On October 24, 2018, the Commission
released a Report and Order, FCC 18-149, in GN Docket No. 17-158,
adopting limited changes to the rules governing Priority Access
Licenses (PALs) in the 3550-3700 MHz (3.5 GHz) band, including
larger license areas, longer license terms, renewability, and
performance requirements. The Commission anticipated that the
targeted changes made in its 2018 Report and Order will spur
additional investment and broader deployment in the band, promote
robust and efficient spectrum use, and help ensure the rapid
deployment of advanced wireless technologies—including 5G—in the
United States. Among these changes, the Commission revised section
96.23(a) of its rules to require that an applicant must file an
application for an initial PAL, and that the application must: (1)
demonstrate the applicant's qualifications to hold an
authorization; (2) state how a grant would serve the public
interest, convenience, and necessity; (3) contain all information
required by FCC rules and application forms; (4) propose operation
of a facility or facilities in compliance with all rules governing
the Citizens Broadband Radio Service; and (5) be amended as
necessary to remain substantially accurate and complete in all
significant respects, in accordance with the provisions of section
1.65 of the Commission’s rules. The Commission therefore seeks
approval for a revision to its currently approved information
collection on FCC Form 601. In this information collection request,
the Commission has increased the number of estimated respondents by
100, and accordingly adjusted the estimated total burden in hours
and cost.
The Commission has program
changes to this collection as a result of the information
collection requirements adopted in FCC 18-149 because a new radio
service will use Form 601 and add the new radio service to the Form
601. The program changes are as follows: 100 to the number of
respondents, 100 to the annual number of responses, 88 to the
annual number of hours and $28,250 to the annual cost. There are no
adjustments to this collection.
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.