Part 54 – Rate-of-Return Carrier Universal Service Reporting Requirements; Waiver of Local Exchange Carrier Study Area Boundary Changes

Forms and Documents

Document Name	Status
3060-0233 Supporting Statement_final version.docx Supporting Statement A	2024-09-05

IC Document Collections

IC ID	Document Title	Status
29811	Business or other for-profit Instruction	Modified

ICR Details

OMB Control No: 3060-0233	ICR Reference No: 202408-3060-012
Status: Received in OIRA	Previous ICR Reference No: 202303-3060-009
Agency/Subagency: FCC	Agency Tracking No: WCB
Title: Part 54 – Rate-of-Return Carrier Universal Service Reporting Requirements; Waiver of Local Exchange Carrier Study Area Boundary Changes
Type of Information Collection: Revision of a currently approved collection	Common Form ICR:  No
Type of Review Request: Regular	Date Submitted to OIRA: 09/05/2024

	Requested	Previously Approved
Expiration Date	36 Months From Approved	05/31/2026
Responses	3,627	4,044
Time Burden (Hours)	34,404	43,638
Cost Burden (Dollars)	0	0

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Abstract: In order to allow determination of the study areas that are entitled to an expense adjustment, and the wire centers that are entitled to high-cost universal service support, incumbent and competitive telecommunications carriers must provide certain data to the National Exchange Carrier Association or the Universal Service Administrative Company annually. Local telecommunications carriers who want to participate in the federal universal service support program must make certain informational showings to demonstrate eligibility. The data collected on FCC Forms 507, 508, and 509, will include line counts, forecasted cost and revenues, and actual cost and revenue data associated with consumer broadband-only loops necessary for the calculation of universal service high-cost support. In addition, the Commission now requires local exchange carriers seeking a change in study area boundaries to submit a petition for waiver of these boundary changes notwithstanding any prior exemptions from such waiver requests.

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Authorizing Statute(s): US Code: 47 USC 151-154, 214, 218-220 Name of Law: Communications Act of 1934, as amended
   US Code: 47 USC 221(c), 254, 303(r) Name of Law: Communications Act of 1934, as amended
  

Citations for New Statutory Requirements: None

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Associated Rulemaking Information
RIN:	Stage of Rulemaking:	Federal Register Citation:	Date:
3060-AK57	Final or interim final rulemaking	89 FR 25147	04/10/2024

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Federal Register Notices & Comments
60-day Notice:	Federal Register Citation:	Citation Date:
	89 FR 53423	06/26/2024
30-day Notice:	Federal Register Citation:	Citation Date:
	89 FR 72399	09/05/2024
Did the Agency receive public comments on this ICR? No

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Number of Information Collection (IC) in this ICR: 1

IC Title	Form No.	Form Name
Business or other for-profit	FCC Form 507, FCC Form 508, FCC Form 509	Line Count Data Collection ,   PROJECTED CONNECT AMERICA FUND-BROADBAND LOOP SUPPORT ,   CONNECT AMERICA FUND-BROADBAND LOOP SUPPORT ACTUAL COST AND REVENUE DATA COLLECTION

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ICR Summary of Burden

	Total Request	Previously Approved	Change Due to New Statute	Change Due to Agency Discretion	Change Due to Adjustment in Estimate	Change Due to Potential Violation of the PRA
Annual Number of Responses	3,627	4,044	0	-417	0	0
Annual Time Burden (Hours)	34,404	43,638	0	-9,234	0	0
Annual Cost Burden (Dollars)	0	0	0	0	0	0

Burden increases because of Program Change due to Agency Discretion: No

Burden Increase Due to:

Burden decreases because of Program Change due to Agency Discretion: Yes

Burden Reduction Due to: Changing Regulations

Short Statement: The Commission is reporting program changes as a result of a new requirement that local exchange carriers seek waiver to make changes to study area boundaries notwithstanding any prior exemptions from such waiver requests. This addition will increase the burdens. The Commission is also eliminating the requirement for rate-of-return carriers’ option to submit quarterly line count information to update their submissions to the NECA. The removal of the quarterly line count information greatly decreases the overall number of responses and burden hours in this collection. Together, the program changes resulted in an increase in the number of respondents but a decrease in annual responses and total annual burden hours. The number of respondents increased from 1,095 to 1,098 (+3); the annual responses decreased from 4,044 to 3,627 (-417); and the annual burden hours decreased from 43,638 to 34,404 (-9,234). No adjustments are being reported to this revised information collection.

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Annual Cost to Federal Government: $0

Does this IC contain surveys, censuses, or employ statistical methods? No

Does this ICR request any personally identifiable information (see OMB Circular No. A-130 for an explanation of this term)? Please consult with your agency's privacy program when making this determination.     No

Does this ICR include a form that requires a Privacy Act Statement (see 5 U.S.C. §552a(e)(3))? Please consult with your agency's privacy program when making this determination.     No

Is this ICR related to the Affordable Care Act [Pub. L. 111-148 & 111-152]? No

Is this ICR related to the Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act, [Pub. L. 111-203]? No

Is this ICR related to the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 (ARRA)? No

Is this ICR related to the Pandemic Response? No

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Common Form ICR:  No

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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:

(a) It is necessary for the proper performance of agency functions;

(b) It avoids unnecessary duplication;

(c) It reduces burden on small entities;

(d) It uses plain, coherent, and unambiguous language that is understandable to respondents;

(e) Its implementation will be consistent and compatible with current reporting and recordkeeping practices;

(f) It indicates the retention periods for recordkeeping requirements;

(g) It informs respondents of the information called for under 5 CFR 1320.8 (b)(3) about:

(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;

(h) It was developed by an office that has planned and allocated resources for the efficient and effective management and use of the information to be collected.

(i) It uses effective and efficient statistical survey methodology (if applicable); and

(j) It makes appropriate use of information technology.

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.

Certification Date: 09/05/2024

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