Information Collection Being Reviewed by the Federal Communications Commission

AGENCY:

Federal Communications Commission.

ACTION:

Notice and request for comments.

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 PRA comments should be submitted on or before February 19, 2021. 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 contact listed below as soon as possible.

ADDRESSES:

Direct all PRA comments to Nicole Ongele, FCC, via email PRA@fcc.gov and to Nicole.Ongele@fcc.gov.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:

For additional information about the information collection, contact Nicole Ongele, (202) 418-2991.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

OMB Control Number: 3060-XXXX.

Title: Compliance with the Non-IP Call Authentication Solution Rules; Robocall Mitigation Database; Certification to Verify Exemption from Caller ID Authentication Implementation Mandate.

Form Number: N/A.

Type of Review: New information collection.

Respondents: Business or other for-profit entities.

Number of Respondents and Responses: 6,535 respondents; 6,535 responses.

Estimated Time per Response: 0.5 hours (30 minutes)-3 hours.

Frequency of Response: Recordkeeping requirement and on occasion reporting requirement.

Obligation to Respond: Mandatory and required to obtain or retain benefits. Statutory authority for these collections are contained in 47 U.S.C. 227b, 251(e), and 227(e) of the Communications Act of 1934.

Total Annual Burden: 15,520 hours.

Total Annual Cost: No Cost.

Privacy Act Impact Assessment: No impact(s).

Nature and Extent of Confidentiality: The Commission will consider the potential confidentiality of any information submitted, particularly where public release of such information could raise security concerns (e.g., granular location information). Respondents may request materials or information submitted to the Commission or to the Administrator be withheld from public inspection under 47 CFR 0.459 of the Commission's rules.

Needs and Uses: The Pallone-Thune Telephone Robocall Abuse Criminal Enforcement and Deterrence (TRACED) Act directs the Commission to require, no later than 18 months from enactment, all voice service providers to implement STIR/SHAKEN caller ID authentication technology in the internet protocol (IP) portions of their networks and implement an effective caller ID authentication framework in the non-IP portions of their networks. Among other provisions, the TRACED Act also directs the Commission to create extension and exemption mechanisms for voice service providers. On September 29, 2020, the Commission adopted its Call Authentication Trust Anchor Second Report and Order. See Call Authentication Trust Anchor, WC Docket No. 17-97, Second Report and Order, FCC 20-136 (adopted Sept. 29, 2020). The Second Report and Order implemented section 4(b)(1)(B) of the TRACED Act, in part, by requiring a voice service provider maintain and be ready to provide the Commission upon request with documented proof that it is participating, either on its own or through a representative, including third party representatives, as a member of a working group, industry standards group, or consortium that is working to develop a non-internet Protocol caller identification authentication solution, or actively testing such a solution. The Second Report and Order also implemented the extension mechanisms in section 4(b)(5) by, in part, requiring voice service providers to certify that they have either implemented STIR/SHAKEN or a robocall mitigation program. And finally, the Second Report and Order completed the implementation of the exemption process of 4(b)(2) by requiring voice service providers file a second certification after June 30, 2021 to verify that they met the criteria to receive their exemption.