish to call during non-business hours. If you have difficulty with the 
transmission of your fax contact Ginny Simms at 202-418-0213. All 
entities that are required to contribute to universal service support 
mechanisms must complete the Worksheet by September 1, 1997. Compliance 
is mandatory.
    OMB Control No.: 3060-0786.
    Expiration Date: 01/31/98.
    Title: Petitions for LATA Association Changes by Independent 
Telephone Companies.
    Form No.: N/A.
    Respondents: Business or other for profit.
    Estimated Annual Burden: 20 respondents; 6 hours per response 
(avg.); 120 total annual burden hours.
    Estimated Annual Reporting and Recordkeeping Cost Burden: $0.
    Frequency of Response: On occasion.
    Description: In Petitions for LATA Association Changes by 
Independent Telephone Companies, Memorandum Opinion and Order (Order), 
CC Docket No. 96-158, the Commission pursuant to the provisions of the 
Communications Act of 1934, as amended requests that independent 
telephone companies (ITCs) and Bell Operating Companies provide certain 
information to the Commission regarding ITC requests for changes in 
local access and transport area (LATA) association and modification of 
LATA boundaries to permit the change in association. The Commission has 
provided voluntary guidelines to assist ITCs in filing petitions for 
changes in LATA association and connected modification of LATA 
boundaries. The guidelines ask that each LATA association change 
request include the following information: (1) Type of request; (2) 
exchange information; (3) number of access lines or customers; (4) 
public interest statement; (5) a map showing exchanges and LATA 
boundaries involved; (6) a list of extended local calling service 
(ELCS) routes between the independent exchange and the LATA with which 
it is currently associated; and (7) a BOC supplement requesting a 
modification of the LATA boundary. A carrier will be

[[Page 43167]]

deemed to have made a prima facie case supporting grant of the proposed 
change in association if the petition: (1) States that the association 
change is necessary because of planned upgrades to the ITC's network or 
service that will require routing traffic through a different BOC LATA; 
(2) involves a limited number of access lines; and (3) includes a 
statement from the affected BOC(s) requesting a LATA modification. The 
guidelines will assist the ITCs in filing LATA association petitions 
and the Commission in determining whether a change in LATA association 
should be granted. The requested information will be used by the 
Commission to determine whether the need for the proposed changes in 
LATA association outweighs the risk of potential anticompetitive 
effects, and thus whether requests for changes in LATA association and 
connected modifications of LATA boundaries should be granted.
    OMB Control No.: 3060-0784.
    Expiration Date: 01/31/98.
    Title: USAC Board of Directors Nomination Process, CC Docket Nos. 
97-21 and 96-45.
    Form No.: N/A.
    Respondents: Business or other for profit.
    Estimated Annual Burden: 17 respondents; 20 hours per response 
(avg.); 340 total annual burden hours.
    Estimated Annual Reporting and Recordkeeping Cost Burden: $0.
    Frequency of Response: On occasion; biennially.
    Description: In Changes to the Board of Directors of the National 
Exchange Carrier Association, Inc. and Federal-State Joint Board on 
Universal Service, Report and Order and Second Order on 
Reconsideration, CC Docket Nos. 97-21 and 96-45, the Commission 
appoints the National Exchange Carrier Association (NECA) the temporary 
administrator of the universal service support mechanisms, subject to 
its creating a separate subsidiary, the Universal Service 
Administrative Company (USAC), to administer the support programs. The 
Commission also directs NECA to create two unaffiliated corporations to 
administer portions of the schools and libraries and rural health care 
programs. USAC's Board of Directors shall consist of 17 individuals who 
represent a cross section of industry providers and support program 
beneficiaries: (1) Three directors shall represent incumbent local 
exchange carriers, with one director representing the Bell Operating 
Companies and GTE, one director representing ILECs (other than the Bell 
Operating Companies) with annual operating revenues in excess of $40 
million, and one director representing ILECs (other than the Bell 
Operating Companies) with annual operating revenues of $40 million or 
less; (2) Two directors shall represent interexchange carriers, with 
one director representing interexchange carriers with more than $3 
billion in annual operating revenues and one director representing 
interexchange carriers with annual operating revenues of $3 billion or 
less; (3) One director shall represent commercial mobile radio service 
(CMRS) providers; (4) One director shall represent competitive local 
exchange carriers; (5) One director shall represent cable operators; 
(6) One director shall represent information service providers; (7) 
Three directors shall represent schools that are eligible to receive 
universal service discounts; (8) One director shall represent libraries 
that are eligible to receive universal service discounts; (9) One 
director shall represent rural health care providers that are eligible 
to receive supported services; (10) One director shall represent low-
income consumers; (11) One director shall represent state 
telecommunications regulators; and (12) One director shall represent 
state consumer advocates. The Commission instructs industry and non-
industry groups to nominate a consensus candidate for each seat on the 
Board. Each of these industry and non-industry groups shall submit the 
name of its nominee for a seat on USAC's Board of Directors, along with 
relevant professional and biographical information about the nominee, 
to the Chairman of the Federal Communications Commission within 14 
calendar days of the publication of the Report and Order's rules in the 
Federal Register. Only members of the industry or non-industry group 
that a Board member will represent may submit a nomination for that 
position. See 47 CFR Sections 69.614, 69.617. Members of the USAC Board 
will be appointed for two-year terms. Board members may be re-appointed 
for subsequent terms pursuant to the initial nomination and appointment 
process described above. The information will be used by the Commission 
to select USAC's Board of Directors. The information requested is not 
otherwise available. Without such information the Commission could not 
appoint a representative body to USAC's Board of Directors and, 
therefore, could not fulfill its statutory responsibilities in 
accordance with the Communications Act of 1934, as amended. You are 
required to respond.
    Public reporting burden for the collection of information is as 
noted above. Send comments regarding the burden estimate or any other 
aspect of the collections of information, including suggestions for 
reducing the burden to Performance Evaluation and Records Management, 
Washington, D.C. 20554.

Federal Communications Commission.
William F. Caton,
Acting Secretary.
[FR Doc. 97-21179 Filed 8-11-97; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6712-01-P