[Federal Register Volume 87, Number 57 (Thursday, March 24, 2022)]
[Notices]
[Pages 16731-16733]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2022-06221]


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FEDERAL COMMUNICATIONS COMMISSION

[OMB 3060-0986; FR ID #77308]


Information Collection Being Reviewed by the Federal 
Communications Commission

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

[[Page 16732]]

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 May 23, 
2022. 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 Nicole Ongele, FCC, via email 
<a href="/cdn-cgi/l/email-protection#8ddddfcccdebeeeea3eae2fb"><span class="__cf_email__" data-cfemail="35656774755356561b525a43">[email protected]</span></a> and to <a href="/cdn-cgi/l/email-protection#6e00070d01020b400100090b020b2e080d0d40090118"><span class="__cf_email__" data-cfemail="325c5b515d5e571c5d5c55575e57725451511c555d44">[email protected]</span></a>.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: For additional information about the 
information collection, contact Nicole Ongele, (202) 418-2991.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
    OMB Control Number: 3060-0986.
    Title: High-Cost Universal Service Support.
    Form Number: FCC Form 481 and FCC Form 525.
    Type of Review: Revision of a currently approved collection.
    Respondents: Business or other for-profit, not-for-profit 
institutions and state, local or tribal government.
    Number of Respondents and Responses: 2,229 respondents; 13,804 
responses.
    Estimated Time per Response: 0.1-15 hours.
    Frequency of Response: On occasion, quarterly and annual reporting 
requirements, recordkeeping requirement and third-party disclosure 
requirement.
    Obligation to Respond: Required to obtain or retain benefits. 
Statutory authority for this information collection is contained in 47 
U.S.C. 151-154, 155, 201-206, 214, 218-220, 251, 252, 254, 256, 303(r), 
332, 403, 405, 410, and 1302.
    Total Annual Burden: 50,857 hours.
    Total Annual Cost: No Cost.
    Privacy Act Impact Assessment: No impact(s).
    Nature and Extent of Confidentiality: The Federal Communications 
Commission (Commission) notes that the Universal Service Administrative 
Company (USAC or Administrator) must preserve the confidentiality of 
all data obtained from respondents and contributors to the universal 
service support program mechanism; must not use the data except for 
purposes of administering the universal service program; must not use 
the data except for purposes of administering the universal support 
program; and must not disclose data in company-specific form unless 
directed to do so by the Commission. Parties may submit confidential 
information in relation pursuant to a protective order. Also, 
respondents may request materials or information submitted to the 
Commission or to the Administrator believed confidential to be withheld 
from public inspection under 47 CFR 0.459 of the FCC's rules.
    Needs and Uses: The Commission is requesting the Office of 
Management and Budget (OMB) approval for this revised information 
collection. On November 18, 2011, the Commission adopted an order 
reforming its high-cost universal service support mechanisms. Connect 
America Fund; A National Broadband Plan for Our Future; Establish Just 
and Reasonable Rates for Local Exchange Carriers; High-Cost Universal 
Service Support; Developing a Unified Intercarrier Compensation Regime; 
Federal-State Joint Board on Universal Service; Lifeline and Link-Up; 
Universal Service Reform--Mobility Fund, WC Docket Nos. 10-90, 07-135, 
05-337, 03-109; GN Docket No. 09-51; CC Docket Nos. 01-92, 96-45; WT 
Docket No. 10-208, Order and Further Notice of Proposed Rulemaking, 26 
FCC Rcd 17663 (2011) (USF/ICC Transformation Order). The Commission and 
Wireline Competition Bureau have since adopted a number of orders that 
implement the USF/ICC Transformation Order; see also Connect America 
Fund et al., WC Docket No. 10-90 et al., Third Order on 
Reconsideration, 27 FCC Rcd 5622 (2012); Connect America Fund et al., 
WC Docket No. 10-90 et al., Order, 27 FCC Rcd 605 (Wireline Comp. Bur. 
2012); Connect America Fund et al., WC Docket No. 10-90 et al., Fifth 
Order on Reconsideration, 27 FCC Rcd 14549 (2012); Connect America Fund 
et al., WC Docket No. 10-90 et al., Order, 28 FCC Rcd 2051 (Wireline 
Comp. Bur. 2013); Connect America Fund et al., WC Docket No. 10-90 et 
al., Order, 28 FCC Rcd 7227 (Wireline Comp. Bur. 2013); Connect America 
Fund, WC Docket No. 10-90, Report and Order, 28 FCC Rcd 7766 (Wireline 
Comp. Bur. 2013); Connect America Fund, WC Docket No. 10-90, Report and 
Order, 28 FCC Rcd 7211 (Wireline Comp. Bur. 2013); Connect America 
Fund, WC Docket No. 10-90, Report and Order, 28 FCC Rcd 10488 (Wireline 
Comp. Bur. 2013); Connect America Fund et al., WC Docket No. 10-90 et 
al., Report and Order, Order and Order on Reconsideration and Further 
Notice of Proposed Rulemaking, 31 FCC Rcd 3087 (2016); Connect America 
Fund, et al., WC Docket No. 10-90, et al., Report and Order and Further 
Notice of Proposed Rulemaking, 31 FCC Rcd 5949 (2016); Connect America 
Fund et al., WC Docket Nos. 10-90, 16-271; WT Docket No. 10-208, Report 
and Order and Further Notice of Proposed Rulemaking, 31 FCC Rcd 10139 
(2016); Connect America Fund; ETC Annual Reports and Certifications, WC 
Docket Nos. 10-90, 14-58, Order, 32 FCC Rcd 968 (2017); Connect America 
Fund et al., WC Docket No. 10-90 et al., Report and Order, Further 
Notice of Proposed Rulemaking, and Order on Reconsideration, 33 FCC Rcd 
11893 (2018); Connect America Fund; ETC Annual Reports and 
Certifications, WC Docket Nos. 10-90, 14-58, Report and Order, 32 FCC 
Rcd 5944 (2017).
    In 2019, the Commission adopted an order establishing a separate, 
parallel high-cost program for the U.S. territories suffering extensive 
infrastructure damage due to Hurricanes Irma and Maria. The Uniendo a 
Puerto Rico Fund and the Connect USVI Fund, et al., WC Docket No. 18-
143, et al., Report and Order and Order on Reconsideration, 34 FCC Rcd 
9109 (2019) (Puerto Rico and USVI Stage 2 Order). Also, in the 2019 
Supply Chain Order, the Commission adopted a rule prohibiting the use 
of Universal Service Fund (USF) support, including high-cost universal 
service support, to purchase or obtain any equipment or services 
produced or provided by a covered company posing a national security 
threat to the integrity of communications networks or the 
communications supply chain. Protecting Against National Security 
Threats to the Communications Supply Chain Through FCC Programs, WC 
Docket No. 18-89, Report and Order, Further Notice of Proposed 
Rulemaking, and Order, 34 FCC Rcd 11423, 11433, para. 26. See also 47 
CFR 54.9.
    Through several orders, the Commission has changed, modified, and 
eliminated certain reporting obligations for high-cost support. These 
changes are outlined in the following:
    On January 30, 2020, the Commission adopted an order establishing 
the framework for the Rural Digital Opportunity Fund (RDOF), building 
on the successful Connect America Fund (CAF) Phase II auction. Rural 
Digital Opportunity Fund; Connect America Fund, WC Docket Nos. 19-126 
and 10-90, Report and Order, 35 FCC Rcd 686 (2020) (RDOF Order). The 
RDOF represents the Commission's single biggest step to close the 
digital divide by

[[Page 16733]]

providing up to $20.4 billion to connect millions more rural homes and 
small businesses to high-speed broadband networks. In the RDOF Order, 
``[t]o ensure that support recipients are meeting their deployment 
obligations,'' the Commission ``adopt[ed] essentially the same 
reporting requirements for the RDOF that the Commission adopted for the 
CAF Phase II auction.'' Id. at 712, para. 56.
    In the 2020 Supply Chain Order, the Commission adopted two 
additional supply chain rules associated with newly required 
certifications. Protecting Against National Security Threats to the 
Communications Supply Chain Through FCC Programs, WC Docket No. 18-89, 
Second Report and Order, 35 FCC Rcd 14284 (2020) (2020 Supply Chain 
Order). First, the Commission adopted a rule, 47 CFR 54.10, to prohibit 
the use of a Federal subsidy made available through a program 
administered by the Commission that provides funds to be used for the 
capital expenditures necessary for the provision of advanced 
communications services has been or will be used to purchase, rent, 
lease, or otherwise obtain, any covered communications equipment or 
service, or maintain any covered communications equipment or service 
previously purchased, rented, leased, or otherwise obtained. Second, 
the Commission adopted a rule, 47 CFR 54.11, which requires each 
eligible telecommunications carrier receiving universal service fund 
support to remove and replace all covered communications equipment and 
services from their networks, and subsequently certify prior to 
receiving a funding commitment or support that it does not use covered 
communications equipment or services. The Commission also adopted 
procedures, consistent with the Secure and Trusted Communications 
Networks Act of 2019 (Pub. L. 116-124), to identify such covered 
equipment and services and publish a Covered List. That list was 
published March 12, 2021 and will be updated as needed.
    In the Rate Floor Repeal Order, the Commission decided to 
``eliminate the rate floor and, following a one-year period of 
monitoring residential retail rates, eliminate the accompanying 
reporting obligations after July 1, 2020.'' Connect America Fund, WC 
Docket No. 10-90, Order, 34 FCC Rcd 2621, 2621 para. 2 (2019) (Rate 
Floor Repeal Order); see also 47 CFR 54.313(h). As explained in the 
Order, the rate floor was ``[i]ntended to guard against artificial 
subsidization of rural end user rates significantly below the national 
urban average'' but, practically speaking, ``increase[d] the telephone 
rates of rural subscribers . . . and individuals living on Tribal 
lands.'' Rate Floor Repeal Order, 34 FCC Rcd at 2621 para. 1.
    The Commission therefore proposes to revise this information 
collection, as well as the Form 481 and its accompanying instructions, 
to reflect these modified and eliminated requirements. Finally, the 
Commission proposes to increase the respondents associated with 
existing reporting requirements to account for additional carriers that 
will be subject to those requirements.

Federal Communications Commission.
Marlene Dortch,
Secretary, Office of the Secretary.
[FR Doc. 2022-06221 Filed 3-23-22; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6712-01-P


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