Information Collection Being Reviewed by the Federal Communications Commission

AGENCY:

Federal Communications Commission.

ACTION:

Notice and request for comments.

SUMMARY:

As part of its continuing effort to reduce paperwork burdens, and as required by the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 (PRA), the Federal Communications Commission (FCC or Commission) invites the general public and other Federal agencies to take this opportunity to comment on the following information collections. 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 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 Office of Management and Budget (OMB) 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 OMB control number.

DATES:

Written PRA comments should be submitted on or before June 14, 2021. 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 Cathy Williams, FCC, via email to PRA@fcc.gov and to Cathy.Williams@fcc.gov.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:

For additional information about the information collection, contact Cathy Williams at (202) 418-2918.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

OMB Control Number: 3060-1215.

Title: Use of Spectrum Bands Above 24 GHz for Mobile Radio Services.

Form Number: N/A.

Type of Review: Revision of an existing collection.

Respondents: Business or other for-profit, not-for-profit institutions, and state, local and tribal government.

Number of Respondents: 1,670 respondents; 1,670 responses.

Estimated Time per Response: .5-10 hours.

Frequency of Response: On occasion reporting requirement; third party disclosure requirement; upon commencement of service, or within 3 years of effective date of rules; and at end of license term, or 2024 for incumbent licensees.

Obligation to Respond: Statutory authority for this collection are contained in sections 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 7, 10, 201, 225, 227, 301, 302, 302a, 303, 304, 307, 309, 310, 316, 319, 332, and 336 of the Communications Act of 1934, 47 U.S.C. 151, 152, 153, 154, 155, 157, 160, 201, 225, 227, 301, 302, 302a, 303, 304, 307, 309, 310, 316, 319, 332, 336, Section 706 of the Telecommunications Act of 1996, as amended, 47 U.S.C. 1302.

Total Annual Burden: 790 hours.

Annual Cost Burden: $581,250.

Privacy Act Impact Assessment: No impact(s).

Nature and Extent of Confidentiality: There is no need for confidentiality with this collection of information.

Needs and Uses: On November 19, 2020, the Commission released a Report and Order, FCC 20-159, in IB Docket No. 18-314, titled, “Further Streamlining Part 25 Rules Governing Satellite Services.” In this Report and Order, among other rule changes, the Commission adopted an optional, extended build-out period for earth station licensees. The optional build-out period increases the allowable time for an earth station to be brought into operation from within one year after licensing, to within: Up to five years and six months for earth stations operating with geostationary satellites; or, up to six years and six months for earth stations operating with non-geostationary satellites. As a companion provision to this new build-out period option, the Commission adopted a requirement for earth station licensees subject to 47 CFR 25.136 to re-coordinate with licensees of Upper Microwave Flexible Use Service (UMFUS) stations if the earth station is brought into operation later than one year after the date of the license grant. The earth station licensee must complete re-coordination within one year before its commencement of operation. The re-coordination should account for any demographic or geographic changes as well as changes to the earth station equipment or configuration. A re-coordination notice must also be filed with the Commission before commencement of earth station operations.

This information collection is used by UMFUS licensees to provide accurate information on the earth station operations notwithstanding the substantially longer earth station build-out period that was adopted. The collection also counterbalances the potential chilling of some UMFUS developments that might otherwise result from the extended earth station build-out periods, and thereby serves as an important check on potential warehousing. Without such information, the Commission would not be able to regulate the shared use of radio frequencies among earth stations and UMFUS stations in the public interest, in accordance with the Communications Act of 1934, as amended.