Notice of Public Information Collection(s) Being Reviewed by the Federal Communications Commission, Comments Requested, 3254 [E8-761]

Agencies

• FEDERAL COMMUNICATIONS COMMISSION

[Federal Register Volume 73, Number 12 (Thursday, January 17, 2008)]
[Notices]
[Page 3254]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Printing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E8-761]


-----------------------------------------------------------------------

FEDERAL COMMUNICATIONS COMMISSION


Notice of Public Information Collection(s) Being Reviewed by the 
Federal Communications Commission, Comments Requested

January 11, 2008.
SUMMARY: The Federal Communications Commission, as part of its 
continuing effort to reduce paperwork burdens, invites the general 
public and other Federal agencies to take this opportunity to comment 
on the following information collection(s), as required by the 
Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 (PRA), Public Law No. 104-13. An agency 
may not conduct or sponsor a collection of information unless it 
displays a currently valid control number. Subject to the PRA, no 
person shall be subject to any penalty for failing to comply with a 
collection of information that does not display a valid control number. 
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 
estimate; (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.

DATES: Written PRA comments should be submitted on or before March 17, 
2008. 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: You may submit all PRA comments by e-mail or U.S. post mail. 
To submit your comments by e-mail, send them to PRA@fcc.gov. To submit 
your comments by U.S. mail, mark them to the attention of Cathy 
Williams, Federal Communications Commission, Room 1-C823, 445 12th 
Street, SW., Washington, DC 20554.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: For additional information about the 
information collection(s), contact Cathy Williams at (202) 418-2918 or 
send an e-mail to PRA@fcc.gov.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
    OMB Control Number: 3060-0463.
    Title: Telecommunications Relay Services and Speech-to-Speech 
Services for Individuals with Hearing and Speech Disabilities, Report 
and Order and Declaratory Ruling, CG Docket No. 03-123, FCC 07-186.
    Form Number: Not applicable.
    Type of Review: Revision of a currently approved collection.
    Respondents: Business or other for-profit entities; State, local or 
tribal government.
    Number of Respondents: 5,053.
    Estimated Time per Response: 10-25 hours.
    Frequency of Response: Annual reporting requirement; Recordkeeping 
requirement; Third Party Disclosure.
    Obligation to Respond: Required to obtain or retain benefits.
    Total Annual Burden: 27,412 burden hours.
    Total Annual Cost: None.
    Nature and Extent of Confidentiality: An assurance of 
confidentiality is not offered because this information collection does 
not require the collection of personally identifiable information (PII) 
from individuals.
    Privacy Impact Assessment: No impact(s).
    Needs and Uses: On November 19, 2007, the Commission released the 
Telecommunications Relay Services and Speech-to-Speech Services for 
Individuals with Hearing and Speech Disabilities, Report and Order and 
Declaratory Ruling (2007 TRS Cost Recovery Order), CG Docket No. 03-
123, FCC 07-186, adopting (1) a new cost recovery methodology for 
interstate traditional TRS and interstate Speech-to-Speech (STS) based 
on the Muliti-state Average Rate Structure (MARS) plan proposed by 
Hamilton Relay, Inc., (2) a new cost recovery methodology for 
interstate captioned telephone service (CTS) and interstate and 
intrastate Internet-Protocol (IP) Captioned Telephone Service (IP CTS) 
based on the MARS plan, (3) a cost recovery methodology for IP Relay 
based on price caps, and (4) a cost recovery methodology for Video 
Relay Services (VRS) that adopts tiered rates based on call volume. The 
2007 TRS Cost Recovery Order also clarifies the nature and extent that 
certain categories of costs are compensable from the Interstate TRS 
Fund (Fund), and addresses certain issues concerning the management and 
oversight of the Fund, including financial incentives offered to 
consumers to make relay calls and the role of the Interstate TRS Fund 
Advisory Council.
    The 2007 TRS Cost Recovery Order establishes reporting requirements 
associated with the MARS plan cost recovery methodology for 
compensation from the Fund. Specifically, TRS providers must submit to 
the Fund administrator the following information annually, on a per-
state basis, regarding the previous calendar year: (1) The per-minute 
compensation rate(s) for intrastate traditional TRS, STS and CTS, (2) 
whether the rate applies to session minutes or conversation minutes, 
(3) the number of intrastate session minutes for traditional TRS, STS 
and CTS, and (4) the number of intrastate conversation minutes for 
traditional TRS, STS, and CTS. Also, STS providers must file a report 
annually with the Fund administrator and the Commission on their 
specific outreach efforts directly attributable to the additional 
compensation approved by the Commission for STS outreach.
    In the 2007 TRS Cost Recovery Order, the Commission has assessed 
the effects of imposing the submission of rate data, and has found that 
there is no increased administrative burden on businesses with fewer 
than 25 employees. The Commission recognizes that the required rate 
data is presently available with the states and the providers of 
interstate traditional TRS, interstate STS, and interstate CTS, thereby 
no additional step is required to produce such data.
    The Commission therefore believes that the submission of the rate 
data does not increase an administrative burden on businesses.

Federal Communications Commission.
Marlene H. Dortch,
Secretary.
 [FR Doc. E8-761 Filed 1-16-08; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6712-01-P