[Federal Register: August 8, 2007 (Volume 72, Number 152)]
[Notices]
[Page 44535-44537]
From the Federal Register Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]
[DOCID:fr08au07-76]
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
FEDERAL COMMUNICATIONS COMMISSION
Public Information Collection Requirement Submitted to OMB for
Review and Approval
August 1, 2007.
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, as required by the Paperwork
Reduction Act of 1995, Public Law 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: Written Paperwork Reduction Act (PRA) comments should be
submitted on or before September 7, 2007. 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 contacts
listed below as soon as possible.
ADDRESSES: Direct all PRA comments to Jasmeet K. Seehra, Office of
Management and Budget (OMB), Room 10236 NEOB, 725 17th Street, NW.,
Washington, DC 20503, (202) 395-3123, or via fax at (202) 395-5167 or
via Internet at Jasmeet_K._Seehra@omb.eop.gov and to Cathy Williams,
Federal Communications Commission, Room 1-C823, 445 12th Street, SW.,
Washington, DC.
If you would like to obtain or view a copy of this information
collection, you may do so by visiting the FCC PRA Web page at: http://www.fcc.gov/omd/pra
.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: For additional information or copies
of the information collection(s), contact Cathy
[[Page 44536]]
Williams at (202) 418-2918 or via the Internet at PRA@fcc.gov.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
OMB Control Number: 3060-0874.
Title: Consumer Complaint Forms, FCC Form 475-B and FCC Form 2000.
Form No.: FCC Forms 475-B; 2000-A, 2000-B, 2000-C, 2000-D, 2000-E,
and 2000-F.
Type of Review: Revision of a currently approved collection.
Respondents: Individuals or households; Business and other for-
profit entities; Not-for-profit Institutions.
Number of Respondents: 1,330,108 (FCC Forms 475-B: 1,271,332; 2000A
through 2000F: 58,776).
Estimated Time per Response: 15 minutes per form for the Form 475-
B; 30 minutes per form for the Form 2000.
Frequency of Response: On occasion reporting requirement.
Obligation to Respond: Voluntary.
Total Annual Burden: 347,221 (FCC Forms 475-B: 317,833 hours; 2000A
through 2000F: 29,388 hours).
Total Annual Costs: $0.
Nature and Extent of Confidentiality: Confidentiality is an issue
to the extent that individuals and households provide personally
identifiable information, which is covered under the FCC's system of
records notice (SORN), FCC/CGB-1, ``Informal Complaints and
Inquiries.''
Privacy Act Impact Assessment: Yes. The Privacy Impact Assessment
was completed on June 28, 2007. It may be reviewed at: http://www.fcc.gov/omd/privacyact/Privacy_Impact_Assessment.html
.
Needs and Uses: Section 208(a) of the Communications Act of 1934,
as amended, authorizes complaints by any ``person complaining of
anything done or omitted to be done by any common carrier'' subject to
the provisions of the Act. Section 208(a) further states that, if a
carrier does not satisfy a complaint or there appears to be any
reasonable ground for investigating the complaint, the Commission shall
``investigate the matters complained of in such manner and by such
means as it shall deem proper.'' Although the Act does not discuss how
the Commission should treat complaints against non-common carriers for
violations of the Act or Commission rules, the Commission investigates
such complaints in a manner similar to how it treats those against
common carriers.
Currently, the Commission has specific complaint forms for the
unauthorized conversion of a person's telephone service (``slamming'')
(FCC Form 501), the broadcast of indecent, obscene, or profane material
(FCC Form 475B), and the unlawful telemarketing, ``junk faxing,'' or e-
mail messaging to a wireless device (FCC Form 1088). The current FCC
Form 475 is used for all other types of complaints, although, as
currently drafted, it is predominately oriented toward common carrier
complaints.
The proposed FCC Form 2000 replaces current FCC Form 475, providing
greater clarity and ease of use by separating the various complaint
subject areas into separate subparts tailored to each subject. The
Internet-based version of FCC Form 2000 first asks for the
complainant's contact information, including name, address, telephone
number, and e-mail address; then presents a ``gateway'' question to
determine the general topic of the complaint: (1) Deceptive or unlawful
advertising or marketing; (2) billing, privacy, or service quality; (3)
disability access;
(4) emergency or public safety; (5) general media issues; or (6)
other complaints. As described below, the form provides examples of the
types of issues covered by each topic. After the complainant answers
this question, the form asks additional questions geared to the
specific type of violation reported. The form poses certain mandatory
threshold questions that must be answered for the Commission to
determine whether a violation has occurred. It also provides space for
complainants to provide additional information and details that may be
necessary or helpful to the Commission in investigating the complaint.
In printed format, FCC Form 2000 will have six subparts, one for
each area described above.
Each subpart of the printable version of FCC Form 2000 consolidates
the complainant's personal information with detailed questions about
the specific violations alleged by the complainant.
The following descriptions of FCC Form 2000A, 2000B, 2000C, 2000D,
2000E and 2000F, therefore, refer to the printable subparts of FCC Form
2000.
FCC Form 2000A, Deceptive or Unlawful Advertising or Marketing
Complaint. This form would be used if the complainant alleges deceptive
or otherwise unlawful advertising or marketing by communications
companies, including common carriers, broadcasters, and cable and
satellite service providers. The consumer protection issues covered by
this form include deceptive advertising by telephone companies,
wireless service providers, or Internet access service providers, as
well as subliminal advertising on radio or television, illegal
advertisements on non-commercial educational television or radio
stations, and excessive or otherwise unlawful commercials during
children's television programming.
FCC Form 2000B, Billing, Privacy, or Service Quality Complaint.
This form would be used if the complainant alleges billing, privacy, or
service quality issues with a telephone company or wireless provider.
The consumer protection issues covered by this form include complaints
about the quality or availability of service by a telephone company,
wireless provider, or Internet access service provider, including
complaints that a telephone company or wireless provider is not
allowing the complainant to keep his or her telephone number after
changing service providers. Complainants also would use this form for
complaints about the unauthorized disclosure of calling records by
telephone companies or wireless providers.
FCC Form 2000C, Disability Access Complaint. This form would be
used for complaints about disability access, e.g., issues with
Telecommunications Relay Service (TRS), closed captioning, or the
accessibility of emergency information. This form would also be used
for complaints about the accessibility of telecommunications equipment
and services such as the compatibility of hearing aids with both
wireless and wireline telephone equipment.
FCC Form 2000D, Emergency or Public Safety Complaint. This form
would be used for complaints regarding problems with communications
companies about emergency or public safety issues. This form would be
used for complaints about the quality or availability of Enhanced 911
service, interference with emergency/public safety communications or
devices, radio tower problems (lighting, fencing, painting), Emergency
Alert System (EAS) problems, and cable signal leakage.
FCC Form 2000E, Media (General) Complaint. This form would be used
for complaints alleging misconduct by radio or television stations,
cable systems, or satellite operators. This form would cover a broad
spectrum of complaints, including those alleging unfair contests,
hoaxes, payola or sponsorship identification problems, news distortion,
unauthorized or pirate broadcasters, and the broadcast of telephone
conversations without prior notice.
FCC Form 2000F, Other Communications Complaint Not Covered by Form
2000A through Form 2000E.
[[Page 44537]]
This form would be used for complaints that do not come within the
scope of any of the other subparts of FCC Form 2000. Some of the areas
covered by this form would be interference to non-emergency services or
communications, such as garage door openers or home appliances, as well
as amateur or Citizens Band (CB) radio issues.
FCC Form 2000 will allow the Commission to collect detailed
information from complainants concerning possible violations of the Act
and the Commission's rules, which will enable the Commission to
investigate such allegations more efficiently and to initiate
enforcement actions against violators as appropriate. By collecting
complaint information in a single, comprehensive template, the form
will provide a standardized way for complainants to provide their
information, thus reducing the need for further documentation or
questions from FCC investigators to determine whether violations have
occurred. This approach will ensure that complainants present their
information in a way that maximizes the FCC's ability to take
enforcement action against violators and protects complainants from
violations that are unjust, unreasonable, and potentially hazardous to
life and property. Additionally, FCC Form 2000's format reduces the
need for complainants to compose narratives with all the information
necessary for the Commission to begin an investigation, principally by
including fields for and examples of the information most commonly
needed for investigations of the most common types of violations. The
form will allow the Commission to gather and review this information
more efficiently. The information collected by FCC Form 2000 may
ultimately become the foundation for enforcement actions and/or
rulemaking proceedings, as appropriate.
FCC Form 475-B, Obscene, Profane, and Indecent Complaint Form. This
form is used by consumers to lay out precisely their complaint(s) and
issue(s) concerning the practices of the communications entities, which
consumers believe may have aired obscene, profane, and/or indecent
programming. FCC Form 475-B will remain unchanged.
Federal Communications Commission.
Marlene H. Dortch,
Secretary.
[FR Doc. E7-15452 Filed 8-7-07; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6712-01-P