47 CFR Chapter I - FEDERAL COMMUNICATIONS COMMISSION

In this document, the Federal Communications Commission (Commission) announces that the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) has approved, for a period of three years, the information collection associated with the Commission's Second Report and Order, IB Docket No. 04-112, FCC 13-6. This document is consistent with the Second Report and Order, which stated that the Commission would publish a document in the Federal Register announcing OMB approval and the effective date of the requirements.

In this document, the Federal Communications Commission (Commission) announces that the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) has approved, for a period of three years, the information collection requirements associated with the Commission's Report and Order for Commercial Operations in the 1695-1710 MHz, 1755-1780 MHz, and 2155-2180 MHz Bands (Service Rules for Advance Wireless Service (AWS)), FCC 14-31. This notice is consistent with the Report and Order, which stated that the Commission would publish a document in the Federal Register announcing OMB approval and the effective date of the new or modified information collection requirements.

The Audio Division, on its own motion, deletes eighteen vacant allotments in various communities in Arkansas, Georgia, Illinois, Louisiana, Missouri, Montana, Oklahoma, Texas, and Wisconsin. These vacant allotments have been auctioned through our competitive bidding process, and are considered unsold permits that were included in Auction 91. We are deleting these vacant allotments from the FM Table, because there were no bona fide expressions of interest filed to retain these eighteen vacant allotments. Deletion of these allotments may create other opportunities in nearby communities for new FM allotments or upgrades of existing stations. We conclude that the deletion of these vacant allotments could promote a more effective and efficient use of the FM broadcast spectrum. The Commission's policy is not to delete a FM allotment where a bona fide expression of interest exists, absent a compelling reason to do so. Accordingly, we will not delete Channel 280A at Harrison, Michigan and Channel 295A at Tigerton, Wisconsin because bona fide expressions of interest were filed to retain these vacant channels for a future auction.

In this document, the Commission amends procedural rules to require electronic filing through the Commission's Electronic Comment Filing System (ECFS) for three common types of wireline proceedings: applications for authorization of domestic transfers of control; applications for authorization to discontinue, reduce, or impair a service; and notices of network changes. The rules establish three electronic inboxes within ECFS to handle the initial filing of the above-identified applications and notices, which have previously been filed only on paper. Accepted applications and notices will receive a distinct ECFS docket number. The Commission expects to continue to expand capabilities for online filing and intends to work toward the goal of providing such capabilities for every type of filing that the public might submit.

The Commission published in the Federal Register of December 10, 2014, a document concerning an Order on Reconsideration ( Order ) affirming the Commission's commitment to ensuring that high quality telephone service must be available to all Americans. In the Order, the Commission established rules to combat extensive problems with successfully completing calls to rural areas, and created a framework to improve the ability to monitor call problems and take appropriate enforcement action. In the Order, the Commission denies several petitions for reconsideration that, if granted, would impair the Commission's ability to monitor, and take enforcement action against, call completion problems. The Commission does, however, grant one petition for reconsideration because the Commission finds that modifying its original determination will significantly lower providers' compliance costs and burdens without impairing the Commission's ability to obtain reliable and extensive information about rural call completion problems.

On July 23, 2014, the Federal Communications Commission (Commission) released a document in (WC Docket No. 13-184, FCC 14-99; 79 FR 49160, August 19, 2014) which contained information collection requirements for the schools and libraries universal service mechanism (E-rate) which required approval from the Office of Management and Budget (OMB). The Office of Management and Budget (OMB) granted approval on October 27, 2014, under emergency processing for certain of the information collection requirements contained in the Report and Order as required by the Paperwork Reduction Act (PRA) of 1995 (44 U.S.C. 3501-3520).

In this document, the Commission announces that the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) approved on December 5, 2014, for a period for three years, a revision to an information collection for the FCC Application for Radio Service Authorization for the Wireless Telecommunications Bureau and the Public Safety and Homeland Security Bureau, FCC Form 601. With this document, the Commission is announcing OMB approval and the effective date of the revised requirements for FCC Form 601.

On April 1, 2014, the Commission released a Report and Order, “Unlicensed National Information Infrastructure (U-NII) Devices in the 5 GHz Band.” This document contains corrections to the final regulations for “Unlicensed National Information Infrastructure (U-NII) Devices in the 5 GHz Band” that appeared in the Federal Register on May 1, 2014 (79 FR 24569).

The National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA) is making certain changes to its regulations relating to the public availability of the Manual of Regulations and Procedures for Federal Radio Frequency Management (NTIA Manual). Specifically, NTIA is releasing an update to the current edition of the NTIA Manual, with which federal agencies must comply when requesting use of radio frequency spectrum.

This document affirms the Commission's commitment to ensuring that high quality telephone service must be available to all Americans. In the underlying Order, the Commission established rules to combat extensive problems with successfully completing calls to rural areas, and created a framework to improve the ability to monitor call problems and take appropriate enforcement action. In the Order on Reconsideration, the Commission denies several petitions for reconsideration that, if granted, would impair the Commission's ability to monitor, and take enforcement action against, call completion problems. The Commission does, however, grant one petition for reconsideration because the Commission finds that modifying its original determination will significantly lower providers' compliance costs and burdens without impairing the Commission's ability to obtain reliable and extensive information about rural call completion problems.

In this Report and Order (“ R&O ”), the Federal Communications Commission (“Commission”) adopts new and revised rules governing the 800 MHz Cellular (“Cellular”) Service, changing the licensing model from site-based to geographic-based and eliminating numerous filing requirements while preserving direct access to area not yet licensed (“Unserved Area”). The Commission also deletes obsolete and unnecessary provisions in the rules and streamlines requirements remaining in place. The resulting modernized scheme gives greater flexibility to Cellular licensees to make improvements to their systems in response to changing market demands.

In this document the Commission implements certain changes to the rules governing the 700 MHz public safety narrowband spectrum (769-775/799-805 MHz). We eliminate the requirement for licensees to narrowband to 6.25 kHz technology by December 2016, thereby enabling licensees to extend the life of existing systems and providing public safety with greater flexibility in determining the optimal future use of the band. In addition, we revise and update the technical rules for the band to enhance interoperability and open up certain channels to new uses, and we release reserve spectrum to provide additional capacity, particularly for public safety licensees relocating to the 700 MHz band from the T-Band (470-512 MHz). These rule changes enhance the ability of public safety licensees to use this spectrum to protect the safety of life and property.

In the Order on Reconsideration, the Commission addresses two Petitions for Reconsideration of the technical rules adopted in the Signal Boosters Report and Order, granting one petition and granting the other in part.

On July 23, 2014, the Federal Communications Commission (Commission) released a document which contained information collection requirements for the schools and libraries universal service mechanism (E-rate) which required approval from the Office of Management and Budget (OMB). The Office of Management and Budget (OMB) granted approval on October 27, 2014, under emergency processing for certain of the information collection requirements contained in the Report and Order as required by the Paperwork Reduction Act (PRA) of 1995 (44 U.S.C. 3501-3520).

This document clarifies how the Commission intends to preserve the “coverage area” as well as the “population served” of eligible broadcasters in the repacking process associated with the broadcast television spectrum incentive auction. This action is taken in order to remove any uncertainty regarding the repacking approach the Commission adopted in the Incentive Auction R&O.

In this document, the Commission announces that the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) has approved, for a period of three years, an information collection associated with the Commission's Report and Order, FCC 13-158, published at 79 FR 3123 on January 17, 2014, and at 79 FR 7589 on February 10, 2014. This document is consistent with the Report and Order, which stated that the Commission would publish a document in the Federal Register announcing OMB approval and the effective date of requirements subject to OMB approval. Specifically, this document announces the effective date of rules requiring Covered 911 Service Providers to notify Public Safety Answering Points (PSAPs) and other “911 special facilities” of major disruptions in 911 service within time limits established by the Commission.

In this document, the Federal Communications Commission (Commission) announces that the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) has approved, for a period of three years, the information collection associated with the Commission's Report and Order, 2014 Quadrennial Regulatory Review, FCC 14-28. This notice is consistent with the Report and Order, which stated that the Commission would publish a document in the Federal Register announcing OMB approval and the effective date of the requirements.

In this document, the Commission eliminates certain waivers of the telecommunications relay service (TRS) requirements that are no longer necessary, given advances in communications technology. At the same time, it extends certain existing waivers of mandatory minimum standards for specific providers for which the provision of certain TRS features is technologically infeasible at this time. The Commission also eliminates certain TRS requirements that are either not applicable or technically not feasible, while ensuring that TRS consumers continue to have access to communications services that are functionally equivalent to voice telephone services. Lastly, the Commission eliminates an annual reporting requirement for TRS providers. These actions provide regulatory clarity and reduce administrative burdens on both TRS providers and the Commission and ensure that the TRS mandatory minimum standards are applicable and technologically appropriate for each type of TRS.

In this document, the Commission announces that the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) has approved, for a period of three years, an information collection associated with the Commission's Report and Order, FCC 13-158, published at 79 FR 3123 on January 17, 2014, and at 79 FR 7589 on February 10, 2014. This notice is consistent with the Report and Order, which stated that the Commission would publish a document in the Federal Register announcing OMB approval and the effective date of requirements subject to OMB approval. Specifically, this document announces the effective date of initial and annual reliability certification requirements for covered 911 service providers, including any associated record retention requirements.

The Audio Division amends the FM Table of Allotments, to remove certain vacant FM allotments that were auctioned in FM Auction 91 that are currently considered authorized stations. FM assignments for authorized stations and reserved facilities will be reflected solely in Media Bureau's Consolidated Database System (CDBS).