Multi-Association Group Plan Order, Parts 54 and 69 Filing Requirements for Regulation of Interstate Services of Non-Price Cap Incumbent Local Exchange Carriers (LECs)and Interexchange Carriers (IXCs)
Multi-Association Group Plan Order, Parts 54 and 69 Filing Requirements for Regulation of Interstate Services of Non-Price Cap Incumbent Local Exchange Carriers (LECs)and Interexchange Carriers (IXCs)
Extension without change of a currently approved collection
Following the passage of the Telecommunications Act of 1996 (1996 Act), the Commission adopted interstate access charge and universal service support reforms. These reforms were designed to establish a âpro-competitive, deregulatory national policy frameworkâ for the United States telecommunications industry. Specifically, the Commission aligned the interstate access rate structure more closely with the manner in which costs are incurred, and created a universal service support mechanism for rate-of-return carriers (Interstate Common Line Support (ICLS)) to replace implicit support in interstate access charges with explicit support that is portable to all eligible telecommunications carriers. More recently, the Commission reformed this universal service support mechanism, enabling rate-of-return carriers to elect to receive fixed support or to continue to receive cost-based support. The new cost-based support is known as Connect America Fund Broadband Loop (CAF BLS) support. To administer the CAF BLS support mechanism, the Universal Service Administrative Company collects demand, cost, and revenue data from rate-of-return carriers that did not elect to receive fixed support. In addition, rate-of-return carriers are required to submit demand, cost, and revenue data to the Commission to ensure that their cost-based rates are just and reasonable.
The Commission notes that since the previous submission, the tariff filing fee has increased from $960 to $1,040. Despite the increased fee, the total annual cost burden has decreased from $55,800 to $1,040 (-$54,760) as the result of a decrease in the number of respondents filing tariffs from 202 to 201(-1), the number of tariff filings per year decreased from 69 to 68 (-1) and the number of annual burden hours decreased from 1,512 to 1,422 (-90).
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.