Information Collection Being Submitted for Review and Approval to Office of Management and Budget

AGENCY:

Federal Communications Commission.

ACTION:

Notice and request for comments.

SUMMARY:

As part of its continuing effort to reduce paperwork burdens, 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. Pursuant to the Small Business Paperwork Relief Act of 2002, the FCC seeks specific comment on how it might “further reduce the information collection burden for small business concerns with fewer than 25 employees.” The Commission 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 comments and recommendations for the proposed information collection should be submitted on or before April 17, 2023.

ADDRESSES:

Comments should be sent to www.reginfo.gov/public/do/PRAMain. Find this particular information collection by selecting “Currently under 30-day Review—Open for Public Comments” or by using the search function. Your comment must be submitted into www.reginfo.gov per the above instructions for it to be considered. In addition to submitting in www.reginfo.gov also send a copy of your comment on the proposed information collection to Nicole Ongele, FCC, via email to PRA@fcc.gov and to Nicole.Ongele@fcc.gov. Include in the comments the OMB control number as shown in the SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION below.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:

For additional information or copies of the information collection, contact Nicole Ongele at (202) 418-2991. To view a copy of this information collection request (ICR) submitted to OMB: (1) go to the web page http://www.reginfo.gov/public/do/PRAMain, (2) look for the section of the web page called “Currently Under Review,” (3) click on the downward-pointing arrow in the “Select Agency” box below the “Currently Under Review” heading, (4) select “Federal Communications Commission” from the list of agencies presented in the “Select Agency” box, (5) click the “Submit” button to the right of the “Select Agency” box, (6) when the list of FCC ICRs currently under review appears, look for the Title of this ICR and then click on the ICR Reference Number. A copy of the FCC submission to OMB will be displayed.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

As part of its continuing effort to reduce paperwork burdens, as required by the Paperwork Reduction Act (PRA) of 1995 (44 U.S.C. 3501-3520), the FCC invited the general public and other Federal Agencies to take this opportunity to comment on the following information collection. Comments are requested concerning: (a) 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; (b) the accuracy of the Commission's burden estimates; (c) ways to enhance the quality, utility, and clarity of the information collected; and (d) 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. Pursuant to the Small Business Paperwork Relief Act of 2002, Public Law 107-198, see 44 U.S.C. 3506(c)(4), the FCC seeks specific comment on how it might “further reduce the information collection burden for small business concerns with fewer than 25 employees.”

OMB Control Number: 3060-0816.

Title: Local Telephone Competition and Broadband Reporting, Report and Order, FCC Form 477, (WC Docket No. 19-195, WC Docket No, 11-10, FCC 19-79).

Form Number: FCC Form 477.

Type of Review: Extension of a currently approved collection.

Respondents: Business or other for-profit entities; not-for-profit institutions; and State, local, or Tribal governments.

Number of Respondents and Responses: 3,400 respondents; 6,800 responses.

Estimated Time per Response: 289 hours (average).

Frequency of Response: Semi-annual reporting requirement.

Obligation to Respond: Required to obtain or retain benefits. Statutory authority for this information collection is contained in 47 U.S.C. 4(i), 201, 218-220, 251-252, 271, 303(r), 332, and 403 of the Communications Act of 1934, as amended, and in section 706 of the Telecommunications Act of 1996, as amended, codified in section 1302 of the Broadband Data Improvement Act, 47 U.S.C. 1302.

Total Annual Burden: 1,965,200 hours.

Total Annual Cost: No cost.

Needs and Uses: FCC Form 477 provides an understanding of broadband and voice subscribership, and, through its critical connection to the Broadband Data Collection, the extent of broadband availability. The understanding of broadband subscribership and availability provided by these data are the foundation of the Commission's development of appropriate broadband policies, and enable the Commission to carry out its obligation under section 706 of the Telecommunications Act of 1996, as amended, to “determine whether advanced telecommunications capability is being deployed to all Americans in a reasonable and timely fashion.” In addition, the information collected in Form 477 enhances the Commission's analysis and understanding of the extent of voice telephone services competition, which in turn supports the Commission's efforts to open all telecommunications markets to competition and to promote innovation and investment by all participants, including new entrants, as required by the Telecommunications Act of 1996.

The Commission staff uses the information to advise the Commission about the efficacy of its rules and policies adopted to implement the Telecommunications Act of 1996. The data are necessary to evaluate the status of local telecommunications competition and broadband availability. The Commission uses the data to prepare reports that help inform consumers and policy makers at the federal and state level on the availability and adoption of broadband services, as well as on developments related to competition in the voice telephone services market. The Commission also uses the data to support its analyses in a variety of rulemaking proceedings under the Communications Act, including those related to fulfilling its universal service mandate.

The Commission releases to the public the broadband availability and mobile voice availability data that it began collecting in 2014 as a result of the Order. This information is used by consumers, federal and state government agencies, analysts, and others to determine broadband service availability by provider, technology, and speed.