1029_ss_082208

3060-1029

August 2008

SUPPORTING STATEMENT

A. Justification:

General Information:

1. The Federal Communications Commission (“Commission”) is requesting that the Office of Management and Budget (“OMB”) approve a three-year extension of the information collection, “Data Network Identification Code (DNIC)” under OMB Control No. 3060-1029. There are no changes in the number of annual respondents, annual burden hours and annual costs.

A Data Network Identification Code (DNIC) is a unique, four-digit number designed to provide discrete identification of individual public data networks. The DNIC is intended to identify and permit automated switching of data traffic to particular networks. The Federal Communications Commission (“Commission”) grants the DNICs to operators of public data networks on an international protocol. The operators of public data networks file an application for a DNIC on the Internet-based, International Bureau Filing System (IBFS). The DNIC is obtained free of charge on a one-time only basis unless there is a change in ownership or the owner chooses to relinquish the code to the FCC.

In 2005, the Commission received approval from the OMB for mandatory electronic filing and other information collection requirements to reflect the Commission’s decisions in the Report and Order titled, “In the Matter of Mandatory Electronic Filing For International Telecommunications Services and Other International Filings,” IB Docket No. 04-226, FCC

05-91. The Report and Order was adopted by the Commission on April 29, 2005 and released on May 11, 2005. (Note: This rulemaking is hereinafter referred to as the International E-Filing R&O). The International E-Filing R&O eliminated paper filings and required applicants to file all applications and other filings related to international telecommunications services electronically via the user-friendly, Internet-based International Bureau Filing System (IBFS).

We would like to retain approval of mandatory electronic filing of all international-related applications, including DNIC-related applications.

The Commission plans to develop three new DNIC applications that will impact this information collection in the future. We do not know the specific time frame for the development of each application. Initially, we estimated that the completion date of these applications would be on December 31, 2008. However, due to budgetary limitations, we are extending the deadline to December 31, 2012. The development of the applications is contingent upon the availability of budget funds, human resources and other factors. The annual burden hours and costs are unknown at this time because the forms have not been developed by the Commission yet. Therefore, this PRA Statement does not reflect any changes in annual burden hours and annual costs.

We would like to retain blanket OMB approval of all three applications listed below. As each application is developed, we will submit changes in the ROCIS database and request that the OMB approve the revised number of respondents, annual burden hours and costs (program changes) that result from the implementation of the new applications. This will save time for both the OMB and the Commission because we will not have to resend OMB Control No.

3060-1029 to the OMB repeatedly as each new application is developed by the Commission.

A complete list of DNIC applications is as follows:

Name of Form	Brief Description	Rule Section
1. Data Network Identification Codes – Other Filings	Notification of miscellaneous items.	R&O in Docket 83-1230 104 FCC 2d 208 (1986), reconsideration granted in part, 2 FCC Rcd 7375 (1987)
2. Data Network Identification Codes – Code Reassignment	Request for reassignment of the DNC when one company acquires the packet-switched operations of another company, or when a company reorganizes.	R&O in Docket 83-1230 104 FCC 2d 208, 7378-80 paragraphs; 70-77 (1986), reconsideration granted in part, 2 FCC Rcd 7375 (1987)
3. Data Network Identification Codes – Code Surrender	Request to surrender its DNC code for reassignment when a company operating a packet-switched network ceases operations.	R&O in Docket 83-1230 104 FCC 2d 208 (1986), reconsideration granted in part, 2 FCC Rcd 7375 (1987)

As noted on the OMB Form 83-I, this information collection does not affect individuals or households; thus, there are no impacts under the Privacy Act.

The statutory authority for this collection is contained in Sections 1, 4(i)-(j), 201-205, 211, 214, 219-220, 303(r), 309, and 403 of the Communications Act of 1934, as amended, 47 U.S.C. §§ 151, 154(i)-(j), 201-205, 211, 214, 219-220, 303(r), 309 and 403.

2. The Commission obtains relevant information from operators of public data networks through the filing of applications for Data Network Identification Codes (DNICs) on the Internet-based, IBFS. This information is collected by the Commission to assign DNICs to operators of public data networks in order to identify and permit automated switching of data traffic to particular networks.

3. All applicants may file a Data Network Identification Code (DNIC) application on the Commission's electronic, Internet-based International Bureau Filing System (IBFS). The electronic collection of information expedites the Commission's review and approval of DNIC applications for operators of public data networks.

4. The Commission does not impose similar information collections on the respondents. There are no similar data available.

5. This collection of information does not significantly impact small businesses or other small entities.

6. The Commission's lack of an assignment of DNICs to operators of public data networks would result in technical problems that prevent the identification and automated switching of data traffic to particular networks.

7. The collection of information will not be conducted in any manner inconsistent with the guidelines 5 CFR 1320.6.

8. On December 10, 2007, the Commission published a 60-day notice in the Federal Register (72 FR 69682). The comment period ended on February 8, 2008. No comments were received from the public.

9. The Commission will not provide any payment or gift to respondents.

10. There is no need for confidentiality of information contained in the applications filed with the Commission.

11. This collection of information does not contain questions of a sensitive nature.

12. The Commission receives 5 responses (DNIC applications) from respondents annually. Applications are completed by each applicant in approximately 15 minutes, with a total of one (1) hour as an estimated time per response for all 5 respondents. There are no application fees or other costs associated with the filing of the DNIC application with the Commission. Therefore, there are zero (0) costs to respondents for the hour burdens for the collection of information.

5 respondents X 0.25 (15 minutes) = 1.25 minutes (rounded down to 1 minute)

13. There are no costs that are associated with the completion and filing of the DNIC application on the IBFS.

14. After the DNIC forms are filed with the Commission on the IBFS, they are reviewed and processed by a GS-14/Step 5 employee. The employee spends an average of one (1) hour per month reviewing and processing DNIC applications. At a GS-14/Step 5, the hourly wage

is $41.42 X 1 hour = $41.42 cost of reviewing and processing DNIC applications per month.

The monthly total of $41.42 X 12 months (1 year) = $497.04. The total of $497.04 is rounded

to $497.

15. There are no program changes or adjustments.

16. The results of this collection of information are not going to be published for statistical use.

17. We do not seek approval to not display the expiration date for OMB approval of the information collection.

18. There are no exceptions to the certification statement.

B. Collections of Information Employing Statistical Methods:

This information collection does not employ statistical methods.

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