Information Collection Being Reviewed by the Federal Communications Commission, 45213-45215 [2020-16202]

Agencies

• FEDERAL COMMUNICATIONS COMMISSION

[Federal Register Volume 85, Number 144 (Monday, July 27, 2020)]
[Notices]
[Pages 45213-45215]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2020-16202]


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FEDERAL COMMUNICATIONS COMMISSION

[OMB 3060-0798; FRS 16943]


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.

DATES: Written comments should be submitted on or before September 25, 
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: 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.
    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

[[Page 45214]]

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: 3060-0798.
    Title: FCC Authorization for Radio Service Authorization; Wireless 
Telecommunications Bureau; Public Safety and Homeland Security Bureau.
    Form Number: FCC Form 601.
    Type of Review: Revision of a currently approved collection.
    Respondents: Individual and households, Business or other for-
profit entities, state, local, or tribal government, and not for profit 
institutions.
    Number of Respondents: 255,552 respondents; 255,552 responses.
    Estimated Time per Response: 0.5 to 1.25 hours.
    Frequency of Response: Recordkeeping requirement; third party 
disclosure requirement, on occasion reporting requirement and periodic 
reporting requirement.
    Obligation to Respond: Required to obtain or retain benefits. 
Statutory authority for these collections are contained in 47 U.S.C. 
151, 152, 154, 154(i), 155(c), 157, 201, 202, 208, 214, 301, 302a, 303, 
307, 308, 309, 310, 311, 314, 316, 319, 324, 331, 332, 333, 336, 534, 
535, and 554 of the Communications Act of 1934.
    Total Annual Burden: 224,008 hours.
    Total Annual Cost: $71,934,000.
    Privacy Impact Assessment: Yes.
    Nature and Extent of Confidentiality: In general, there is no need 
for confidentiality with this collection of information.
    Needs and Uses: FCC Form 601 is a consolidated, multi-part 
application form that is used for market-based and site-based licensing 
for wireless telecommunications services, including public safety 
licenses, which are filed through the Commission's Universal Licensing 
System (ULS). FCC Form 601 is composed of a main form that contains 
administrative information and a series of schedules used for filing 
technical and other information. This form is used to apply for a new 
license, to amend or withdraw a pending application, to modify or renew 
an existing license, cancel a license, request a duplicate license, 
submit requested notifications, request an extension of time to satisfy 
construction requirements, or request an administrative update to an 
existing license (such as mailing address change), request a Special 
Temporary Authority or Developmental License. Respondents are required 
to submit FCC Form 601 electronically, except in certain services 
specifically designated by the Commission.
    The data on FCC Form 601 includes the FCC Registration Number 
(FRN), which serves a ``common link'' for all filings an entity has 
with the FCC. The Debt Collection Improvement Act of 1996 requires 
entities filing with the Commission to use an FRN. Records may include 
information about individuals or households, e.g., personally 
identifiable information or PII, and the use(s) and disclosure of this 
information are covered by the requirements of a system of records 
notice of `SORN,' FCC-WTB-1, ``Wireless Services Licensing Records.'' 
There are no additional impacts under the Privacy Act.
    On April 23, 2020, the Commission Adopted a Report and Order and 
Further Notice of Proposed Rulemaking in ET Docket 18-295, FCC 20-51, 
that requires temporary fixed microwave licensees to register temporary 
fixed links in the ULS database in order to receive protection from 
unlicensed devices operating in the 6GHz band, a summary of which was 
published at 85 FR 31390 (May 26, 2020). Automated frequency 
coordination (AFC) administrators will use this information to 
determine where unlicensed devices can operate. Temporary fixed 
licensees were not previously required to file applications with the 
Commission when they commenced operation, so this is a new filing 
requirement. We estimate that 70 respondents, will file 1,050 responses 
per year (15 per licensee), with an estimated time burden of 525 hours 
(30 minutes per filing). In addition to creating this new filing 
requirement, two new data fields will be required to describe when the 
temporary fixed links will be operational, so that the AFCs will know 
when to protect the temporary fixed links. For this purpose a ``start 
date'' and ``end date'' will be added to the Form 601, Schedule I.
    On May 13, 2020, the FCC adopted a Report and Order, FCC 20-67, in 
WT Docket No. 17-200, modified by an erratum released July 1, 2020, 
that establishes rules for broadband license operations in the 897.5-
900.5/936.5-939.5 MHz segment of the 900 MHz band (896-901/935-940 
MHz), a summary of which was published at 85 FR 43124 (July 16, 2020). 
The Commission seeks approval from OMB for the information collection 
requirements contained in the Report and Order, FCC 20-67. The 
requirements in Sec. Sec.  27.1503(b)(1), (2), and (3) and (c)(1) and 
27.1505(a) and (b) constitute revised information collections pursuant 
to the PRA. For the first three years of this collection, we estimate 
that 30 respondents will file 60 responses per year (two per licensee), 
with an estimate time burden of 30 hours (30 minutes per filing). We 
estimate that 30 respondents will file 60 responses (once at the six-
year mark, and once at the 12-year mark of the 900 MHz broadband 
license term), with an estimate time burden of 30 hours in each of 
those two years (1 hour per filing).
    Section 27.1503(b)(1) requires an applicant to file an application 
for a 900 MHz broadband license in accordance with part 1, subpart F, 
of the Commission's rules. The 900 MHz broadband service is a new 
service governed under part 27 of the Commission's rules. The 
Commission requests OMB approval to revise FCC Form 601 to add a new 
radio service code, a new Schedule N for the 900 MHz broadband service, 
and two new attachment types for the Eligibility Certification and 
Transition Plan.
    Schedule N would be a new supplementary schedule for 900 MHz 
broadband service applicants to apply for the required license 
authorization in conjunction with the FCC 601 Main Form. In Schedule N, 
900 MHz broadband service applicants would identify the market(s) to 
which the filing pertains and certifications that the applicant has 
attached an Eligibility Certification and Transition Plan, that the 
applicant will return licensed 900 MHz spectrum to the Commission, and 
that it will remit an anti-windfall payment if applicable.
    Section 27.1503(b)(2) requires an applicant to file an Eligibility 
Certification as part of its application for a 900 MHz broadband 
license. In its Eligibility Certification, an applicant must list the 
licenses the applicant holds in the 900 MHz band to demonstrate that it 
holds licenses for more than 50% of the total licensed 900 MHz spectrum 
for the county, including credit for spectrum included in an 
application to acquire or relocate any covered incumbents filed on or 
after March 14, 2019. The Eligibility Certification must also include a 
statement that the applicant's Transition Plan details how it holds 
spectrum in the broadband segment and/or has reached an agreement to 
clear through acquisition or relocation, or demonstrate how it will 
provide interference protection to, covered incumbent licensees 
collectively holding licenses in the broadband segment for at least 90% 
of the site-channels in the county, and within 70 miles of the county 
boundary and geographically licensed channels where the license area

[[Page 45215]]

completely or partially overlaps the county.
    Section 27.1503(b)(3) requires an applicant to file a Transition 
Plan as part of its application for a 900 MHz broadband license. In its 
Transition Plan, an applicant must demonstrate one or more of the 
following for at least 90% of the site-channels in the county and 
within 70 miles of the county boundary, and geographically licensed 
channels where the license area completely or partially overlaps the 
county: (1) Agreement by covered incumbents to relocate form the 
broadband segment; (2) protection of site-based covered incumbents 
through compliance with minimum spacing criteria; (3) protection of 
site-based covered incumbents through new or existing letters of 
concurrence agreeing to lesser base station separations; (4) protection 
of geographically-based covered incumbents through private contractual 
agreements; and/or (5) evidence that it holds licenses for the site 
channels in the county and within 70 miles of the county boundary and 
geographically licensed channels where the license area completely or 
partially overlaps the county. The Transition Plan must describe in 
detail: (1) Descriptions of the agreements reached with covered 
incumbents to relocate and the applications that the parties to the 
agreements will file for spectrum in the narrowband segment in order to 
relocate or repack licensees; (2) descriptions of how the applicant 
will provide interference protection to, and/or acquire or relocate 
from the broadband segment, covered incumbents collectively holding 
licenses for at least 90% of the site-channels in the county and within 
70 miles of the county boundary, and geographically licensed channels 
where the license area completely or partially overlaps the county, 
and/or evidence that it holds licenses for the site-channels and/or 
geographically licensed channels; (3) any rule waivers or other actions 
necessary to implement an agreement with a covered incumbent; and (4) 
such additional information as may be required. The Commission requires 
the applicant to include in the Transition Plan a certification from a 
frequency coordinator that the Transition Plan can be implemented 
consistent with the Commission's rules. The Commission allows an 
applicant seeking to transition multiple counties simultaneously to 
file a single Transition Plan that covers all of its county-based 
applications.
    Section 27.1503(c)(1) requires an applicant to cancel its 900 MHz 
Specialized Mobile Radio and Business/Industrial/Land Transportation 
licenses, up to six megahertz, conditioned upon Commission grant of its 
license. An applicant would file FCC Form 601 to cancel existing 
licenses, but this information collection does not involve a revision 
of FCC Form 601.
    Section 27.1505 requires a 900 MHz broadband licensee to meet 
performance requirements. Section 27.1505(a) requires an applicant to 
file a construction notification in accordance with Sec.  1.946(d) of 
the Commission's rules. An applicant would file FCC Form 601 to file 
the construction notification, and this information collection would 
encompass adding a new radio service code for the 900 MHz broadband 
service. Pursuant to Sec.  27.1505(b), licensees can satisfy 
performance requirement through population or geographic coverage. 
Under the population metric, a 900 MHz broadband licensee would be 
required to provide reliable signal coverage and offer broadband 
service to at least 45% of the population in its license area within 
six years of license grant and to at least 80% of the population in its 
license area within twelve years of license grant. Under the geographic 
coverage metric, a 900 MHz broadband licensee would be required to 
provide reliable signal coverage and offer broadband service to at 
least 25% of the geographic license area within six years of license 
grant and to at least 50% of the geographic license area within twelve 
years of license grant. To meet the broadband service obligation, the 
Commission expects licensees to deploy technologies that make intensive 
use of the entire 3/3 megahertz band segment and yield high uplink and 
downlink data rates and minimal latency sufficient to provide for real-
time, two-way communications. The 900 MHz broadband licensees would 
demonstrate its compliance with Sec.  27.1505(b) by filing an 
attachment to their FCC Form 601 construction notification filings.

Federal Communications Commission.
Marlene Dortch,
Secretary, Office of the Secretary.
[FR Doc. 2020-16202 Filed 7-24-20; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6712-01-P