Information Collection Being Reviewed by the Federal Communications Commission, 29717-29718 [2020-10529]

Agencies

• FEDERAL COMMUNICATIONS COMMISSION

[Federal Register Volume 85, Number 96 (Monday, May 18, 2020)]
[Notices]
[Pages 29717-29718]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2020-10529]


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FEDERAL COMMUNICATIONS COMMISSION

[OMB 3060-XXXX, FR No. 16767]


Information Collection Being Reviewed by the Federal 
Communications Commission

AGENCY: Federal Communications Commission.

ACTION: Notice and request for comments.

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SUMMARY: As part of its continuing effort to reduce paperwork burdens, 
and as required by the Paperwork Reduction Act (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 comments should be submitted on or before July 17, 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 contacts below as soon as possible.

ADDRESSES: Direct all PRA comments to Cathy Williams, FCC, via email 
[email protected] and to [email protected].

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: For additional information about the 
information collection, contact Cathy Williams at (202) 418-2918.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: As part of its continuing effort to reduce 
paperwork burdens, and as required by the PRA of 1995 (44 U.S.C. 3501-
3520), the FCC 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.
    OMB Control No.: 3060-XXXX.
    Title: 3.7 GHz Band Relocation Payment Clearinghouse; 3.7 GHz Band 
Relocation Coordinator; 3.7 GHz Band Space Station Operators.
    Form No.: N/A.
    Type of Review: New collection.
    Respondents: Business or other for-profit entities; not-for-profit 
institutions; State, Local or Tribal Government.
    Number of Respondents and Responses: 3,007 respondents and 9,362 
responses.
    Estimated Time per Response: 0.5 hours--600 hours.
    Frequency of Response: Recordkeeping requirement; on occasion, 
weekly, monthly, quarterly, semi-annual, and annual reporting 
requirements; third party disclosure requirement.
    Obligation to Respond: Required to obtain or retain benefits. The 
statutory authority for this collection of information is contained in 
sections 1, 2, 4(i), 4(j), 5(c), 201, 302, 303, 304, 307(e), 309, and 
316 of the Communications Act of 1934, as amended, 47 U.S.C. 151, 152, 
154(i), 154(j), 155(c), 201, 302, 303, 304, 307(e), 309, and 316.
    Total Annual Burden: 77,754 hours.
    Annual Cost Burden: $10,705,353.
    Privacy Act Impact Assessment: No impact(s).
    Nature and Extent of Confidentiality: The information collected 
under this collection will be made publicly available. However, to the 
extent information submitted pursuant to this information collection is 
determined to be confidential, it will be protected by the Commission. 
If a respondent seeks to have information collected pursuant to this 
information collection withheld from public inspection, the respondent 
may request confidential treatment

[[Page 29718]]

pursuant to section 0.459 of the Commission's rules for such 
information.
    Needs and Uses: On February 28, 2020, in furtherance of the goal of 
releasing more mid-band spectrum into the market to support and 
enabling next-generation wireless networks, the Commission adopted a 
Report and Order, FCC 20-22, (3.7 GHz Report and Order), in which it 
reformed the use of the 3.7-4.2 GHz band, also known as the C-band. 
Currently, the 3.7-4.2 GHz band is allocated in the United States 
exclusively for non-Federal use on a primary basis for Fixed Satellite 
Service (FSS) and Fixed Service (FS). Domestically, space station 
operators use the 3.7-4.2 GHz band to provide downlink signals of 
various bandwidths to licensed transmit-receive, registered receive-
only, and unregistered receive-only earth stations throughout the 
United States.
    The 3.7 GHz Report and Order calls for the relocation of existing 
FSS operations in the band into the upper 200 megahertz of the band 
(4.0-4.2 GHz) and relocation of existing FS operations into other 
bands, making the lower 280 megahertz (3.7-3.98 GHz) available for 
flexible use throughout the contiguous United States through a 
Commission-administered public auction of overlay licenses that is 
scheduled to occur later this year. The Commission adopted a robust 
transition schedule to achieve a prompt relocation of FSS and FS 
operations so that a significant amount of spectrum could be made 
available quickly for next-generation wireless deployments. At the same 
time, the Commission sought to ensure the effective accommodation of 
relocated incumbent users. To facilitate an efficient transition, the 
Commission adopted a process for fully reimbursing existing operators 
for the costs of this relocation and for offering accelerated 
relocation payments to encourage a timely transition. Flexible-use 
licensees will be required to pay any accelerated relocation payments, 
if elected by eligible space station operators, and reimburse incumbent 
operators for their actual relocation costs associated with clearing 
the lower 300 megahertz of the band while ensuring continued operations 
for their customers. The 3.7 GHZ Report and Order establishes a 
Relocation Payment Clearinghouse to oversee the cost-related aspects of 
the transition and establishes a Relocation Coordinator to establish a 
timeline and take actions necessary to migrate and filter incumbent 
earth stations to ensure continued, uninterrupted service during and 
following the transition.
    FCC staff will use this data to ensure that 3.7-4.2 GHz band 
stakeholders adopt practices and standards in their operations to 
ensure an effective, efficient, and streamlined transition. Status 
reports and other information required in this collection will be used 
to ensure that the process of clearing the lower portion of the band is 
efficient and timely, so that the spectrum can be auctioned for 
flexible-use service licenses and deployed for next-generation wireless 
services, including 5G, as quickly as possible. The collection is also 
necessary for the Commission to satisfy its oversight responsibilities 
and/or agency specific/government-wide reporting obligations.
    The Commission concluded in the 3.7 GHz Report and Order that a 
Relocation Payment Clearinghouse and Relocation Coordinator are 
critical to ensuring that the reconfiguration is administered in a 
fair, transparent manner and that the transition occurs as 
expeditiously as possible. To accomplish these goals most effectively, 
the Commission is seeking approval for a new information collection to 
collect information from the Relocation Payment Clearinghouse, the 
Relocation Coordinator, and incumbent space station operators and allow 
the Relocation Payment Clearinghouse and Relocation Coordinator to 
collection information to ensure that the band is transitioned 
effectively.

Federal Communications Commission.
Marlene Dortch,
Secretary.
[FR Doc. 2020-10529 Filed 5-15-20; 8:45 am]
 BILLING CODE 6712-01-P