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 (PRA) of 1995, the Federal Communication 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 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 March 2, 2020. 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 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: 3060-0787.

Title: Implementation of the Subscriber Carrier Selection Changes Provisions of the Telecommunications Act of 1996, Policies and Rules Concerning Unauthorized Changes of Consumers' Long Distance Carriers, CC Docket No. 94-129, CG Docket 17-169.

Form Number: N/A.

Type of Review: Extension of a currently approved collection.

Respondents: Individuals or household; Business or other for-profit; State, Local or Tribal Government.

Number of Respondents and Responses: 4,160 respondents; 20,920 responses.

Estimated Time per Response: 30 minutes (.50 hours) to 10 hours.

Frequency of Response: Recordkeeping requirement; Biennial, on occasion and one-time reporting requirements; Third party disclosure requirement.

Obligation to Respond: Required to obtain or retain benefits. The statutory authority for the information collection requirements is found at Sec. 258 [47 U.S.C. 258] Illegal Changes In Subscriber Carrier Selections, Public Law 104-104, 110 Stat. 56.

Total Annual Burden: 87,173 hours.

Total Annual Cost: 26,300,00.

Nature and Extent of Confidentiality: Confidentiality is an issue to the extent that individuals and households provide personally identifiable information, which is covered under the FCC's system of records notice (SORN), FCC/CGB-1, “Informal Complaints, Inquiries, and Requests for Dispute Assistance.” As required by the Privacy Act, 5 U.S.C. 552a, the Commission also published a SORN, FCC/CGB-1 “Informal Complaints, Inquiries, and Requests for Dispute Assistance”, in the Federal Register on August 15, 2014 (79 FR 48152) which became effective on September 24, 2014.

Privacy Impact Assessment: The FCC completed a Privacy Impact Assessment (PIA) on June 28, 2007. It may be reviewed at http://www.fcc.gov/omd/privacyact/Privacy-Impact-Assessment.html. The Commission is in the process of updating the PIA to incorporate various revisions to it as a result of revisions to the SORN.

Needs and Uses: Section 258 of the Telecommunications Act of 1996 (1996 Act) directed the Commission to prescribe rules to prevent the unauthorized change by telecommunications carriers of consumers' selections of telecommunications service providers (slamming). On March 17, 2003, the FCC released the Third Order on Reconsideration and Second Further Notice of Proposed Rulemaking, CC Docket No. 94-129, FCC 03-42 (Third Order on Reconsideration), in which the Commission revised and clarified certain rules to implement section 258 of the 1996 Act. On May 23, 2003, the Commission released an Order (CC Docket No. 94-129, FCC 03-116) clarifying certain aspects of the Third Order on Reconsideration. On January 9, 2008, the Commission released the Fourth Report and Order, CC Docket No. 94-129, FCC 07-223, revising its requirements concerning verification of a consumer's intent to switch carriers.

The Fourth Report and Order modified the information collection requirements contained in § 64.1120(c)(3)(iii) of the Commission's rules to provide for verifications to elicit “confirmation that the person on the call understands that a carrier change, not an upgrade to existing service, bill consolidation, or any other misleading description of the transaction, is being authorized.”