[Federal Register: December 8, 2003 (Volume 68, Number 235)]
[Notices]               
[Page 68389-68390]
From the Federal Register Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]
[DOCID:fr08de03-74]                         

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FEDERAL COMMUNICATIONS COMMISSION

 
Notice of Public Information Collection(s) Being Reviewed by the 
Federal Communications Commission for Extension Under Delegated 
Authority

 November 26, 2003.
SUMMARY: The Federal Communications Commission, as part of its 
continuing effort to reduce paperwork burden invites the general public 
and other Federal agencies to take this opportunity to comment on the 
following information collection(s), as required by the Paperwork 
Reduction Act of 1995, Pub. L. No. 104-13. An agency may not conduct or 
sponsor a collection of information unless it displays a currently 
valid control number. No person shall be subject to any penalty for 
failing to comply with a collection of information subject to the 
Paperwork Reduction Act (PRA) that does not display a valid control 
number. Comments are requested concerning (a) Whether the proposed 
collection of information is necessary for the proper performance of 
the functions of the Commission, including whether the information 
shall have practical utility; (b) the accuracy of the Commission's 
burden estimate; (c) ways to enhance the quality, utility, and clarity 
of the information collected; and (d) ways to minimize the burden of 
the collection of information on the respondents, including the use of 
automated collection techniques or other forms of information 
technology.

DATES: Persons wishing to comment on this information collection should 
submit comments February 6, 2004. If you anticipate that you will be 
submitting comments, but find it difficult to do so within the period 
of time allowed by this notice, you should advise the contact listed 
below as soon as possible.

ADDRESSES: Direct all Paperwork Reduction Act (PRA) comments to Judith 
B. Herman, Federal Communications Commission, 445 12th Street, SW., 
Room 1-C804, Washington, DC 20554 or via the Internet to Judith-B.Herman@fcc.gov.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: For additional information or copies 
of the information collections contact Judith B. Herman at 202-418-0214 or via the Internet at Judith-B.Herman@fcc.gov.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
    OMB Control No.: 3060-0955.
    Title: 2 GHz Mobile Satellite Service Reports.
    Form No.: N/A.
    Type of Review: Extension of a currently approved collection.
    Respondents: Business or other for profit.
    Number of Respondents: 9.
    Estimated Time Per Response: 3 hours.
    Frequency of Response: On occasion reporting requirement and 
recordkeeping requirement.
    Total Annual Burden: 27 hours.
    Annual Cost Burden: $14,000.
    Needs and Uses: The 2 GHz mobile satellite service rules, 47 CFR 
Part 25, require disclosure in the form of a narrative statement, 
through amendments to applications or letters of intent, or orbital 
debris mitigation design and operational strategies and a casualty risk 
assessment if planned post-mission disposal involves atmospheric re-
entry of spacecraft. This requirement will permit the Commission and 
the public to comment on each system's design. Two GHz mobile satellite 
systems receiving expansion spectrum as part of the rural and unserved 
areas spectrum incentive must provide a report on the actual number of 
subscriber minutes originating or terminating in unserved areas as a 
percentage of the actual U.S. system use. This rule will permit the 
Commission to verify that service is being provided in rural and 
unserved areas. In addition, system proponents will have to complete 
critical design review (CDR) within two years of

[[Page 68390]]

authorization. CDR is a new milestone for satellite services and will 
permit the Commission to more closely monitor system construction. 
Without such information, the Commission could not determine whether 
satellite licensees are operating in conformance with the Commission's 
rules.

    OMB Control No.: 3060-0969.
    Title: Availability of INTELSAT Space Segment Capacity to Users and 
Providers Seeking to Access INTELSAT Directly.
    Form No.: N/A.
    Type of Review: Extension of a currently approved collection.
    Respondents: Business or other for-profit entities.
    Number of Respondents: 10.
    Estimated Time Per Response: 2 hours.
    Frequency of Response: One time filing requirement.
    Total Annual Burden: 20 hours.
    Annual Cost Burden: $3,000.
    Needs and Uses: The Commission is seeking extension (no change) to 
this information collection. On 9/19/00, the Commission released a 
Report and Order in IB Docket No. 00-91, FCC 00-340, pursuant to the 
recently enacted Open-Market Reorganization for the Betterment of 
International Telecommunications Act (ORBIT Act). Section 641(b) of the 
Communications Satellite Act of 1962, as amended by the ORBIT Act, 
requires the FCC to determine whether ``sufficient opportunity'' exists 
for users and service providers to ``to access INTELSAT space segment 
capacity directly from INTELSAT to meet their service and capacity 
requirements.'' The Report and Order concluded that users and service 
providers currently do not have sufficient opportunity for direct 
access to INTELSAT. The Report and Order also concluded that the FCC 
should adopt a ``commercial solution''. This requires the parties--
Comsat (which controls the most U.S. accessible capacity) and other 
direct access users, to attempt to negotiate mutually agreeable 
arrangements and to file reports with the Commission on or before March 
13, 2001 on the progress of their negotiations.
    OMB Control No.: 3060-0357.
    Title: Section 63.701, Requests for Designation as a Recognized 
Private Operating Agency (RPOA).
    Form No.: N/A.
    Type of Review: Extension of a currently approved collection.
    Respondents: Business or other for-profit entities.
    Number of Respondents: 10.
    Estimated Time Per Response: 3.5 hours.
    Frequency of Response: One time filing requirement.
    Total Annual Burden: 35 hours.
    Annual Cost Burden: $11,900 (rounded to $12,000).
    Needs and Uses: The Commission requests this information in order 
to make recommendations to the U.S. Department of State for granting 
recognized private operating agency (RPOA) status to requesting 
entities. The Commission does not require entities to request RPOA 
status. Rather, this is a voluntary application process for use by 
companies that believe that obtaining RPOA status will be beneficial in 
persuading foreign governments to allow them to conduct business 
abroad. RPOA status also permits companies to join the International 
Telecommunications Union's (ITU's) Telecommunications Sector, which is 
the standards-setting body of the ITU.

    Federal Communications Commission.
Marlene H. Dortch,
Secretary.
[FR Doc. 03-30304 Filed 12-5-03; 8:45 am]

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