Notice of Public Information Collection(s) Being Submitted for Review and Approval to the Office of Management and Budget (OMB), Comments Requested

SUMMARY:

As part of its continuing effort to reduce paperwork burden and as required by the Paperwork Reduction Act (PRA) of 1995 (44 U.S.C. 3501-3520), the Federal Communications Commission invites the general public and other Federal agencies to comment on the following information collection. Comments are requested concerning: (a) 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; (b) the accuracy of the Commission's burden estimate; (c) ways to enhance the quality, utility, and clarity of the information collected; (d) 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 (e) ways to further reduce the information collection burden for 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 OMB control number. No person shall be subject to any penalty for failing to comply with a collection of information subject to the Paperwork Reduction Act (PRA) that does not display a valid OMB control number.

DATES:

Written Paperwork Reduction Act (PRA) comments should be submitted on or before February 7, 2011. If you anticipate that you will be submitting PRA comments, but find it difficult to do so within the period of time allowed by this notice, you should advise the FCC contact listed below as soon as possible.

ADDRESSES:

Direct all PRA comments to Nicholas A. Fraser, Office of Management and Budget, via fax at 202-395-5167 or the Internet at Nicholas_A._Fraser@omb.eop.gov; and to the Federal Communications Commission's PRA mailbox (e-mail address: PRA@fcc.gov.). Include in the e-mail the OMB control number of the collection as shown in the SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION section below, or if there is no OMB control number, include the Title as shown in the SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION section. If you are unable to submit your comments by e-mail, contact the person listed below to make alternate arrangements.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:

For additional information, contact Judith B. Herman at 202-418-0214 or via the Internet at Judith-b.herman@fcc.gov.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

OMB Control Number: 3060-1094.

Title: Sections 4.1 and 4.2, and Part 4 of the Commission's Rules Concerning Disruptions to Communications (NORS).

Form No.: N/A.

Type of Review: Extension of a currently approved collection.

Respondents: Business or other for-profit, not-for-profit institutions, and State, local or Tribal government.

Number of Respondents: 71 respondents; 139 responses.

Estimated Time per Response: 2 hours.

Frequency of Response: On occasion reporting requirements.

Obligation to Respond: Required to obtain or retain benefits. Statutory authority for this information collection is contained in 47 U.S.C. sections 151, 154, 218, 219, 256, 301, 302, 303, 403 and 621.

Total Annual Burden: 19,738 hours.

Total Annual Cost: N/A.

Privacy Act Impact Assessment: N/A.

Nature and Extent of Confidentiality: In accordance with 47 CFR 4.2 of the Commission's rules, reports under Part 4 are presumed confidential.

Needs and Uses: The Commission will submit this expiring information collection (IC) to the OMB during this comment period. The Commission is seeking OMB approval for an extension (there are no changes to the reporting requirement). The Commission is reporting a significant increase of 10,100 total annual burden hours. This is due to a recalculation of our burden estimates and fewer respondents reporting information. The estimated number of respondents fluctuates because of the type of event to be reported and the location where it occurred.

In recognition of the critical need for rapid, full, and accurate information on service disruptions that could affect homeland security, public health and safety, as well as the economic well-being of our Nation, and in view of the increasing importance of non-wireline communications in the Nation's communications networks, and critical infrastructure, the Commission adopted rules requiring mandatory service disruptions reporting from all communications providers (cable, satellite, wireline and wireless) that provide voice and/or paging communications. As envisioned, the information collected pursuant to these rules has helped improve network reliability.

OMB Control Number: 3060-1139.

Title: Residential Fixed Broadband Services Testing and Measurement.

Form No.: N/A.

Type of Review: Extension of a currently approved collection.

Respondents: Individuals or households and business or other for-profit.

Number of Respondents: 11,016 respondents; 11,016 responses.

Estimated Time per Response: The estimated time per response is 1 hour for respondents based on a 10 minute initial sign-up for the panel; 30 minutes to connect and install the hardware appliance; and two 10-minute contacts to be conducted by the vendor over the course of the study period. The 16 ISP partners participating in the study is estimated at 200 hours per respondent per partner for all participation activities.

Frequency of Response: Biennial reporting requirement and third party disclosure requirement.

Obligation to Respond: Voluntary. Statutory authority for this information collection is contained in the Broadband Data Improvement Act of 2008, Public Law 110-385, Stat 4096 § 103(c)(1).

Total Annual Burden: 14,200 hours.

Total Annual Cost: N/A.

Privacy Act Impact Assessment: This information collection affects individuals or households. However, the collection of personally identifiable information (PII) is not being collected, made available or accessible by the Commission but instead by third parties including SamKnows, a third party contractor and ISP Partners.

Nature and Extent of Confidentiality: No personally identifiable information (PII) will be transmitted to the Commission from the contractor as a matter of vendor policy. SamKnows maintains a series of administrative, technical, and physical safeguards to protect against the transmission of personally identifying information. At point of registration, individuals will be given full disclosure in a “privacy statement” highlighting what information will be collected. ISP Partners will receive personally identifying information about volunteers to confirm the validity of the information against their subscription records, but will be bound by a non-disclosure agreement that will maintain various administrative, technical and physical safeguards to protect the information and limit its use. ISP Partners will provide support to the testing program will likewise be bound to the same series of administrative, technical and physical safeguards developed by SamKnows. In addition, all third parties supporting the program directly will be bound by a “Code of Conduct” to ensure that all participate and act in good faith.

Needs and Uses: The Commission will submit this expiring information collection (IC) to the OMB during this comment period. The Commission is requesting OMB approval for an extension (no change in the reporting and/or third party disclosure requirements). There is no change in the Commission's burden estimates that were submitted and approved by OMB on October 4, 2010.

The Broadband Data Improvement Act of 2008, Public Law 110-385, Stat 4096 § 103(c)(1) directs the Commission to collect information on the type of technology used to provide broadband to consumers, the price of such services, actual transmission speeds, and the reasons for non-adoption of broadband service.

The collection of information is necessary to complete research done for the Broadband Plan on key consumer issues including transparency and actual speeds and performance of broadband service.