Information Collection Being Submitted for Review and Approval to the Office of Management and Budget, 26458-26460 [2018-12280]
Download as PDF
sradovich on DSK3GMQ082PROD with NOTICES
26458
Federal Register / Vol. 83, No. 110 / Thursday, June 7, 2018 / Notices
(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 OMB
control number 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, and as required by
the Paperwork Reduction Act (PRA) of
1995 (44 U.S.C. 3501–3520), 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.
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.
OMB Control Number: 3060–1003.
Title: Communications Disaster
Information Reporting System (DIRS).
Form Number: N/A.
Type of Review: Extension of a
currently approved collection.
Respondents: Business or other forprofit entities; Not-for-profit
institutions; Federal Government; and/
or State, Local or Tribal governments.
Number of Respondents and
Responses: 5,000 respondents; 40,900
responses.
Estimated Time per Response: 0.10–
0.50 hours.
Frequency of Response: On occasion
reporting requirement.
Obligation to Respond: Voluntary.
Statutory authority for this collection of
information is contained in 47 U.S.C.
154(i), 218, 303(r) and 47 CFR Section
0.181(h).
Total Annual Burden: 6,950 hours.
Total Annual Cost: No Cost.
Privacy Act Impact Assessment: No
impact(s).
Nature and Extent of Confidentiality:
DIRS filings consists of sensitive
information that for national security
and/or commercial reasons, the
Commission will treat the filings at the
time of receipt as non-public and
VerDate Sep<11>2014
17:19 Jun 06, 2018
Jkt 244001
presumptively confidential. However,
DIRS filings will be shared with the
Department of Homeland Security and
the other Federal agencies authorized to
participate in the National Response
Framework Emergency Support
Function-2 (ESF–2)(Communications).
The Commission may publish or
otherwise share anonymized summaries
of DIRS filings at its discretion.
Needs and Uses: In response to the
events of September 11, 2001, the
Federal Communications Commission
(Commission or FCC) created an
Emergency Contact Information System
to assist the Commission in ensuring
rapid restoration of communications
capabilities after disruption by a
terrorist threat or attack, and to ensure
that public safety, public health, and
other emergency and defense personnel
have effective communications services
available to them in the immediate
aftermath of any terrorist attack within
the United States. The Commission
submitted, and OMB approved, a
collection through which key
communications providers could
voluntarily provide contact information.
The Commission’s Public Safety and
Homeland Security Bureau (PSHSB)
developed the Disaster Information
Reporting System (DIRS) that uses
electronic forms to collect Emergency
Contact Information forms and through
which participants may inform the
Commission of damage to
communications infrastructure and
facilities due to major emergencies and
may request resources for restoration.
The Commission updated the process by
increasing the number of reporting
entities to ensure inclusion of wireless,
wireline, broadcast, cable, VoIP, and
broadband internet access
communications providers. The
Commission is requesting a renewal of
the currently approved collection. It is
imperative that the Disaster Information
Reporting System be in place so that the
Commission has an accurate picture of
the communications landscape during
disasters.
Federal Communications Commission.
Marlene Dortch,
Secretary.
[FR Doc. 2018–12181 Filed 6–6–18; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6712–01–P
PO 00000
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FEDERAL COMMUNICATIONS
COMMISSION
[OMB 3060–XXXX]
Information Collection Being
Submitted for Review and Approval to
the Office of Management and Budget
Federal Communications
Commission.
ACTION: Notice and request for
comments.
AGENCY:
As part of its continuing effort
to reduce paperwork burdens, and 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.
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 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 should be
submitted on or before July 9, 2018. 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 contacts listed below as soon
as possible.
ADDRESSES: Direct all PRA comments to
Nicholas A. Fraser, OMB, via email
Nicholas_A._Fraser@omb.eop.gov; and
to Nicole Ongele, FCC, via email 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
SUMMARY:
E:\FR\FM\07JNN1.SGM
07JNN1
sradovich on DSK3GMQ082PROD with NOTICES
Federal Register / Vol. 83, No. 110 / Thursday, June 7, 2018 / Notices
Ongele at (202) 418–2991. To view a
copy of this information collection
request (ICR) submitted to OMB: (1) Go
to the web page https://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 OMB
control number 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, and as required by
the Paperwork Reduction Act (PRA) of
1995 (44 U.S.C. 3501–3520), 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.
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.
OMB Control Number: 3060–XXXX.
Title: Application for Connect
America Fund Phase II Auction
Support—FCC Form 683.
Form Number: FCC Form 683.
Type of Review: New information
collection.
Respondents: Business or other forProfit entities, Not-for-Profit
institutions, and State, Local or Tribal
Governments.
Number of Respondents and
Responses: 400 respondents; 800
responses.
Estimated Time per Response: 2–12
hours (on average).
Frequency of Response: Annual
reporting requirements, on occasion
reporting requirement.
VerDate Sep<11>2014
17:19 Jun 06, 2018
Jkt 244001
Obligation to Respond: Required to
obtain or retain benefits. Statutory
authority for this information collection
47 U.S.C. 154, 254 and 303(r) of the
Communications Act of 1934, as
amended.
Total Annual Burden: 5,600 hours.
Total Annual Cost(s): No Cost.
Nature and Extent of Confidentiality:
Although most information collected in
FCC Form 683 will be made available
for public inspection, the Commission
will withhold certain information
collected in FCC Form 683 from routine
public inspection. Specifically, the
Commission will treat certain financial
and technical information submitted in
FCC Form 683 as confidential. In
addition, an applicant may use the
abbreviated process under 47 CFR
0.459(a)(4) to request confidential
treatment of the audited financial
statements that are submitted during the
post-selection review process. However,
if a request for public inspection for this
technical or financial information is
made under 47 CFR 0.461, and the
applicant has any objections to
disclosure, the applicant will be notified
and will be required to justify continued
confidential treatment. To the extent
that an applicant seeks to have other
information collected in FCC Form 683
or during the post-selection review
process withheld from public
inspection, the applicant may request
confidential treatment pursuant to 47
CFR 0.459.
Privacy Act Impact Assessment: No
impact(s).
Needs and Uses: In 2011, the
Commission released the USF/ICC
Transformation Order and Further
Notice of Proposed Rulemaking, WC
Docket No. 10–90 et al., FCC 11–161
(USF/ICC Transformation Order and/or
FNPRM), which comprehensively
reformed and modernized the high-cost
program within the universal service
fund to focus support on networks
capable of providing voice and
broadband services. Among other
things, the Commission created the
Connect America Fund (CAF) and
concluded that support in price cap
areas would be provided through a
combination of ‘‘a new forward-looking
model of the cost of constructing
modern multi-purpose networks’’ and a
competitive bidding process (the
Connect America Fund Phase II auction
or Phase II auction or Auction 903). The
Commission also sought comment in the
accompanying USF/ICC Transformation
FNPRM on proposed rules governing
the Phase II auction, including basic
auction design and the application
process.
PO 00000
Frm 00050
Fmt 4703
Sfmt 4703
26459
In the Phase II auction, service
providers will compete to receive
support of up to $1.98 billion over 10
years to offer voice and broadband
service in unserved high-cost areas. The
information collection requirements
reported under this new collection are
the result of several Commission
decisions to implement reform adopted
in the USF/ICC Transformation Order
and move forward with conducting the
Phase II auction. In the April 2014
Connect America Order, WC Docket No.
10–90 et al., FCC 14–54, the
Commission adopted various rules
regarding participation in the Phase II
auction, the term of support, and the
eligible telecommunications carrier
(ETC) designation process. In the Phase
II Auction Order, WC Docket No. 10–90
et al., FCC 16–64, the Commission
adopted rules to govern the Phase II
auction, including the adoption of a
two-stage application process, which
includes a pre-auction short-form
application to be submitted by parties
interested in bidding in the Phase II
auction and a post-auction long-form
application that must be submitted by
winning bidders seeking to become
authorized to receive Phase II auction
support. The Commission concluded,
based on its experience with auctions
and consistent with the record, that this
two-stage application process balances
the need to collect information essential
to conducting a successful auction and
authorizing Phase II support with
administrative efficiency.
On January 30, 2018, the Commission
adopted a public notice that established
the final procedures for the Phase II
auction, including the long-form
application disclosure and certification
requirements for winning bidders
seeking to become authorized to receive
Phase II auction support. See Phase II
Auction Procedures Public Notice, WC
Docket No. 17–182 et al., FCC 18–6. The
Commission also adopted the Phase II
Auction Order on Reconsideration, WC
Docket No. 10–90 et al., FCC 18–5,
which modified the Commission’s letter
of credit rules to provide some
additional relief for Phase II auction
support recipients by reducing the costs
of maintaining a letter of credit.
Under this information collection, the
Commission will collect information
from winning bidders to determine the
recipients of Phase II auction support.
To aid in collecting this information, the
Commission has created FCC Form 683,
which the public will use to provide the
disclosures and certifications that must
be made by Phase II auction winning
bidders in the Connect America Fund
Phase II auction seeking to become
authorized for Phase II support.
E:\FR\FM\07JNN1.SGM
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26460
Federal Register / Vol. 83, No. 110 / Thursday, June 7, 2018 / Notices
Federal Communications Commission.
Marlene Dortch,
Secretary.
[FR Doc. 2018–12280 Filed 6–6–18; 8:45 am]
fcc.gov and to Cathy.Williams@fcc.gov.
Include in the comments the OMB
control number as shown in the
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION below.
BILLING CODE 6712–01–P
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:
FEDERAL COMMUNICATIONS
COMMISSION
[OMB 3060–0463]
Information Collection Being
Submitted for Review and Approval to
the Office of Management and Budget
Federal Communications
Commission.
ACTION: Notice and request for
comments.
AGENCY:
As part of its continuing effort
to reduce paperwork burdens, and 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.
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 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 should be
submitted on or before July 9, 2018. 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 contacts listed below as soon
as possible.
ADDRESSES: Direct all PRA comments to
Nicholas A. Fraser, OMB, via email
Nicholas_A._Fraser@omb.eop.gov; and
to Cathy Williams, FCC, via email PRA@
sradovich on DSK3GMQ082PROD with NOTICES
SUMMARY:
VerDate Sep<11>2014
17:19 Jun 06, 2018
Jkt 244001
For
additional information or copies of the
information collection, contact Cathy
Williams at (202) 418–2918. To view a
copy of this information collection
request (ICR) submitted to OMB: (1) Go
to the web page https://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 OMB
control number of this ICR and then
click on the ICR Reference Number. A
copy of the FCC submission to OMB
will be displayed.
As part of
its continuing effort to reduce
paperwork burdens, and as required by
the Paperwork Reduction Act (PRA) of
1995 (44 U.S.C. 3501–3520), 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.
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.
OMB Control Number: 3060–0463.
Title: Telecommunications Relay
Services and Speech-to-Speech Services
for Individuals with Hearing and
Speech Disabilities, CG Docket No. 03–
123, FCC 03–112, FCC 07–110, FCC 07–
186.
Form Number: N/A.
Type of Review: Revision of a
currently approved collection.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
PO 00000
Frm 00051
Fmt 4703
Sfmt 4703
Respondents: Business or other forprofit; Individuals or household; State,
Local and Tribal Government.
Number of Respondents and
Responses: 5,072 respondents; 7,299
responses.
Estimated Time per Response: 0.5
hours (30 minutes) to 50 hours.
Frequency of Response: Annually,
monthly, on occasion, and one-time
reporting requirements; Recordkeeping
and Third-Party Disclosure
requirements.
Obligation To Respond: Required to
obtain or retain benefit. The statutory
authority for the information collection
requirements is found at section 225 of
the Communications Act, 47 U.S.C. 225.
The law was enacted on July 26, 1990,
as Title IV of the ADA, Public Law 101–
336, 104 Stat. 327, 366–69.
Total Annual Burden: 10,822 hours.
Total Annual Cost: $10,800.
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 updated 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 https://www.fcc.gov/omd/
privacyact/Privacy-ImpactAssessment.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: The Commission is
submitting this modified information
collection to the Office of Management
and Budget (OMB) to transfer burden
hours and costs associated with
regulations under section 225 of the
Communications Act (Act), which is
currently approved under OMB control
number 3060–1249, to this information
collection. The Commission intends to
discontinue information collection
3060–1249 once this information
collection is approved.
On December 21, 2001, the
Commission released the 2001 TRS Cost
Recovery Order, document FCC 01–371,
published at 67 FR 4203, January 29,
2002, in which the Commission:
(a) Directed the Interstate
Telecommunications Relay Services
(TRS) Fund (TRS Fund) administrator to
E:\FR\FM\07JNN1.SGM
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Agencies
[Federal Register Volume 83, Number 110 (Thursday, June 7, 2018)]
[Notices]
[Pages 26458-26460]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2018-12280]
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
FEDERAL COMMUNICATIONS COMMISSION
[OMB 3060-XXXX]
Information Collection Being Submitted for Review and Approval to
the 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,
and 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. 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 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 should be submitted on or before July 9, 2018.
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 contacts listed below as soon as possible.
ADDRESSES: Direct all PRA comments to Nicholas A. Fraser, OMB, via
email [email protected]; and to Nicole Ongele, FCC, via
email [email protected] and to [email protected]. 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
[[Page 26459]]
Ongele at (202) 418-2991. To view a copy of this information collection
request (ICR) submitted to OMB: (1) Go to the web page https://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
OMB control number 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, and as required by the Paperwork Reduction Act (PRA)
of 1995 (44 U.S.C. 3501-3520), 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.
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.
OMB Control Number: 3060-XXXX.
Title: Application for Connect America Fund Phase II Auction
Support--FCC Form 683.
Form Number: FCC Form 683.
Type of Review: New information collection.
Respondents: Business or other for-Profit entities, Not-for-Profit
institutions, and State, Local or Tribal Governments.
Number of Respondents and Responses: 400 respondents; 800
responses.
Estimated Time per Response: 2-12 hours (on average).
Frequency of Response: Annual reporting requirements, on occasion
reporting requirement.
Obligation to Respond: Required to obtain or retain benefits.
Statutory authority for this information collection 47 U.S.C. 154, 254
and 303(r) of the Communications Act of 1934, as amended.
Total Annual Burden: 5,600 hours.
Total Annual Cost(s): No Cost.
Nature and Extent of Confidentiality: Although most information
collected in FCC Form 683 will be made available for public inspection,
the Commission will withhold certain information collected in FCC Form
683 from routine public inspection. Specifically, the Commission will
treat certain financial and technical information submitted in FCC Form
683 as confidential. In addition, an applicant may use the abbreviated
process under 47 CFR 0.459(a)(4) to request confidential treatment of
the audited financial statements that are submitted during the post-
selection review process. However, if a request for public inspection
for this technical or financial information is made under 47 CFR 0.461,
and the applicant has any objections to disclosure, the applicant will
be notified and will be required to justify continued confidential
treatment. To the extent that an applicant seeks to have other
information collected in FCC Form 683 or during the post-selection
review process withheld from public inspection, the applicant may
request confidential treatment pursuant to 47 CFR 0.459.
Privacy Act Impact Assessment: No impact(s).
Needs and Uses: In 2011, the Commission released the USF/ICC
Transformation Order and Further Notice of Proposed Rulemaking, WC
Docket No. 10-90 et al., FCC 11-161 (USF/ICC Transformation Order and/
or FNPRM), which comprehensively reformed and modernized the high-cost
program within the universal service fund to focus support on networks
capable of providing voice and broadband services. Among other things,
the Commission created the Connect America Fund (CAF) and concluded
that support in price cap areas would be provided through a combination
of ``a new forward-looking model of the cost of constructing modern
multi-purpose networks'' and a competitive bidding process (the Connect
America Fund Phase II auction or Phase II auction or Auction 903). The
Commission also sought comment in the accompanying USF/ICC
Transformation FNPRM on proposed rules governing the Phase II auction,
including basic auction design and the application process.
In the Phase II auction, service providers will compete to receive
support of up to $1.98 billion over 10 years to offer voice and
broadband service in unserved high-cost areas. The information
collection requirements reported under this new collection are the
result of several Commission decisions to implement reform adopted in
the USF/ICC Transformation Order and move forward with conducting the
Phase II auction. In the April 2014 Connect America Order, WC Docket
No. 10-90 et al., FCC 14-54, the Commission adopted various rules
regarding participation in the Phase II auction, the term of support,
and the eligible telecommunications carrier (ETC) designation process.
In the Phase II Auction Order, WC Docket No. 10-90 et al., FCC 16-64,
the Commission adopted rules to govern the Phase II auction, including
the adoption of a two-stage application process, which includes a pre-
auction short-form application to be submitted by parties interested in
bidding in the Phase II auction and a post-auction long-form
application that must be submitted by winning bidders seeking to become
authorized to receive Phase II auction support. The Commission
concluded, based on its experience with auctions and consistent with
the record, that this two-stage application process balances the need
to collect information essential to conducting a successful auction and
authorizing Phase II support with administrative efficiency.
On January 30, 2018, the Commission adopted a public notice that
established the final procedures for the Phase II auction, including
the long-form application disclosure and certification requirements for
winning bidders seeking to become authorized to receive Phase II
auction support. See Phase II Auction Procedures Public Notice, WC
Docket No. 17-182 et al., FCC 18-6. The Commission also adopted the
Phase II Auction Order on Reconsideration, WC Docket No. 10-90 et al.,
FCC 18-5, which modified the Commission's letter of credit rules to
provide some additional relief for Phase II auction support recipients
by reducing the costs of maintaining a letter of credit.
Under this information collection, the Commission will collect
information from winning bidders to determine the recipients of Phase
II auction support. To aid in collecting this information, the
Commission has created FCC Form 683, which the public will use to
provide the disclosures and certifications that must be made by Phase
II auction winning bidders in the Connect America Fund Phase II auction
seeking to become authorized for Phase II support.
[[Page 26460]]
Federal Communications Commission.
Marlene Dortch,
Secretary.
[FR Doc. 2018-12280 Filed 6-6-18; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6712-01-P