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 October 25, 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 Nicole Ongele, FCC, via email PRA@fcc.gov and to Nicole.Ongele@fcc.gov.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:

For additional information about the information collection, contact Nicole Ongele, (202) 418-2991.

OMB Control Number: 3060-1222.

Title: Inmate Calling Services Annual Reporting, Certification, Consumer Disclosure, and Waiver Request Requirements.

Form Number(s): FCC Form 2301(a) and FCC Form 2301(b).

Type of Review: Revision of a currently approved collection.

Respondents: Business or other for profit.

Number of Respondents and Responses: 20 respondents; 23 responses.

Estimated Time per Response: 5 hours-80 hours.

Frequency of Response: Annual reporting; on occasion; and third party disclosure requirements.

Obligation to Respond: Statutory authority for this information collection is contained in sections 1, 4(i)-4(j), 201(b), 218, 220, 225, 255, 276, 403, and 716 of the Communications Act of 1934, as amended, 47 U.S.C. 151, 154(i-(j), 201(b), 218, 220, 225, 255, 276, 403 and 617.

Total Annual Burden: 2,940 hours.

Total Annual Cost: No cost.

Privacy Act Impact Assessment: No impact(s).

Nature and Extent of Confidentiality: The Commission anticipates treating as presumptively confidential any particular information identified as proprietary by providers of inmate calling services (ICS).

Needs and Uses: Section 201 of the Communications Act of 1934 Act, as amended (Act), 47 U.S.C. 201, requires that ICS providers' interstate and international rates and practices be just and reasonable. Section 276 of the Act, 47 U.S.C. 276, requires that payphone service providers (including ICS providers) be fairly compensated for completed calls.

On May 24, 2021, the Commission released the Third Report and Order, Order on Reconsideration, and Fifth Further Notice of Proposed Rulemaking, WC Docket No. 12-375, FCC 21-60 (2021 ICS Order), in which it continued its reform of the ICS marketplace. In that Order, the Commission, among other things, lowered the interstate interim rate caps; reformed the current treatment of site commission payments; eliminated the separate interstate collect calling rate caps; reformed the ancillary service rules for third-party financial fees; capped, for the first time, international calling rates; adopted a new mandatory data collection to gather data to set permanent rates; and reaffirmed providers' obligations regarding access for incarcerated people with disabilities.

The reforms also included expanded consumer disclosure requirements, as well as new reporting requirements for ICS providers seeking waiver of the Commission's interstate and international rate caps. In connection with international rates, the Commission required that providers must separately disclose the rate component for terminating calls to each country where that provider terminates international calls.