Source: https://www.federalregister.gov/documents/2011/05/26/2011-13020/information-collection-being-reviewed-by-the-federal-communications-commission
Timestamp: 2017-11-21 11:23:28
Document Index: 571695956

Matched Legal Cases: ['§\u200954', '§\u200954', '§\u200954', '§\u200954', '§\u200954', '§\u200954', '§\u200954', '§\u200954', '§\u200954', '§\u200954', '§\u200954', '§\u200954', '§\u200954', '§\u200954']

Written PRA comments should be submitted on or before July 25, 2011. 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.
76 FR 30713
30713-30714 (2 pages)
2011-13020
https://www.federalregister.gov/d/2011-13020 https://www.federalregister.gov/d/2011-13020
Number of Respondents and Responses: 1529 respondents; 1529 responses.
Estimated Time per Response: 0.25-40 hours.
Frequency of Response: One-time and annual reporting requirements; recordkeeping requirements.
Total Annual Burden: 1,356 hours.
Needs and Uses: Designation as an Eligible Telecommunications Carrier (ETC) makes a telecommunications carrier eligible to participate in the Universal Service Fund's high-cost and low-income programs, which support the extension of telecommunications services to underserved rural and low-income communities. In the absence of this information collection, the Commission's ability to oversee the use of Federal universal service funds and to combat waste, fraud, and abuse in the use of Federal funds would be compromised. The Commission's rules for ETCs require the collection of the following information as stated in paragraphs a-c:
a. ETC Designation Application. Rule 54.202 requires carriers seeking designation from the Commission to submit an application that certifies that the carrier will reasonably provide service to customers in their designated service area, 47 CFR 54.202(a)(1)(i), includes a five-year plan that describes network improvements or why such improvements are unnecessary, § 54.202(a)(1)(ii), demonstrates the carrier's ability to remain functional in emergency situations, § 54.202(a)(2), demonstrates the carrier's commitment to consumer protection and service quality standards, § 54.202(a)(3), demonstrates that carrier offers a local usage plan comparable to the one offered by the incumbent telephone company, § 54.202(a)(4), and certifies that the Commission may require the carrier to provide equal access to other long distance carriers, § 54.202(a)(5). If the carrier is seeking designation on Tribal lands, the carrier must also submit a copy of its application to the Tribal government and Tribal regulatory authority. § 54.202(d).
b. ETC Annual Reporting. Rule 54.209 requires Federally designated ETCs to submit each year an annual report on October 1 that parallels many of the requirements of an application. The annual report must include a progress report on the ETC's five-year plan, § 54.209(a)(1), detailed outage information, § 54.209(a)(2), the number of unfulfilled requests for service from potential customers within its service areas, § 54.209(a)(3), the number of complaints per 1,000 handsets or lines, § 54.209(a)(4), certification that the ETC is complying with applicable service quality standards and consumer protection rules, § 54.209(a)(5), certification that the ETC is able to function in emergency situations, § 54.209(a)(6), certification that the ETC is offering a local usage plan comparable to that offered by the incumbent LEC in the relevant service areas, § 54.209(a)(7), and certification that the Commission may require the carrier to provide equal access to other long distance carriers, § 54.209(a)(8).
c. ETC Recordkeeping. Rule 54.202(e) requires all ETCs to keep for a period of at least five years all records required to demonstrate to auditors that the support received was consistent with the universal service high-cost program rules.
Deputy Manager, Office of the Secretary, Office of the Managing Director.
[FR Doc. 2011-13020 Filed 5-25-11; 8:45 am]