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 (PRA) of 1995, the Federal Communications Commission (FCC or the Commission) invites the general public and other Federal agencies to take this opportunity to comment on the following information collection. 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.

DATES:

Written PRA comments should be submitted on or before August 20, 2024. 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:

The FCC may not conduct or sponsor a collection of information unless it displays a currently valid 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 Office of Management and Budget (OMB) control number.

OMB Control Number: 3060-XXXX.

Title: Section 9.10(t), Interim 911 Requirements for Supplemental Coverage from Space.

Form Number: N/A.

Type of Review: New information collection.

Respondents: Business or other for-profit entities.

Number of Respondents and Responses: 59 respondents; 59 responses.

Estimated Time per Response: 49 hours.

Frequency of Response: One-time and annual reporting requirements.

Obligation to Respond: Mandatory. Statutory authority for this collection is contained in sections 1, 2, 4(i), 4(j), 4(o), 251(e), 303(b), 303(g), 303(r), 316, and 403 of the Communications Act of 1934, as amended, 47 U.S.C. 151, 152, 154(i), 154(j), 154(o), 251(e), 303(b), 303(g), 303(r), 316, 403, and section 4 of the Wireless Communications and Public Safety Act of 1999, Public Law 106-81, sections 101 and 201 of the New and Emerging Technologies 911 Improvement Act of 2008, Public Law 110-283, and section 106 of the Twenty-First Century Communications and Video Accessibility Act of 2010, Public Law 111-260, as amended 47 U.S.C. 615a, 615a-1, 615b, 615c.

Total Annual Burden: 2,891 hours.

Total Annual Cost: No Cost.

Needs and Uses: In an effort to facilitate the process of terrestrial providers taking steps to ensure their subscribers' access to the 911 system in areas where they use SCS arrangements to expand coverage to their end-users and thus comply with the new Interim 911 Requirements for Supplemental Coverage from Space as established in Section 9.10(t), the Commission adopted certain information collection requirements for those CMRS providers.

Annual Reporting Requirement. Under Section 9.10(t)(3), each CMRS provider that utilizes SCS arrangements to expand its coverage areas for providing service to its end-user subscribers must maintain records of all SCS 911 voice calls and SCS 911 text messages received on its network and received at its emergency call center. By October 15 of each year, each CMRS provider that utilizes SCS arrangements to expand its coverage areas for providing service to its end-user subscribers must submit a report to the Commission regarding SCS 911 voice calls and 911 text messages, and its emergency call center data, current as of September 30 of that year. These reports must include, at a minimum: (i) The name and address of the CMRS provider, the address of that CMRS provider's emergency call center, and the contact information of the emergency call center; (ii) The aggregate number of SCS 911 voice calls and SCS 911 text messages received by the network of the CMRS provider that provides SCS service to its end-user subscribers during each month during the relevant reporting period; (iii) The aggregate number of SCS 911 voice calls and SCS 911 text messages received by the emergency call center each month during the relevant reporting period; (iv) The aggregate number of SCS 911 voice calls and SCS 911 text messages received by the emergency call center each month during the relevant reporting period that required forwarding to a PSAP and how many did not require forwarding to a PSAP; (v) The aggregate number of SCS 911 voice calls that were routed using location information that met the timeliness and accuracy thresholds defined in paragraphs (s)(3)(i)(A) and (B) of this section; (vi) The aggregate number of SCS 911 voice calls and SCS 911 text messages that were routed using location information that did not meet the timeliness and accuracy thresholds defined in paragraphs (s)(3)(i)(A) and (B) of this section; and (vii) an explanation of how the SCS deployment, including network architecture, systems, and procedures, will support routing SCS 911 voice calls and SCS 911 text messages to the geographically appropriate PSAP with sufficient location information in compliance with paragraph (t)(2) of this section. The Commission would use the data generated by this annual information collection to monitor CMRS provider compliance as well as analyze the growth and development of 911 system access for end-users.

One-Time Privacy Certification Requirement. Under Section 9.10(t)(4), CMRS providers that utilize SCS arrangements to expand their coverage areas for providing service to their end-user subscribers must certify on a one-time basis that neither they nor any third party they rely on to obtain location information or associated data used for compliance with paragraph (t)(2)(i) or (ii) will use such location information or associated data for any non-911 purpose, except with prior express consent or as otherwise permitted or required by law. The certification must state that the CMRS provider and any third parties it relies on to obtain location information or associated data used for compliance with paragraph (t)(2)(i) or (ii) have implemented measures sufficient to safeguard the privacy and security of such location information or associated data. CMRS providers that utilize SCS arrangements to expand their coverage areas for providing service to their end-user subscribers must submit this one-time certification in the Commission's Electronic Comment Filing System on the due date of the first report made under paragraph (t)(3) of this section. The Commission would use the data generated by this annual information collection to monitor CMRS provider compliance as well as analyze the growth and development of 911 system access for end-users.

One-time Subscriber Notification Requirement. Under Section 9.10(t)(5), each CMRS provider that utilizes SCS arrangements to expand its coverage areas for providing service to its end-user subscribers shall specifically advise every subscriber, both new and existing, in writing prominently and in plain language, of the circumstances under which 911 service for all SCS 911 calls, or SCS 911 text messages may not be available via SCS or may be in some way limited by comparison to traditional enhanced 911 service.