Information Collections Being Reviewed by the Federal Communications Commission, 84594-84596 [2024-24538]

Agencies

• FEDERAL COMMUNICATIONS COMMISSION

[Federal Register Volume 89, Number 205 (Wednesday, October 23, 2024)]
[Notices]
[Pages 84594-84596]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2024-24538]


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FEDERAL COMMUNICATIONS COMMISSION

[OMB 3060-0463, FR ID 256033]


Information Collections 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 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 comments should be submitted on or before December 23, 
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 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: 
    OMB Control Number: 3060-0463.
    Title: Telecommunications Relay Services and Speech-to-Speech 
Services for Individuals with Hearing and Speech Disabilities; 
Structure and Practices of the Video Relay Service Program; Misuse of 
internet Protocol (IP) Captioned Telephone Service, CG Docket Nos. 03-
123, 10-51, and 13-24.
    Form Number: N/A.
    Type of Review: Revision of a currently approved collection.
    Respondents: Business or other for-profit; Individuals or 
household; State, Local and Tribal Government.
    Number of Respondents and Responses: 5,075 respondents; 8,468 
responses.
    Estimated Time per Response: 0.1 hours (6 minutes) to 80 hours.
    Frequency of Response: Annually, semi-annually, eight times a year, 
monthly, on occasion, one-time, and quarterly reporting requirements; 
Recordkeeping and Third-Party Disclosure requirements.
    Obligation to Respond: Required to obtain or retain benefit. The 
statutory authority for the information collection requirements is 
found at section 225 of the Communications Act, 47 U.S.C. 225. The law 
was enacted on July 26, 1990, in Title IV of the Americans with 
Disabilities Act of 1990, Public Law 101-336, 104 Stat. 327, 366-69.
    Total Annual Burden: 15,850 hours.

[[Page 84595]]

    Total Annual Cost: $348,000.
    Needs and Uses: On December 21, 2001, the Commission released the 
2001 TRS Cost Recovery Order, document FCC 01-371, published at 67 FR 
4203, January 29, 2002, in which the Commission, among other things:
    (1) required internet-based TRS providers to submit certain 
projected TRS-related cost and demand data to the TRS Fund 
administrator to be used to calculate the rate; and
    (2) directed the TRS Fund administrator to expand its data 
collection forms accordingly.
    In 2003, the Commission released the 2003 Second Improved TRS 
Order, published at 68 FR 50973, August 25, 2003, which among other 
things required that TRS providers offer certain local exchange carrier 
(LEC)-based improved services and features where technologically 
feasible, including a speed dialing requirement which may entail 
voluntary recordkeeping for TRS providers to maintain a list of 
telephone numbers. See also 47 CFR 64.604(a)(3)(vi)(B).
    In 2007, the Commission released the Section 225/255 VoIP Report 
and Order, published at 72 FR 43546, August 6, 2007, extending the 
disability access requirements that apply to telecommunications service 
providers and equipment manufacturers under 47 U.S.C. 225, 255 to 
interconnected voice over internet protocol (VoIP) service providers 
and equipment manufacturers. As a result, under rules implementing 
section 225 of the Act, interconnected VoIP service providers are 
required to publicize information about telecommunications relay 
services (TRS) and 711 abbreviated dialing access to TRS. See also 47 
CFR 64.604(c)(3).
    In 2007, the Commission also released the 2007 Cost Recovery Report 
and Order and Declaratory Ruling, published at 73 FR 3197, January 17, 
2008, in which the Commission:
    (1) adopted a new cost recovery methodology for interstate 
traditional TRS, interstate speech-to-speech service (STS), captioned 
telephone service (CTS), and internet Protocol captioned telephone 
service (IP CTS) based on the Multi-state Average Rate Structure (MARS) 
plan, under which interstate TRS compensation rates are determined by 
weighted average of the states' intrastate compensation rates, and 
which includes for STS additional compensation approved by the 
Commission for STS outreach;
    (2) adopted a cost recovery methodology for internet Protocol (IP) 
Relay based on a price cap like methodology;
    (3) adopted a cost recovery methodology for video relay service 
(VRS) that adopted tiered rates based on call volume;
    (4) clarified the nature and extent that certain categories of 
costs are compensable from the Fund; and
    (5) addressed certain issues concerning the management and 
oversight of the Fund, including prohibiting financial incentives 
offered to consumers to make relay calls.
    The 2007 TRS Cost Recovery Order requires that state relay 
administrators and TRS providers submit to the TRS Fund administrator 
the following information annually, for intrastate traditional TRS, 
STS, and CTS:
    (1) the per-minute compensation rate(s) and other compensation 
received for the provision of TRS;
    (2) whether the rate applies to session minutes or conversation 
minutes, which are a subset of session minutes;
    (3) the number of intrastate session minutes; and
    (4) the number of intrastate conversation minutes.
    Also, STS providers must file a report annually with the TRS Fund 
administrator and the Commission on their specific outreach efforts 
directly attributable to the additional compensation approved by the 
Commission for STS outreach.
    In 2011, to help prevent waste, fraud, and abuse, the Commission 
adopted three VRS orders to curtail these harmful practices. Each of 
these orders (collectively, the 2011 VRS Orders) included information 
collection requirements.
    On April 6, 2011, in document FCC 11-54, the Commission released 
the 2011 Fraud Prevention Order, published at 76 FR 30841, May 27, 
2011, which included several measures designed to eliminate the waste, 
fraud and abuse, while ensuring that VRS remains a viable and a 
valuable communication tool for Americans who use it on a daily basis.
    On July 28, 2011, in document FCC 11-118 the Commission released 
the VRS Certification Order, published at 76 FR 47469, August 5, 2011, 
amending its rules for certifying internet-based TRS providers as 
eligible for payment from the Interstate TRS Fund (Fund) for their 
provision of internet-based TRS.
    On October 17, 2011, in document FCC 11-155, the Commission 
released the Second VRS Certification Order, published at 76 FR 67070, 
October 31, 2011, addressing three petitions related to the VRS 
Certification Order by revising the burdens contained in the 
requirements for the submission of documentation of a provider's VRS 
equipment and technologies and the submission of documentation 
regarding sponsorship arrangements.
    The following are the final information collection requirements 
contained in the 2011 VRS Orders:
    (1) The Chief Executive Officer (CEO), Chief Financial Officer 
(CFO), or other senior executive of a TRS provider shall certify, under 
penalty of perjury, that: (1) minutes submitted to the Interstate TRS 
Fund (Fund) administrator for compensation were handled in compliance 
with the Commission's rules and are not the result of impermissible 
financial incentives to generate calls, and (2) cost and demand data 
submitted to the Fund administrator related to the determination of 
compensation rates are true and correct.
    (2) VRS providers shall: (a) submit to the Commission and the TRS 
Fund administrator a call center report twice a year and (b) notify the 
Commission and the TRS Fund administrator at least 30 days prior to any 
change to their call centers' locations.
    (3) VRS providers shall submit detailed call data records (CDRs) 
and speed of answer compliance data to the Fund administrator.
    (4) TRS providers shall use an automated record keeping system to 
capture the CDRs and shall submit such data electronically in 
standardized form to the TRS Fund administrator.
    (5) internet-based TRS providers shall retain the CDRs that are 
used to support payment claims submitted to the Fund administrator for 
a minimum of five years, in an electronic format.
    (6) VRS providers shall: (a) maintain copies of all third-party 
contracts or agreements and make them available to the Commission and 
the TRS Fund administrator upon request; and (b) describe all 
agreements in connection with marketing and outreach activities in 
their annual submissions to the TRS Fund administrator.
    (7) TRS providers shall provide information about their TRS 
whistleblower protections to all employees and contractors, in writing.
    In 2018, the Commission released the IP CTS Modernization Order, 
published at 83 FR 30082, June 27, 2018, in which the Commission:
    (1) determined that it would transition the methodology for IP CTS 
cost recovery from the MARS plan to cost-based rates and adopted 
interim rates; and
    (2) added two cost reporting requirements for IP CTS providers: (i) 
In annual cost data filings and supplementary information provided to 
the TRS Fund administrator, IP CTS

[[Page 84596]]

providers that contract for the supply of services used in the 
provision of TRS, shall include information about payments under such 
contracts, classified according to the substantive cost categories 
specified by the TRS Fund administrator; and (ii) in the course of an 
audit or otherwise upon demand, IP CTS providers must make available 
any relevant documentation. 47 CFR 64.604(c)(5)(iii)(D)(1), (6).
    In December 2023, the FCC released the 2023 VRS Improvements Order, 
document FCC 23-116, published at 89 FR 20125, March 21, 2024, amending 
its rules (1) increase from 50% to 80% the portion of monthly VRS 
minutes that may be handled by communications assistants (CAs) working 
at home; (2) modify the amount of prior interpreting experience 
required of VRS CAs who work at home; and (3) allow VRS providers to 
use contract CAs, subject to conditions, for up to 30% of their monthly 
call minutes. 47 CFR 64.604(c)(5)(iii)(D)(8), (d)(1)(iii)(C), 
(d)(2)(iv). The Commission also modified when VRS providers may seek 
compensation for VRS calls that originate from international IP 
addresses from users traveling abroad. 47 CFR 64.604(d)(6).

Federal Communications Commission.
Marlene Dortch,
Secretary, Office of the Secretary.
[FR Doc. 2024-24538 Filed 10-22-24; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6712-01-P