Information Collection Being Reviewed by the Federal Communications Commission, 33880-33881 [2023-11117]

Agencies

• FEDERAL COMMUNICATIONS COMMISSION

[Federal Register Volume 88, Number 101 (Thursday, May 25, 2023)]
[Notices]
[Pages 33880-33881]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2023-11117]



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FEDERAL COMMUNICATIONS COMMISSION

[OMB 3060-1204; FR ID 141569]


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) 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 FCC may not conduct or sponsor a collection of 
information unless it displays a currently valid 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 Office of Management and Budget (OMB) control number.

DATES: Written PRA comments should be submitted on or before July 24, 
2023. 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: 3060-1204.
    Title: Deployment of Text-to-911.
    Form Number: N/A.
    Type of Review: Extension of a currently approved collection.
    Respondents: Business or other for-profit entities, and State, 
Local, or Tribal Government.
    Number of Respondents and Responses: 4,106 respondents; 55,034 
responses.
    Estimated Time per Response: 1-8 hours.
    Frequency of Response: One-time; annual reporting requirements and 
third-party disclosure requirement.
    Obligation to Respond: Required to obtain or retain benefits. 
Statutory authority for these collections is contained in 47 U.S.C. 
151, 152, 154(i), 154(j), 154(o), 251(e), 303(b), 303(g), 303(r), 316, 
and 403, and section 4 of the Wireless Communications and Public Safety 
Act of 1999, Public Law 106-81, sections 101 and 201 of the New and 
Emerging Technologies 911 Improvement Act of 2008, Public Law 110-283, 
and section 106 of the Twenty-First Century Communications and Video 
Accessibility Act of 2010, Public Law 111-260, as amended 47 U.S.C. 
615a, 615a-1, 615b, 615c.
    Total Annual Burden: 90,377 hours.
    Total Annual Cost: None.
    Needs and Uses: Deployment of Text-to-911. In a Second Report and 
Order released on August 13, 2014, FCC 14-118, published at 79 FR 
55367, September 16, 2014, the Commission adopted final rules--
containing information collection requirements--to enable the 
Commission to implement text-to-911 service. The text-to-911 rules 
provide enhanced access to emergency services for people with 
disabilities and fulfilling a crucial role as an alternative means of 
emergency communication for the general public in situations where 
sending a text message to 911 as opposed to placing a voice call could 
be vital to the caller's safety. The Second Report and Order adopted 
rules to commence the implementation of text-to-911 service with an 
initial deadline of December 31, 2014 for all covered text providers to 
be capable of supporting text-to-911 service. The Second Report and 
Order also provided that covered text providers would then have a six-
month implementation period. They must begin routing all 911 text 
messages to a Public Safety Answering Point (PSAP) by June 30, 2015 or 
within six months of a valid PSAP request for text-to-911 service, 
whichever is later. To implement these requirements, the Commission 
seeks to collect information primarily for a database in which PSAPs 
voluntarily register that they are technically ready to receive text 
messages to 911. As PSAPs become text-ready, they may either register 
in the PSAP database (or submit a notification to PS Docket Nos. 10-255 
and 11-153), or provide other written notification reasonably 
acceptable to a covered text messaging provider. Either measure taken 
by the PSAP constitutes sufficient notification pursuant to the rules 
in the Second Report and Order. PSAPs and covered text providers may 
also agree to an alternative implementation timeframe (other than six 
months). Covered text providers must notify the FCC of the dates and 
terms of any such alternate timeframe within 30 days of the parties' 
agreement. Additionally, the rules adopted by the Second Report and 
Order include other information collections for third party 
notifications necessary for the implementation of text-to-911, 
including notifications to consumers, covered text providers, and the 
Commission. These notifications are essential to ensure that all 
affected parties are aware of the limitations, capabilities, and status 
of text-to-911 services. These information collections enable the 
Commission to meet the objectives for implementation of text-to-911 
service and for compliance by covered text providers with the six-month 
implementation period in furtherance of the Commission's core mission 
to ensure the public's safety. These rules are codified at 47 CFR 
9.10(q).
    Real Time Text. In a Report and Order and Further Notice of 
Proposed Rulemaking, released on December 16, 2016, in CG Docket No. 
16-145 and GN Docket No. 15-178, the Commission amended its rules to 
facilitate a transition from text telephone (TTY) technology to RTT as 
a reliable and interoperable universal text solution over wireless 
internet protocol (IP) enabled networks for people who are deaf, hard 
of hearing, deaf-blind, or have a speech disability. Section 9.10(c) of 
the rules requires Commercial Mobile Radio Service (CMRS) providers to 
be ``capable of transmitting 911 calls from individuals with speech or 
hearing disabilities through means other than mobile radio handsets, 
e.g., through the use of [TTY devices].'' Additionally, ``CMRS 
providers that provide voice communications over IP facilities are not 
required to support 911 access via TTYs if they provide 911 access via 
[RTT] communications, in accordance with 47 CFR part 67, except that 
RTT support is not required to the extent that it is not achievable for 
a particular manufacturer to support RTT on the provider's network.'' 
See 47 CFR 9.10(c). The Commission's Report and Order provides that 
once a PSAP is so capable, the requested service provider

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must begin delivering RTT communications in an RTT format within six 
months after a valid request is made--to the extent the provider has 
selected RTT as its accessible text communication method.

Federal Communications Commission.
Marlene Dortch,
Secretary. Office of the Secretary.
[FR Doc. 2023-11117 Filed 5-24-23; 8:45 am]
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