This collection is cleared based on the revised materials provided by the agency.
Inventory as of this Action
Requested
Previously Approved
10/31/2010
6 Months From Approved
11,000
0
0
11,000
0
0
0
0
0
Accurate and clear information is crucial to a well-functioning market. Today, broadband consumers in the U.S. have little information about the actual speed and performance of the broadband services available to them. Consumers lack clarity on: 1) actual speed and performance of the services they are receiving; 2) gap between actual and advertised speeds and the implications of that difference; and 3) speeds and performance of alternative providers in their areas.
The FCC seeks to contract with a 3rd party measurement company to measure the speeds and performance of a representative, cost-effective, statistically relevant sample of U.S. fixed broadband households across geographies, technologies and providers. This measurement will occur on an opt-in, voluntary basis. This representative sample will be used to create a baseline level of performance and measurements for the FCC. The 3rd party measurement contractor will deploy testing devices to begin measurement, and these results will then be used to inform measurement standards for performance of broadband services, in support of the FCC-led National Broadband Plan.
The Commission's Office of Strategic Planning and Policy Analysis and the Consumer and Intergovernmental Affairs Bureau plans to conduct a hardware-based test and analysis of 11,000 consumer broadband connections to examine the performance and services across a number of parameters. This survey is crucial to comparing what consumers know - and need to know - about the performance, cost, and terms and conditions of broadband and related services to what service they actually receive. In light of the 2010 Census-related moratorium on government consumer research efforts, the Commission does not have time to comply with the regular OMB approval process and is requesting emergency processing.
PL: Pub.L. 111 - 5 123 Name of Law: American Reinvestment and Recovery Act of 2009
PL: Pub.L. 110 - 385 103(c)(1) Name of Law: Broadband Data Improvement Act of 2008
This is a new collection resulting in 11,000 total annual burden hours. The Commission is seeking emergency processing and approval because this collection of informtion is critical to the National Broadband Plan authorized by the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (AARA) of 2009, and to completing research done for the Broadband Plan on key consumer issues including transparency and actual speeds and performance of broadband service.
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:
(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;
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.
NEW_BB_3rdparymeasurement_Sign Up Page_042810.docx
NEW_BB_3rd party measurement_Online FAQ_042810.doc
NEW_BB_3rdparty_OMBlettersigned_040110.pdf
Residential Fixed Broadband Services Testing and Measurement