On April 28, 2016, the Federal Communications Commission (“Commission” or “FCC”) adopted an Order on Reconsideration and Second Report and Order, FCC 16-55, GN Docket No. 12-354 (Second Report and Order) that amends the rules established in the First Report and Order and Second Further Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (First Report and Order) for the commercial use of 150 megahertz in the 3550-3700 MHz (3.5 GHz Band) and created a new Citizens Broadband Radio Service. The rules will create additional capacity for wireless broadband by adopting a new approach to spectrum management to facilitate more intensive spectrum sharing between commercial and federal users and among multiple tiers of commercial users.
In the First Report and Order, the Commission introduced licensing, technical, and service rules that would enable spectrum sharing between three tiers of users in the 3.5 GHz Band: Incumbent Users; Priority Access Licenses (PALs); and General Authorized Access (GAA). The Commission sought further comment on three outstanding issues. In order to implement this new comprehensive regulatory scheme and balance the interests of the three types of spectrum users, the Commission sought comment on the rules which would allow maximum flexibility and efficiency. To that end, the Second Report and Order amended some of the rules released in the First Report and Order.
Amendments to the information collection requirements in the Second Report and Order, FCC 16-55, aim to further the Commission’s goal of promoting efficient spectrum sharing in its new tiered use regime. Additional required communications between the Priority Access Licensees and SAS Administrators will ensure that the most accurate information is available for other users. Additionally, the new voluntary reporting by PALs will encourage the “use or share” scheme and promote secondary markets. The following burdens/program changes will be added to OMB’s inventory as a result of the information collection requirements contained in FCC 16-55: +86,334 to the annual number of responses, +21,584 to the annual burden hours and +$5,395,875 to the annual cost burden.
The Commission also has adjustments to the number of annual responses of -6,667, -10,000 to the annual burden hours and -$1,000,000 to the annual cost burden. These adjustments are due to the Commission averaging the burdens and costs for the Grandfathered Wireless Broadband Licensee Construction Filing (approved emergency collection) instead of accounting for them as a whole.
$2,530,905
No
No
No
No
No
Uncollected
Becky Schwartz 202 418-7178
No
On behalf of this Federal agency, I certify that the collection of information encompassed by this request complies with 5 CFR 1320.9 and the related provisions of 5 CFR 1320.8(b)(3).
The following is a summary of the topics, regarding the proposed collection of information, that the certification covers:
(i) Why the information is being collected;
(ii) Use of information;
(iii) Burden estimate;
(iv) Nature of response (voluntary, required for a benefit, or mandatory);
(v) Nature and extent of confidentiality; and
(vi) Need to display currently valid OMB control number;
If you are unable to certify compliance with any of these provisions, identify the item by leaving the box unchecked and explain the reason in the Supporting Statement.
Supporting Statement OMB 3060-1211 3 5 GHz Supporting Statement Updated (2016).docx
Commercial Operations in the 3550-3650 MHz Band