Legacy High-Cost Support Recipient Initial Report of Current Service Offerings
New collection (Request for a new OMB Control Number)
No
Regular
06/07/2021
Requested
Previously Approved
36 Months From Approved
110
0
1,760
0
0
0
The Federal Communications Commission (Commission) requests approval from the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) for a new, one-time information collection requirement necessary to implement recently-adopted requirements for competitive eligible telecommunications carriers (ETCs) receiving legacy high-cost support for mobile wireless services.
Under this new, one-time information collection, the Commission will collect from each competitive ETC receiving legacy high-cost support for mobile wireless services an initial report of its current service offerings in each of its subsidized service areas detailing how it is using legacy support.
On November 18, 2011, the Commission released the USF/ICC Transformation Order (FCC 11-161) in which it comprehensively reformed and modernized the universal service and intercarrier compensation systems to ensure that robust, affordable voice and broadband service, both fixed and mobile, are available to Americans throughout the nation. In the USF/ICC Transformation Order, the Commission, among other things, adopted a requirement that all ETCs offer broadband service in their supported area that meets certain basic performance requirements and report regularly on associated performance measures as a condition of receiving federal high-cost universal service support.
On October 27, 2020, the Commission adopted the 5G Fund Report and Order (FCC 20-150) in which it, among other things, helped to complete the reform of the high-cost program begun in the USF/ICC Transformation Order by adopting additional public interest obligations and performance requirements for legacy high-cost support recipients, whose broadband-specific public interest obligations for mobile wireless services were not previously detailed. The public interest obligations adopted in the 5G Fund Report and Order for each competitive ETC receiving legacy high-cost support for mobile wireless services require that such competitive ETC (1) use an increasing percentage of its legacy support toward the deployment, maintenance, and operation of voice and broadband networks that support 5G meeting the adopted performance requirements within its subsidized service area(s), and (2) meet specific 5G broadband service deployment coverage requirements and service deployment milestone deadlines that take into consideration the amount of legacy support the carrier receives.
In order to gain a complete understanding of the current service offerings of each competitive ETC receiving legacy high-cost support for mobile wireless services, the Commission adopted rules that require each such competitive ETC to file an initial report containing information and certifications about its current mobile service offerings in each of its subsidized service areas and how it is using its legacy support, whether it is offering mobile services in its subsidized service areas at rates that are reasonably comparable to rates charged in urban areas, and whether it has availed itself of the geographic flexibility granted by the Commission concerning its use of support within any other designated service area(s) for which it or an affiliated competitive ETC receives legacy support. See 47 CFR §§ 54.313(p), 54.322(g), (h).
This is a new information collection resulting in a program change increase of 110 annual respondents, 110 annual responses, and 1,760 annual burden hours.
$0
No
No
No
No
No
No
No
Valerie Barrish 202 418-0354
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.