Comment Sought on Request for Freeze of IP CTS Compensation Level, 37328-37329 [2021-15008]

Download as PDF 37328 Federal Register / Vol. 86, No. 133 / Thursday, July 15, 2021 / Notices committee) and private interests and activities, or the appearance of a loss of impartiality, as defined by federal regulation. The form may be viewed and downloaded through the ‘‘Ethics Requirements for Advisors’’ link on the SAB website at https://www.epa.gov/sab. This form should not be submitted as part of a nomination. The approved policy under which the EPA SAB Office selects members for subcommittees and review panels is described in the following document: Overview of the Panel Formation Process at the Environmental Protection Agency Science Advisory Board (EPA– SAB–EC–02–010), which is posted on the SAB website at https://www.epa.gov/ sab. V. Khanna Johnston, Deputy Director, Science Advisory Board Staff Office. [FR Doc. 2021–15013 Filed 7–14–21; 8:45 am] BILLING CODE 6560–50–P FEDERAL COMMUNICATIONS COMMISSION [DA 21–778; FR ID 37559] Announcement of Next Meeting of the Consumer Advisory Committee Federal Communications Commission. ACTION: Notice. AGENCY: This notice announces the next meeting date, time, and agenda of the FCC Consumer Advisory Committee (Committee), a federal advisory committee established under the Federal Advisory Committee Act (FACA). SUMMARY: September 10, 2021, from 10:30AM to 2:30PM EST. ADDRESSES: The meeting will be held remotely using an internet videoconferencing platform and publicly available for viewing via a live stream on the Commission’s website. FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Scott Marshall, Designated Federal Officer, FCC Consumer Advisory Committee, Consumer and Governmental Affairs Bureau, Federal Communications Commission, 45 L Street NE, Washington, DC 20554; phone: 202–418–2809 (voice or Relay); email: scott.marshall@fcc.gov; or Gregory V. Haledjian, Deputy Designated Federal Officer, FCC Consumer Advisory Committee, Consumer and Governmental Affairs Bureau, Federal Communications Commission, 45 L Street NE, Washington, DC 20554; phone: 202– khammond on DSKJM1Z7X2PROD with NOTICES DATES: VerDate Sep<11>2014 18:54 Jul 14, 2021 Jkt 253001 418–7440; email: gregory.haledjian@ fcc.gov. This is a summary of the Commission’s Public Notice, DA 21–778, released June 30, 2021, announcing the date, time, and agenda of the Committee’s September 10, 2021 meeting. At this meeting, the Committee will receive presentations regarding recent Commission activities affecting consumers and will discuss upcoming developments of interest to consumers. The meeting is open to members of the public and available via live stream at www.fcc.gov/live. The public also may follow a summary of the meeting on Twitter@fcc or via the Commission’s Facebook page at www.facebook.com/ fcc. Members of the public may submit questions that arise during the meeting to livequestions@fcc.gov. Open captioning will be provided for the live stream. Other reasonable accommodations for people with disabilities are available upon request. To request materials in accessible formats for people with disabilities (Braille, large print, electronic files, audio format), send an email to FCC504@fcc.gov or call the FCC’s Consumer and Governmental Affairs Bureau at 202–418–0530 (voice). Consult the Committee’s web page at www.fcc.gov/consumer-advisorycommittee for further Committee information. Comments to the Committee may be submitted through the Designated Federal Officer or the Deputy Designated Federal Officer at the above email addresses. SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Federal Communications Commission. Gregory Haledjian, Legal Advisor, Consumer and Governmental Affairs Bureau. [FR Doc. 2021–15067 Filed 7–14–21; 8:45 am] BILLING CODE 6712–01–P FEDERAL COMMUNICATIONS COMMISSION [CG Docket Nos. 03–123 and 13–24; DA 21– 753; FR ID 36290] Comment Sought on Request for Freeze of IP CTS Compensation Level Federal Communications Commission. ACTION: Notice. AGENCY: In this document, the Consumer and Governmental Affairs Bureau (Bureau) of the Federal Communications Commission (Commission) seeks comment on a request by six of the seven currently SUMMARY: PO 00000 Frm 00055 Fmt 4703 Sfmt 4703 certified providers of internet Protocol (IP) Captioned Telephone Service (IP CTS) to defer the reduction in the per minute level of Telecommunications Relay Service (TRS) Fund support for IP CTS previously ordered by the Commission. Comments are due July 30, 2021 and replies are due August 9, 2021. ADDRESSES: Comments and replies may be filed, identified by CG Docket Nos. 03–123 and 13–24, using the Commission’s Electronic Comment Filing System (ECFS). • Electronic Filers: Comments may be filed electronically using the internet by accessing the ECFS: https:// www.fcc.gov/ecfs/filings. • Paper Filers: Parties who choose to file by paper must file an original and one copy of each filing. If more than one docket or rulemaking number appears in the caption of this proceeding, filers must submit two additional copies for each additional docket or rulemaking number. Æ Filings can be sent by hand or messenger delivery, by commercial overnight courier, or by first-class or overnight U.S. Postal Service mail. All filings must be addressed to the Commission’s Secretary, Office of the Secretary, Federal Communications Commission. Æ Currently, the Commission does not accept any hand delivered or messenger delivered filings as a temporary measure taken to help protect the health and safety of individuals, and to mitigate the transmission of COVID–19. In the event that the Commission announces the lifting of COVID–19 restrictions, a filing window will be opened at the Commission’s office located at 9050 Junction Drive, Annapolis Junction, Maryland 20701. Æ Commercial overnight mail (other than U.S. Postal Service Express Mail and Priority Mail) must be sent to 9050 Junction Drive, Annapolis Junction, MD 20701. Æ U.S. Postal Service first-class, Express, and Priority mail must be addressed to 45 L Street NE, Washington DC 20554. Æ During the time the Commission’s building is closed to the general public and until further notice, if more than one docket or rulemaking number appears in the caption of a proceeding, paper filers need not submit two additional copies for each additional docket or rulemaking number; an original and one copy are sufficient. FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: William Wallace, Consumer and Governmental Affairs Bureau at: (202) DATES: E:\FR\FM\15JYN1.SGM 15JYN1 Federal Register / Vol. 86, No. 133 / Thursday, July 15, 2021 / Notices 418–2716; email: William.Wallace@ fcc.gov. This is a summary of the Commission’s Public Notice, DA 21–753, in CG Docket Nos. 03–123 and 13–24, released on June 25, 2021. To request materials in accessible formats for people with disabilities (Braille, large print, electronic files, audio format), send an email to fcc504@ fcc.gov or call the Consumer and Governmental Affairs Bureau at (202) 418–0530. SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: khammond on DSKJM1Z7X2PROD with NOTICES Synopsis 1. On September 30, 2020, the Commission adopted Misuse of Internet Protocol (IP) Captioned Telephone Service; Telecommunications Relay Services and Speech-to-Speech Services for Individuals with Hearing and Speech Disabilities, Report and Order, Order on Reconsideration, and Further Notice of Proposed Rulemaking, published at 85 FR 64971, October 14, 2020, and 86 FR 7681, February 1, 2021. Pursuant to the Report and Order, TRS Fund compensation for the provision of IP CTS is to be reduced from the current level of $1.42 per minute to $1.30 per minute, effective July 1, 2021. 2. The Joint Providers contend that deferring the scheduled compensation reduction would better enable the Commission to consider the impact on compensation rates before adopting changes in applicable service-quality standards, as proposed in the Further Notice of Proposed Rulemaking. The Joint Providers point out that the currently scheduled compensation adjustment follows a series of previous adjustments ordered by the Commission over a three-year period, with the goal of bringing TRS Fund compensation into line with reasonable cost, and that these prior adjustments reduced perminute IP CTS compensation from $1.9467 (in the 2017–18 Fund Year) to the current $1.42 level. 3. The Joint Providers also assert that ‘‘significant uncertainty as to future costs and demand’’ has resulted from the ‘‘protracted impact of the [COVID– 19] pandemic’’ and the consequent adjustments made by IP CTS providers ‘‘to ensure high quality access for users.’’ As a result, the Joint Providers argue, ‘‘a prudent approach is to halt further rate reductions, determine the appropriate standards that will be adopted for IP CTS, determine the impact of those standards on normalized costs (i.e., not impacted by a worldwide pandemic), and determine a long-term rate methodology that ensures continued functional VerDate Sep<11>2014 17:11 Jul 14, 2021 Jkt 253001 equivalence, innovation, and consumer choice for IP CTS users.’’ 4. The Bureau seeks comment on the Joint Providers’ request. In particular, because there is insufficient information in the record to evaluate some of the assertions in the request, and because the Commission’s analysis of the issues raised should be data driven, the Bureau seeks additional information on the following: • Current estimates are that $1.30 is substantially higher than the average per-minute IP CTS cost projected for 2021–22. The $1.30 per-minute compensation rate was adopted based on pre-COVID–19 estimates of average per-minute cost. To date, the impact of the COVID–19 pandemic has been to reduce average per-minute IP CTS costs substantially below the $1.30 cost-based rate adopted by the Commission. Based on providers’ cost and demand projections submitted in March 2021, the TRS Fund administrator estimates a weighted average cost for IP CTS (including a 10% operating margin) of $1.1169 per minute—approximately 14% lower than the scheduled $1.30 compensation. Have providers revised their projections of 2021–22 costs and demand? If so, the Bureau seeks detailed information about such revised projections and the basis on which they were revised, to enable a determination of the likelihood that average perminute costs (plus operating margin) for the 2021–22 Fund Year will exceed the $1.30 level. Is there other reliable data supporting a compensation freeze at the $1.42 level? • The $1.30 per-minute rate that is scheduled to become effective July 1 will expire at the end of the 2021–22 Fund Year. Is freezing the rate at a higher level necessary at this time, or could the Commission effectively address the impact of possible changes in service-quality standards when setting compensation for the subsequent rate period? • While the Commission has proposed that metric standards be developed for IP CTS caption delay and accuracy, no such standards have been adopted to date. Nonetheless, the Bureau seeks information about any investments in quality and technology improvements currently being considered by providers. To what extent could such investments be expected to cause a net increase in a provider’s perminute service costs during the 2021–22 Fund Year? • Given the industry’s recent innovation, development, and investment in automatic speech recognition, to what extent could such investment in quality and technology PO 00000 Frm 00056 Fmt 4703 Sfmt 4703 37329 improvements result in a decrease in per-minute costs? • If the Commission were to ‘‘freeze’’ IP CTS compensation at the current $1.42 level, what increase would be needed in the proposed TRS funding requirement and the contribution factor for support of IP CTS? If such action were to be taken after the $1.30 compensation level becomes effective, should the Commission ‘‘true up’’ compensation retroactively to July 1? How should such a true-up be handled? Federal Communications Commission. Gregory Haledjian, Legal Advisor, Consumer and Governmental Affairs Bureau. [FR Doc. 2021–15008 Filed 7–14–21; 8:45 am] BILLING CODE 6712–01–P FEDERAL COMMUNICATIONS COMMISSION [OMB 3060–0874; FR ID 37712] Information Collection Being Submitted for Review and Approval to 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, 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 August 16, 2021. 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 SUMMARY: E:\FR\FM\15JYN1.SGM 15JYN1

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[Federal Register Volume 86, Number 133 (Thursday, July 15, 2021)]
[Notices]
[Pages 37328-37329]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2021-15008]


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FEDERAL COMMUNICATIONS COMMISSION

[CG Docket Nos. 03-123 and 13-24; DA 21-753; FR ID 36290]


Comment Sought on Request for Freeze of IP CTS Compensation Level

AGENCY: Federal Communications Commission.

ACTION: Notice.

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

SUMMARY: In this document, the Consumer and Governmental Affairs Bureau 
(Bureau) of the Federal Communications Commission (Commission) seeks 
comment on a request by six of the seven currently certified providers 
of internet Protocol (IP) Captioned Telephone Service (IP CTS) to defer 
the reduction in the per minute level of Telecommunications Relay 
Service (TRS) Fund support for IP CTS previously ordered by the 
Commission.

DATES: Comments are due July 30, 2021 and replies are due August 9, 
2021.

ADDRESSES: Comments and replies may be filed, identified by CG Docket 
Nos. 03-123 and 13-24, using the Commission's Electronic Comment Filing 
System (ECFS).
     Electronic Filers: Comments may be filed electronically 
using the internet by accessing the ECFS: https://www.fcc.gov/ecfs/filings.
     Paper Filers: Parties who choose to file by paper must 
file an original and one copy of each filing. If more than one docket 
or rulemaking number appears in the caption of this proceeding, filers 
must submit two additional copies for each additional docket or 
rulemaking number.
    [cir] Filings can be sent by hand or messenger delivery, by 
commercial overnight courier, or by first-class or overnight U.S. 
Postal Service mail. All filings must be addressed to the Commission's 
Secretary, Office of the Secretary, Federal Communications Commission.
    [cir] Currently, the Commission does not accept any hand delivered 
or messenger delivered filings as a temporary measure taken to help 
protect the health and safety of individuals, and to mitigate the 
transmission of COVID-19. In the event that the Commission announces 
the lifting of COVID-19 restrictions, a filing window will be opened at 
the Commission's office located at 9050 Junction Drive, Annapolis 
Junction, Maryland 20701.
    [cir] Commercial overnight mail (other than U.S. Postal Service 
Express Mail and Priority Mail) must be sent to 9050 Junction Drive, 
Annapolis Junction, MD 20701.
    [cir] U.S. Postal Service first-class, Express, and Priority mail 
must be addressed to 45 L Street NE, Washington DC 20554.
    [cir] During the time the Commission's building is closed to the 
general public and until further notice, if more than one docket or 
rulemaking number appears in the caption of a proceeding, paper filers 
need not submit two additional copies for each additional docket or 
rulemaking number; an original and one copy are sufficient.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: William Wallace, Consumer and 
Governmental Affairs Bureau at: (202)

[[Page 37329]]

418-2716; email: [email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: This is a summary of the Commission's Public 
Notice, DA 21-753, in CG Docket Nos. 03-123 and 13-24, released on June 
25, 2021. To request materials in accessible formats for people with 
disabilities (Braille, large print, electronic files, audio format), 
send an email to [email protected] or call the Consumer and Governmental 
Affairs Bureau at (202) 418-0530.

Synopsis

    1. On September 30, 2020, the Commission adopted Misuse of Internet 
Protocol (IP) Captioned Telephone Service; Telecommunications Relay 
Services and Speech-to-Speech Services for Individuals with Hearing and 
Speech Disabilities, Report and Order, Order on Reconsideration, and 
Further Notice of Proposed Rulemaking, published at 85 FR 64971, 
October 14, 2020, and 86 FR 7681, February 1, 2021. Pursuant to the 
Report and Order, TRS Fund compensation for the provision of IP CTS is 
to be reduced from the current level of $1.42 per minute to $1.30 per 
minute, effective July 1, 2021.
    2. The Joint Providers contend that deferring the scheduled 
compensation reduction would better enable the Commission to consider 
the impact on compensation rates before adopting changes in applicable 
service-quality standards, as proposed in the Further Notice of 
Proposed Rulemaking. The Joint Providers point out that the currently 
scheduled compensation adjustment follows a series of previous 
adjustments ordered by the Commission over a three-year period, with 
the goal of bringing TRS Fund compensation into line with reasonable 
cost, and that these prior adjustments reduced per-minute IP CTS 
compensation from $1.9467 (in the 2017-18 Fund Year) to the current 
$1.42 level.
    3. The Joint Providers also assert that ``significant uncertainty 
as to future costs and demand'' has resulted from the ``protracted 
impact of the [COVID-19] pandemic'' and the consequent adjustments made 
by IP CTS providers ``to ensure high quality access for users.'' As a 
result, the Joint Providers argue, ``a prudent approach is to halt 
further rate reductions, determine the appropriate standards that will 
be adopted for IP CTS, determine the impact of those standards on 
normalized costs (i.e., not impacted by a worldwide pandemic), and 
determine a long-term rate methodology that ensures continued 
functional equivalence, innovation, and consumer choice for IP CTS 
users.''
    4. The Bureau seeks comment on the Joint Providers' request. In 
particular, because there is insufficient information in the record to 
evaluate some of the assertions in the request, and because the 
Commission's analysis of the issues raised should be data driven, the 
Bureau seeks additional information on the following:
     Current estimates are that $1.30 is substantially higher 
than the average per-minute IP CTS cost projected for 2021-22. The 
$1.30 per-minute compensation rate was adopted based on pre-COVID-19 
estimates of average per-minute cost. To date, the impact of the COVID-
19 pandemic has been to reduce average per-minute IP CTS costs 
substantially below the $1.30 cost-based rate adopted by the 
Commission. Based on providers' cost and demand projections submitted 
in March 2021, the TRS Fund administrator estimates a weighted average 
cost for IP CTS (including a 10% operating margin) of $1.1169 per 
minute--approximately 14% lower than the scheduled $1.30 compensation. 
Have providers revised their projections of 2021-22 costs and demand? 
If so, the Bureau seeks detailed information about such revised 
projections and the basis on which they were revised, to enable a 
determination of the likelihood that average per-minute costs (plus 
operating margin) for the 2021-22 Fund Year will exceed the $1.30 
level. Is there other reliable data supporting a compensation freeze at 
the $1.42 level?
     The $1.30 per-minute rate that is scheduled to become 
effective July 1 will expire at the end of the 2021-22 Fund Year. Is 
freezing the rate at a higher level necessary at this time, or could 
the Commission effectively address the impact of possible changes in 
service-quality standards when setting compensation for the subsequent 
rate period?
     While the Commission has proposed that metric standards be 
developed for IP CTS caption delay and accuracy, no such standards have 
been adopted to date. Nonetheless, the Bureau seeks information about 
any investments in quality and technology improvements currently being 
considered by providers. To what extent could such investments be 
expected to cause a net increase in a provider's per-minute service 
costs during the 2021-22 Fund Year?
     Given the industry's recent innovation, development, and 
investment in automatic speech recognition, to what extent could such 
investment in quality and technology improvements result in a decrease 
in per-minute costs?
     If the Commission were to ``freeze'' IP CTS compensation 
at the current $1.42 level, what increase would be needed in the 
proposed TRS funding requirement and the contribution factor for 
support of IP CTS? If such action were to be taken after the $1.30 
compensation level becomes effective, should the Commission ``true up'' 
compensation retroactively to July 1? How should such a true-up be 
handled?

Federal Communications Commission.
Gregory Haledjian,
Legal Advisor, Consumer and Governmental Affairs Bureau.
[FR Doc. 2021-15008 Filed 7-14-21; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6712-01-P
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