On July 29, 2008, the Commission
adopted the Competitive ETC Interim Cap Order. The order adopted an
interim, emergency cap on the amount of high-cost support that
competitive ETC's in each state are eligible to receive beginning
March 2008 on an annualized basis. The Commission also adopted two
limited exceptions from the application of the interim cap. First,
a competitive ETC will not be subject to the interim cap to the
extent it files cost data demonstrating that its costs meet the
support threshold in the same manner as the incumbent local
exchange carrier (LEC); and second, the Commission also created a
limited exception for competitive ETCs serving tribal lands or
Alaska Native regions. A competitive ETC may voluntarily
participate in this limited exception on a study area by study area
basis. The uncapped per line support is limited to one payment per
each residential account. Finally, the Commission combined OMB
Control Number 3060-0793 into this collection. FCC Form 525 will be
used to gather information needed in a standardized format to help
eliminate duplication of information collected. The information
will be used to determine whether and to what extent rural
incumbent telecommunications carriers providing the data are
eligible to receive universal service support.
US Code:
47 USC 151 - 154 Name of Law: Communications Act of 1934, as
amended
US Code:
47 USC 201 - 205 Name of Law: Communications Act of 1934, as
amended
US Code: 47
USC 214 Name of Law: Communications Act of 1934, as amended
US Code:
47 USC 218 - 220 Name of Law: Communications Act of 1934, as
amended
US Code: 47
USC 254 Name of Law: Communications Act of 1934, as amended
US Code: 47
USC 303(r) Name of Law: Communications Act of 1934, as
amended
US Code: 47
USC 403 Name of Law: Communications Act of 1934, as amended
US Code: 47
USC 405 Name of Law: Communications Act of 1934, as amended
US Code: 47
USC 410 Name of Law: Communications Act of 1934, as amended
The Commission is reporting a
130,112 hourly increase in total burden hours. This is due to an
increase in respondents/responses. The Commission aodpted an Order
reforming its high-cost universal service support mechanisms. This
Connect America Fund, FCC 11-161, addresses several reforms adopted
in the Order. During the review process, it was determined that
upon OMB approval, the FCC will eliminate 3060-0984. The
requirements are covered under this information collection and
would therefore be duplicative. The Order also moves the
recordkeeping requirement from 47 CFR 54.202(e) to new 47 CFR
54.320. The recordkeeping requirment is being eliminated from
3060-1081 and 3060-0774. Finally, the order provides aht existing
high-cost support for price cap incumbent local exchange carriers
will be frozen at 2011 levels.
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.