Information Collection Being Reviewed by the Federal Communications Commission, 44019-44020 [2021-17114]
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Federal Register / Vol. 86, No. 152 / Wednesday, August 11, 2021 / Notices
FEDERAL COMMUNICATIONS
COMMISSION
[OMB 3060–1228; FR ID 42331]
Information Collection Being Reviewed
by the Federal Communications
Commission
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 of 1995 (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 PRA comments should
be submitted on or before October 12,
2021. 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: Direct all PRA comments to
Nicole Ongele, FCC, via email PRA@
fcc.gov and to Nicole.Ongele@fcc.gov.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: For
additional information about the
information collection, contact Nicole
Ongele, (202) 418–2991.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
OMB Control Number: 3060–1228.
Title: Connect America Fund—High
Cost Portal Filing.
jbell on DSKJLSW7X2PROD with NOTICES
SUMMARY:
VerDate Sep<11>2014
23:05 Aug 10, 2021
Jkt 253001
Form Number: N/A.
Type of Review: Revision of a
currently approved collection.
Respondents: Business or other forprofit, not-for-profit institutions.
Number of Respondents and
Responses: 2,024 unique respondents;
4,644 responses.
Estimated Time per Response: 8
hours–60 hours.
Frequency of Response: On occasion,
quarterly reporting requirements,
annual reporting requirements, and
recordkeeping requirement.
Obligation to Respond: Required to
obtain or retain benefits. Statutory
authority for this information collection
is contained in 47 U.S.C. 151–154, 155,
201–206, 214, 218–220, 251, 252, 254,
256, 303(r), 332, 403, 405, 410, and
1302.
Total Annual Burden: 86,727 hours.
Total Annual Cost: No cost.
Privacy Act Impact Assessment: No
impact(s).
Nature and Extent of Confidentiality:
Except for the middle-mile maps for
Alaska Plan carriers, and the coverage
maps and information for Uniendo a
Puerto Rico Fund and Connect USVI
Fund Stage 2 mobile support recipients,
the Commission is not requesting
respondents to submit confidential
information to the Commission. We note
that the Universal Service
Administrative Company (USAC) must
preserve the confidentiality of all data
obtained from respondents and
contributors to the universal service
support program mechanism; must not
use the data except for purposes of
administering the universal service
support program; and must not disclose
data in company-specific form unless
directed to do so by the Commission.
Also, respondents may request materials
or information submitted to the
Commission or to the Administrator
believed confidential to be withheld
from public inspection under 47 CFR
0.459 of the FCC’s rules.
Needs and Uses: Through several
orders, the Commission has recently
changed or modified reporting
obligations for high-cost support.
Pursuant to the following orders, this
collection includes location reporting
and related certification requirements of
high-cost support recipients: Connect
America Fund et al., Report and Order,
Order and Order on Reconsideration,
and Further Notice of Proposed
Rulemaking, 31 FCC Rcd 3087 (2016)
(2016 Rate-of-Return Order); Connect
America Fund et al., Report and Order
and Further Notice of Proposed
Rulemaking, 31 FCC Rcd 5949 (2016)
(Phase II Auction Order); Connect
America Fund et al., Order, 31 FCC Rcd
PO 00000
Frm 00032
Fmt 4703
Sfmt 4703
44019
12086 (2016) (ACS Phase II Order);
Connect America Fund et al., Report
and Order and Notice of Proposed
Rulemaking, 29 FCC Rcd 876 (2014)
(Rural Broadband Experiments Order);
Connect America Fund et al., Report
and Order, 29 FCC Rcd 15644 (2014)
(Price Cap Order); Technology
Transitions et al., Order et al., 29 FCC
Rcd 1433 (2014) (Tech Transitions
Order); Connect America Fund et al.,
Report and Order and Further Notice of
Proposed Rulemaking, 31 FCC Rcd
10139 (2016) (Alaska Plan Order);
Connect America Fund et al., Order, 32
FCC Rcd 968 (2017) (New York Auction
Order); Connect America Fund et al.,
Report and Order, Further Notice of
Proposed Rulemaking, and Order on
Reconsideration, 33 FCC Rcd 11–893
(2018) (2018 Rate-of-Return Order);
Uniendo a Puerto Rico and Connect
USVI Fund et al., Report and Order and
Order on Reconsideration, 34 FCC Rcd
9109 (2019) (PR–USVI Stage 2 Order);
Rural Digital Opportunity Fund et al.,
Report and Order, 35 FCC Rcd 686
(2020) (2020 Rural Digital Opportunity
Fund Order).
This information collection addresses
the requirement that certain carriers
with high-cost reporting obligations
must file information about the
locations to which they have deployed
broadband service meeting applicable
public interest requirements (location
information). A web-based portal, the
High-Cost Universal Broadband Portal
(HUBB or portal), is used to accept this
information. The Commission and
USAC will use this information to
monitor the deployment progress of
reporting carriers and to verify the
reporting carriers’ claims of service at
the reported locations. Such activities
help the Commission ensure that
support is being used as intended. In
addition, because data filed in the
HUBB is publicly accessible, the
reporting helps ensure public
accountability and transparency.
In the 2019 PR–USVI Stage 2 Order,
the Commission created a competitive
process to determine support recipients
for the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico
and the U.S. Virgin Islands. As a result,
carriers receiving support in these areas
are subject to specific public interest
obligations related to speed, usage,
latency, and price as well as certain
deployment milestones. Specifically,
the Commission imposed defined
deployment obligations and associated
HUBB reporting requirements (annual
location reporting and build-out
certifications) for all Uniendo a Puerto
Rico Fund and Connect USVI Fund
Stage 2 fixed support recipients as well
as annual reporting and certification
E:\FR\FM\11AUN1.SGM
11AUN1
44020
Federal Register / Vol. 86, No. 152 / Wednesday, August 11, 2021 / Notices
requirements for all Uniendo a Puerto
Rico Fund and Connect USVI Fund
Stage 2 mobile support recipients.
Uniendo a Puerto Rico Fund and
Connect USVI Fund Stage 2 mobile
support recipients will also file network
coverage and other data as required by
the Commission’s orders. The
Commission and USAC will use this
information to monitor the deployment
progress of mobile carriers and to verify
that carriers meet the public interest
obligations for 4G LTE and 5G mobile
broadband and voice services in the
Commonwealth of Puerto Rico and the
U.S. Virgin Islands. Instead of filing in
the HUBB portal, mobile support
recipients will submit their reports
electronically as part of a web form
accessed via the Commission’s Form
477 portal (477 Portal) and the
Electronic Comment Filing System
(ECFS). This collection mechanism is
being used to reduce the technological
burden on the public and the
Commission, as carriers and the public
are familiar with both of these systems.
The Commission’s Wireline
Competition Bureau (WCB) will specify
the filing process by which Stage 2
mobile support recipients must file their
reports in the 477 Portal prior to the
filing deadlines.
In the 2020 Rural Digital Opportunity
Fund Order, the Commission adopted a
support mechanism to provide funding
through a competitive auction to
connect rural homes and businesses to
high-speed broadband networks. The
Commission established specific public
interest obligations and deployment
milestones for all carriers receiving this
support. Specifically, the Commission
imposed defined deployment
obligations and associated HUBB
reporting requirements (annual location
reporting and build-out certifications)
for all support recipients. We therefore
propose to revise this information
collection. Finally, we propose to
increase the burdens associated with
existing and new reporting requirements
to account for additional carriers that
will be subject to these requirements.
Federal Communications Commission.
Marlene Dortch,
Secretary, Office of the Secretary.
jbell on DSKJLSW7X2PROD with NOTICES
[FR Doc. 2021–17114 Filed 8–10–21; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6712–01–P
VerDate Sep<11>2014
23:05 Aug 10, 2021
Jkt 253001
FEDERAL COMMUNICATIONS
COMMISSION
[FR ID: 42435]
Privacy Act of 1974; Matching Program
Federal Communications
Commission.
ACTION: Notice of a new matching
program.
AGENCY:
In accordance with the
Privacy Act of 1974, as amended
(‘‘Privacy Act’’), this document
announces the establishment of a
computer matching program the Federal
Communications Commission (‘‘FCC’’
or ‘‘Commission’’ or ‘‘Agency’’) and the
Universal Service Administrative
Company (USAC) will conduct with the
Mississippi Department of Human
Services (Department). The purpose of
this matching program is to verify the
eligibility of applicants to and
subscribers of the Emergency Broadband
Benefit Program, which is administered
by USAC under the direction of the
FCC, or other federal programs that use
qualification for the FCC’s Lifeline
Program as an eligibility criterion. More
information about this program is
provided in the SUPPLEMENTARY
INFORMATION section below.
DATES: Written comments are due on or
before September 10, 2021. This
computer matching program will
commence on September 10, 2021, and
will conclude 18 months after becoming
effective.
ADDRESSES: Send comments to Margaret
Drake, FCC, 45 L Street NE, Washington,
DC 20554, or to Privacy@fcc.gov.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:
Margaret Drake at 202–417–1707 or
Privacy@fcc.gov.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The
Emergency Broadband Benefit Program
(EBBP) was established by Congress in
the Consolidated Appropriations Act of
2021, Public Law 116–260, 134 Stat.
1182. EBBP is a program that helps lowincome Americans obtain discounted
broadband service and one-time co-pay
for a connected device (laptop, desktop
computer or tablet). This program was
created specifically to assist American
families’ access to broadband, which
has proven to be essential for work,
school, and healthcare during the public
health emergency that exists as a result
of COVID–19. A household may qualify
for the EBBP benefit under various
criteria, including an individual
qualifying for the FCC’s Lifeline
program.
In a Report and Order adopted on
March 31, 2016, the Commission
ordered USAC to create a National
SUMMARY:
PO 00000
Frm 00033
Fmt 4703
Sfmt 4703
Lifeline Eligibility Verifier (‘‘National
Verifier’’), including the National
Lifeline Eligibility Database (LED), that
would match data about Lifeline
applicants and subscribers with other
data sources to verify the eligibility of
an applicant or subscriber. The
Commission found that the National
Verifier would reduce compliance costs
for Lifeline service providers, improve
service for Lifeline subscribers, and
reduce waste, fraud, and abuse in the
program. The Consolidated
Appropriations Act of 2021 directs the
FCC to leverage the National Verifier to
verify applicants’ eligibility for EBBP.
The purpose of this matching program
is to verify the eligibility of EBBP
applicants and subscribers by
determining whether they receive
Supplemental Nutrition Assistance
Program (SNAP) benefits administered
by the Mississippi Department. Under
FCC rules, consumers receiving these
benefits qualify for Lifeline discounts
and also for EBBP benefits.
Participating Non-Federal Agencies
Mississippi Department of Human
Services (Department).
Authority for Conducting the Matching
Program
Consolidated Appropriations Act of
2021, Public Law 116–260, 134 Stat.
1182; 47 CFR part 54.
Purpose(s)
In the 2016 Lifeline Modernization
Order, the FCC required USAC to
develop and operate the National
Verifier to improve efficiency and
reduce waste, fraud, and abuse in the
Lifeline program. The stated purpose of
the National Verifier is ‘‘to increase the
integrity and improve the performance
of the Lifeline program for the benefit of
a variety of Lifeline participants,
including Lifeline providers,
subscribers, states, community-based
organizations, USAC, and the
Commission.’’ 31 FCC Rcd 3962, 4006,
para. 126. To help determine whether
Lifeline applicants and subscribers are
eligible for Lifeline benefits, the Order
contemplates that the USAC-operated
LED will communicate with information
systems and databases operated by other
Federal and State agencies. Id. at 4011–
2, paras. 135–7.
The Consolidated Appropriations Act
of 2021 directs the FCC to leverage the
National Verifier to verify applicants’
eligibility for EBBP. The purpose of this
matching program is to verify the
eligibility of EBBP applicants and
subscribers by determining whether
they receive SNAP benefits
administered by the Mississippi
E:\FR\FM\11AUN1.SGM
11AUN1
]]>Agencies
[Federal Register Volume 86, Number 152 (Wednesday, August 11, 2021)]
[Notices]
[Pages 44019-44020]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2021-17114]
[[Page 44019]]
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
FEDERAL COMMUNICATIONS COMMISSION
[OMB 3060-1228; FR ID 42331]
Information Collection Being Reviewed by the Federal
Communications Commission
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 of 1995 (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 PRA comments should be submitted on or before October
12, 2021. 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: Direct all PRA comments to Nicole Ongele, FCC, via email
[email protected] and to [email protected].
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: For additional information about the
information collection, contact Nicole Ongele, (202) 418-2991.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
OMB Control Number: 3060-1228.
Title: Connect America Fund--High Cost Portal Filing.
Form Number: N/A.
Type of Review: Revision of a currently approved collection.
Respondents: Business or other for-profit, not-for-profit
institutions.
Number of Respondents and Responses: 2,024 unique respondents;
4,644 responses.
Estimated Time per Response: 8 hours-60 hours.
Frequency of Response: On occasion, quarterly reporting
requirements, annual reporting requirements, and recordkeeping
requirement.
Obligation to Respond: Required to obtain or retain benefits.
Statutory authority for this information collection is contained in 47
U.S.C. 151-154, 155, 201-206, 214, 218-220, 251, 252, 254, 256, 303(r),
332, 403, 405, 410, and 1302.
Total Annual Burden: 86,727 hours.
Total Annual Cost: No cost.
Privacy Act Impact Assessment: No impact(s).
Nature and Extent of Confidentiality: Except for the middle-mile
maps for Alaska Plan carriers, and the coverage maps and information
for Uniendo a Puerto Rico Fund and Connect USVI Fund Stage 2 mobile
support recipients, the Commission is not requesting respondents to
submit confidential information to the Commission. We note that the
Universal Service Administrative Company (USAC) must preserve the
confidentiality of all data obtained from respondents and contributors
to the universal service support program mechanism; must not use the
data except for purposes of administering the universal service support
program; and must not disclose data in company-specific form unless
directed to do so by the Commission. Also, respondents may request
materials or information submitted to the Commission or to the
Administrator believed confidential to be withheld from public
inspection under 47 CFR 0.459 of the FCC's rules.
Needs and Uses: Through several orders, the Commission has recently
changed or modified reporting obligations for high-cost support.
Pursuant to the following orders, this collection includes location
reporting and related certification requirements of high-cost support
recipients: Connect America Fund et al., Report and Order, Order and
Order on Reconsideration, and Further Notice of Proposed Rulemaking, 31
FCC Rcd 3087 (2016) (2016 Rate-of-Return Order); Connect America Fund
et al., Report and Order and Further Notice of Proposed Rulemaking, 31
FCC Rcd 5949 (2016) (Phase II Auction Order); Connect America Fund et
al., Order, 31 FCC Rcd 12086 (2016) (ACS Phase II Order); Connect
America Fund et al., Report and Order and Notice of Proposed
Rulemaking, 29 FCC Rcd 876 (2014) (Rural Broadband Experiments Order);
Connect America Fund et al., Report and Order, 29 FCC Rcd 15644 (2014)
(Price Cap Order); Technology Transitions et al., Order et al., 29 FCC
Rcd 1433 (2014) (Tech Transitions Order); Connect America Fund et al.,
Report and Order and Further Notice of Proposed Rulemaking, 31 FCC Rcd
10139 (2016) (Alaska Plan Order); Connect America Fund et al., Order,
32 FCC Rcd 968 (2017) (New York Auction Order); Connect America Fund et
al., Report and Order, Further Notice of Proposed Rulemaking, and Order
on Reconsideration, 33 FCC Rcd 11-893 (2018) (2018 Rate-of-Return
Order); Uniendo a Puerto Rico and Connect USVI Fund et al., Report and
Order and Order on Reconsideration, 34 FCC Rcd 9109 (2019) (PR-USVI
Stage 2 Order); Rural Digital Opportunity Fund et al., Report and
Order, 35 FCC Rcd 686 (2020) (2020 Rural Digital Opportunity Fund
Order).
This information collection addresses the requirement that certain
carriers with high-cost reporting obligations must file information
about the locations to which they have deployed broadband service
meeting applicable public interest requirements (location information).
A web-based portal, the High-Cost Universal Broadband Portal (HUBB or
portal), is used to accept this information. The Commission and USAC
will use this information to monitor the deployment progress of
reporting carriers and to verify the reporting carriers' claims of
service at the reported locations. Such activities help the Commission
ensure that support is being used as intended. In addition, because
data filed in the HUBB is publicly accessible, the reporting helps
ensure public accountability and transparency.
In the 2019 PR-USVI Stage 2 Order, the Commission created a
competitive process to determine support recipients for the
Commonwealth of Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands. As a result,
carriers receiving support in these areas are subject to specific
public interest obligations related to speed, usage, latency, and price
as well as certain deployment milestones. Specifically, the Commission
imposed defined deployment obligations and associated HUBB reporting
requirements (annual location reporting and build-out certifications)
for all Uniendo a Puerto Rico Fund and Connect USVI Fund Stage 2 fixed
support recipients as well as annual reporting and certification
[[Page 44020]]
requirements for all Uniendo a Puerto Rico Fund and Connect USVI Fund
Stage 2 mobile support recipients.
Uniendo a Puerto Rico Fund and Connect USVI Fund Stage 2 mobile
support recipients will also file network coverage and other data as
required by the Commission's orders. The Commission and USAC will use
this information to monitor the deployment progress of mobile carriers
and to verify that carriers meet the public interest obligations for 4G
LTE and 5G mobile broadband and voice services in the Commonwealth of
Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands. Instead of filing in the HUBB
portal, mobile support recipients will submit their reports
electronically as part of a web form accessed via the Commission's Form
477 portal (477 Portal) and the Electronic Comment Filing System
(ECFS). This collection mechanism is being used to reduce the
technological burden on the public and the Commission, as carriers and
the public are familiar with both of these systems. The Commission's
Wireline Competition Bureau (WCB) will specify the filing process by
which Stage 2 mobile support recipients must file their reports in the
477 Portal prior to the filing deadlines.
In the 2020 Rural Digital Opportunity Fund Order, the Commission
adopted a support mechanism to provide funding through a competitive
auction to connect rural homes and businesses to high-speed broadband
networks. The Commission established specific public interest
obligations and deployment milestones for all carriers receiving this
support. Specifically, the Commission imposed defined deployment
obligations and associated HUBB reporting requirements (annual location
reporting and build-out certifications) for all support recipients. We
therefore propose to revise this information collection. Finally, we
propose to increase the burdens associated with existing and new
reporting requirements to account for additional carriers that will be
subject to these requirements.
Federal Communications Commission.
Marlene Dortch,
Secretary, Office of the Secretary.
[FR Doc. 2021-17114 Filed 8-10-21; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6712-01-P
