Information Collection Being Reviewed by the Federal Communications Commission, 80237-80238 [2024-22716]

Agencies

• FEDERAL COMMUNICATIONS COMMISSION

[Federal Register Volume 89, Number 191 (Wednesday, October 2, 2024)]
[Notices]
[Pages 80237-80238]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2024-22716]


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FEDERAL COMMUNICATIONS COMMISSION

[OMB 3060-0819; FR ID 248471]


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.

DATES: Written PRA comments should be submitted on or before December 
2, 2024. 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: 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.
    OMB Control Number: 3060-0819.
    Title: Bridging the Digital Divide for Low-Income Consumers, 
Lifeline and Link Up Reform and Modernization, Telecommunications 
Carriers Eligible for Universal Service Support.
    Form No.: FCC Forms 481, 497, 555, 5629, 5630, and 5631.
    Type of Review: Revision of a currently approved collection.
    Respondents: Individuals or households, businesses or other for-
profit institutions, and not-for-profit institutions.
    Number of Respondents and Responses: 25,111,368 respondents; 
26,878,712 responses.
    Estimated Time per Response: 0.0167-125 hours.
    Frequency of Response: Annual, biennial, monthly, daily and on 
occasion reporting requirements, recordkeeping requirement and third-
party disclosure requirement.
    Obligation to Respond: Required to obtain or retain benefits and 
Voluntary. Statutory authority is contained in Sections 1, 4(i), 5, 
201, 205, 214, 219, 220, 254, 303(r), and 403 of the Communications Act 
of 1934, as amended, and section 706 of the Communications Act of 1996, 
as amended; 47 U.S.C. 151, 154(i), 155, 201, 205, 214, 219, 220, 254, 
303(r), 403, and 1302.
    Total Annual Burden: 6,534,599 hours.
    Total Annual Cost: $937,500.
    Needs and Uses: On November 15, 2023, the Commission adopted the 
Supporting Survivors of Domestic and Sexual Violence et al., WC Docket 
Nos. 22-238, 11-42, 21-450, Report and Order, FCC 23-96 (2023) (Safe 
Connections Act Order). The Safe Connections Act Order, among other 
things, adopted rules to address the emergency communications portions 
of the Safe Connections Act. The Order also required that surveys be 
developed and sent to stakeholder groups working directly with 
survivors in order to conduct a program evaluation, including examining 
the impact and effectiveness of the support offered to survivors. The 
Commission is requesting the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) 
approval for this revised information collection to implement the new 
requirements captured in the Safe Connections Act Survey in the Safe 
Connections Act Order, FCC 23-96. The revision requires that surveys be 
developed and sent to stakeholder groups working directly with 
survivors in order to conduct a program evaluation, including examining 
the impact and effectiveness of the support offered to survivors.
    The Commission first adopted rules for the Lifeline program in 
1997. On May 8, 1997, the Commission adopted rules establishing, among 
other things, that eligible telecommunications carriers (ETCs) offering 
Lifeline and Link Up to qualifying low-income customers would receive 
reimbursement from the federal Universal Service Fund (USF or Fund) for 
low-income support.
    On April 2, 2004, in its Report and Order and Further Notice of 
Proposed Rulemaking (Lifeline Order), the Commission directed ETCs to 
certify their Lifeline/Link Up subscribers' eligibility for the program 
and to verify a portion of their subscribers' eligibility on an annual 
basis. States that operated their own Lifeline/Link Up programs were 
allowed to develop their own certification procedures (referred to as 
non-federal default states). The Lifeline Order also required ETCs to 
submit to the Universal Service Administrative Company (USAC or 
Administrator) proof that they certified that their Lifeline 
subscribers are eligible for Lifeline, and proof that they verified a 
portion of their subscribers' continued eligibility for Lifeline.
    On September 23, 2011, the Commission issued an Inquiry into 
Disbursement Process for the Universal Service Fund Low Income Program 
seeking comment on a proposal for disbursing USF low-income support to 
ETCs based upon claims for reimbursement of actual support payments 
made, instead of projected claims for support. On February 6, 2012, the 
Commission issued its Report and Order and Further Notice of Proposed 
Rulemaking (2012 Lifeline Order). In the 2012 Lifeline Order, the 
Commission adopted the proposal to file the FCC Form 497 monthly and 
changed the low-income disbursement process from payments based on 
projected subscriber counts to payments based on actual subscriber 
counts. After the 2012 Lifeline Order, ETCs were required to recertify 
the eligibility of their entire subscriber base annually. Starting in 
2013, ETCs could elect to have USAC conduct the annual recertification 
process on their behalf.
    On June 22, 2015, the Commission released a Second Further Notice 
of Proposed Rulemaking, Order on Reconsideration, Second Report and 
Order, and Memorandum Opinion and Order (2015 Lifeline Order). The 
Commission adopted several rules in the 2015 Lifeline Order to: 
strengthen the document retention requirements;

[[Page 80238]]

ensure that only ETCs directly serving low-income customers receive 
reimbursement under the Lifeline program; and require ETCs to use a 
uniform snapshot date to request reimbursement from USAC for the 
provision of Lifeline support.
    On April 27, 2016, the Commission adopted the Lifeline and Link Up 
Reform and Modernization et al., WC Docket Nos. 11-42, 09-197, 10-90, 
Third Report and Order, Further Report and Order, and Order on 
Reconsideration, FCC 16-38 (2016) (2016 Lifeline Order) The 2016 
Lifeline Order changes included requiring ETCs to certify compliance 
with the new minimum service requirements, moving to rolling annual 
subscriber recertification, streamlining the first-year ETC audit 
requirements, and eliminating the temporary address requirements.
    The Commission's decision to transition to a centralized National 
Verifier was outlined in detail in the 2016 Lifeline Order. The 
National Verifier was established to make eligibility determinations 
and perform a variety of other functions necessary to enroll 
subscribers into the Lifeline program. The National Verifier verifies 
Lifeline subscriber eligibility, checks for duplicate Lifeline 
subscribers, conducts recertification of subscribers, and calculates 
support payments to ETCs. ETCs maintain ultimate responsibility for the 
accuracy of information submitted to the National Verifier and 
complying with the Lifeline program's rules. The National Verifier was 
launched over a period of several years from late 2017 through December 
2020, serving all states, territories, and the District of Columbia.
    On October 30, 2019, the Commission adopted the Bridging the 
Digital Divide for Low-Income Consumers, WC Docket Nos. 17-287, 11-42, 
09-197, Fifth Report and Order, Memorandum Opinion and Order and Order 
on Reconsideration, and Further Notice of Proposed Rulemaking, FCC 19-
111 (2019) (2019 Lifeline Order). The 2019 Lifeline Order restored the 
states' lawful role in designating eligible telecommunications carriers 
and eliminated the Lifeline Broadband Provider designation category and 
its associated designation procedures. The Order also implemented a 
number of administrative changes to improve the integrity of the 
Lifeline eligibility verification, enrollment, and recertification 
processes.
    On October 20, 2023, the Commission adopted the Connect America 
Fund et al., WC Docket No. 10-90 et al. WT Docket No. 10-208, Notice of 
Proposed Rulemaking and Report and Order, FCC 23-87 (Oct. 20, 2023) 
(Administrative Order). In the Administrative Order, the Commission 
modified, in relevant part, section 205 of the Commission's rules, to 
require an ETC that intends to relinquish its ETC designation to 
provide: (1) advance notice to the state commission and to the 
Commission of such intention to relinquish, and (2) notice to the 
Commission of the state authority's decision to permit or deny such 
relinquishment, within 10 days of its decision. These filings must be 
submitted regardless of whether the ETC is currently receiving federal 
support.

Federal Communications Commission.
Marlene Dortch,
Secretary, Office of the Secretary.
[FR Doc. 2024-22716 Filed 10-1-24; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6712-01-P