Information Collection Being Reviewed by the Federal Communications Commission
| Published date | 14 May 2020 |
| Citation | 85 FR 28946 |
| Record Number | 2020-10343 |
| Section | Notices |
| Court | Federal Communications Commission |
Federal Register, Volume 85 Issue 94 (Thursday, May 14, 2020)
[Federal Register Volume 85, Number 94 (Thursday, May 14, 2020)]
[Notices]
[Pages 28946-28947]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2020-10343]
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FEDERAL COMMUNICATIONS COMMISSION
[OMB 3060-0912; FRS 16752]
Information Collection Being Reviewed by the Federal
Communications Commission
AGENCY: Federal Communications Commission.
ACTION: Notice and request for comments.
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SUMMARY: As part of its continuing effort to reduce paperwork burdens,
and as required by the Paperwork Reduction Act (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
[[Page 28947]]
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 comments should be submitted on or before July 13, 2020.
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 contacts below as soon as possible.
ADDRESSES: Direct all PRA comments to Cathy Williams, FCC, via email
[email protected] and to [email protected].
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: For additional information about the
information collection, contact Cathy Williams at (202) 418-2918.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: As part of its continuing effort to reduce
paperwork burdens, and as required by the PRA of 1995 (44 U.S.C. 3501-
3520), the FCC 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.
OMB Control Number: 3060-XXXX.
Title: 3.7 GHz Band Relocation Coordinator and Relocation Payment
Clearinghouse Real-Time Disclosure of Communications Required by
Sections 27.1413(c)(6) and 27.1414(b)(4)(i).
Form Number: N/A.
Type of Review: New information collection.
Respondents: Business or other for profit entities.
Number of Respondents: 2 respondents; 12 responses.
Estimated Time per Response: 1 hour.
Frequency of Response: On occasion reporting requirement.
Obligation to Respond: Required to Obtain or retain benefits.
Statutory authority for this information collection is contained in
sections 1, 2, 4(i), 4(j), 5(c), 201, 302, 303, 304, 307(e), and 309 of
the Communications Act of 1934, as amended, 47 U.S.C. 151, 152, 154(i),
154(j), 155(c), 201, 302, 303, 304, 307(e), 309.
Total Annual Burden: 12 hours.
Total Annual Costs: No cost.
Nature and Extent of Confidentiality: The information collected
under this collection will be made publicly available.
Privacy Act Impact Assessment: No impact(s).
Needs and Uses: On February 28, 2020, in furtherance of the goal of
releasing more mid-band spectrum into the market to support and enable
next-generation wireless networks, the Commission adopted a Report and
Order, FCC 20-22, (3.7 GHz Report and Order) in which it reformed the
use of the 3.7-4.2 GHz band, also known as the C-Band. The 3.7-4.2 GHz
band currently is allocated in the United States exclusively for non-
Federal use on a primary basis for Fixed Satellite Service (FSS) and
Fixed Service. Domestically, space station operators use the 3.7-4.2
GHz band to provide downlink signals of various bandwidths to licensed
transmit-receive, registered receive-only, and unregistered receive-
only earth stations throughout the United States. The 3.7 GHz Report
and Order calls for the relocation of existing FSS operations in the
band into the upper 200 megahertz of the band (4.0-4.2 GHz) and making
the lower 280 megahertz (3.7-3.98 GHz) available for flexible-use
throughout the contiguous United States through a Commission-
administered public auction of overlay licenses in the 3.7 GHz Service
that is scheduled to occur later this year, with the 20 megahertz from
3.98-4.0 GHz reserved as a guard band. The Commission adopted a robust
transition schedule to achieve an expeditious relocation of FSS
operations and ensure that a significant amount of spectrum is made
available quickly for next-generation wireless deployments, while also
ensuring effective accommodation of relocated incumbent users. The 3.7
GHz Report and Order establishes a deadline of December 5, 2025, for
full relocation to ensure that all FSS operations are cleared in a
timely manner, but provides an opportunity for accelerated clearing of
the band by allowing incumbent space station operators, as defined in
the 3.7 GHz Report and Order, to commit to voluntarily relocate on a
two-phased accelerated schedule (with additional obligations and
incentives for such operators), with a Phase I deadline of December 5,
2021, and a Phase II deadline of December 5, 2023.
The Commission concluded in the 3.7 GHz Report and Order that a
neutral, independent third-party Relocation Payment Clearinghouse (RPC)
should be established to administer the cost-related aspects of the
transition in a fair, transparent manner, mitigate financial disputes
among stakeholders, and collect and distribute payments in a timely
manner to transition incumbent space station operators out of the 3.7-
3.98 GHz band. The Commission also concluded that a Relocation
Coordinator (RC) should be appointed to ensure that all incumbent space
station operators are relocating in a timely manner, and to be
responsible for receiving notice from earth station operators or other
satellite customers of any disputes related to comparability of
facilities, workmanship, or preservation of service during the
transition and notify the Commission of disputes and recommendations
for resolution.
To protect the fair and level playing field for applicants to
participate in the Commission's auction for overlay licenses in the 3.7
GHz Service, the RPC and the RC are each required to make real-time,
public disclosures of the content and timing of and the parties to
communications, if any, from or to such applicants, as applicants are
defined by the Commission's rule prohibiting certain auction-related
communications, 47 CFR 1.2105(c)(5)(i), whenever the prohibition in 47
CFR 1.2105(c) applies to competitive bidding for licenses in the 3.7
GHz Service. See 47 CFR 27.1413(c)(6), 27.1414(b)(4)(i) (as adopted in
the 3.7 GHz Report and Order). The Commission is seeking approval for a
new information collection to permit the RPC and the RC to make the
required real-time, public disclosure of any such communications, as
necessary.
Federal Communications Commission.
Marlene Dortch,
Secretary.
[FR Doc. 2020-10343 Filed 5-13-20; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6712-01-P
