Ss_xxxx

3060-XXXX

September 2014

Deployment of Text-to-911

SUPPORTING STATEMENT

1. Justification:

1. In a Second Report and Order, released August 13, 2014 in PS Docket No. 10-255 and PS Docket No. 11-153, FCC 14 -118, the Commission adopted requirements for all Commercial Mobile Radio Service (CMRS) providers and interconnected text providers (collectively, “covered text providers”) to support text-to-911 and deliver 911 texts to requesting Public Safety Answering Points (PSAPs). The Second Report and Order recognized that current trends in mobile wireless usage reflect recent change from a predominantly voice-driven medium of communication to one based more on text and data transmissions. The need to expeditiously provide text-to-911 service is made more pressing because many consumers believe text-to-911 is already an available service, because of the unique value of text-to-911 for the millions of Americans with hearing or speech disabilities, and because of the crucial role it can play in protecting life and property when making a voice call would be dangerous, impractical, or impossible, e.g., transmission problems.

To ensure that the potentially life-saving benefits of text-to-911 are available to all consumers as swiftly as possible, the Second Report and Order establishes a single, uniform deadline of December 31, 2014 for all covered text providers to be “text capable,” meaning they can process a text-to-911 from a subscriber and route it to the proper PSAP. By the December 31, 2014 “text-capable” deadline, a covered text provider should have taken any preparations necessary to provide text-to-911, including, for example, determining the particular solution it will use for delivering texts to 911, including the capability to obtain location information sufficient to route texts to 911 to the appropriate PSAP. The Second Report and Order also provides that covered text providers then have a six-month implementation period – they must begin routing all 911 text messages to a Public Safety Answering Point (PSAP) by June 30, 2015 or within six months of a valid PSAP request for text-to-911 service, whichever is later.

The information collections contained in the adopted rules are necessary and vital to the swift implementation of text-to-911, a service by which the public will be able to reach 911 emergency services by sending text messages to Public Safety Answering Points (PSAPs). Based on this urgent public safety need, the Commission has requested emergency processing under 5 C.F.R. § 1320.13 for OMB approval of the information collections described below.

New Information Collection Requirements

To implement the text-to-911 service requirements, the Second Report and Order imposes the following new notification measures that constitute an information collection:

Section 20.18(n)(10)(i) – Delivery of 911 text messages. This rule is the general text-to-911 requirement, mandating that no later than December 31 2014, all covered text providers must have the capability to route a 911 text message to a PSAP. The rule further requires covered text providers to obtain location information sufficient to route text messages to the same PSAP to which a 911 voice call would be routed, unless the responsible local or state entity designates a different PSAP to receive 911 text messages and informs the covered text provider of that change.

With respect to information collections specifically, the rule requires that all covered text providers using device-based location information requiring consumer activation must clearly inform individual consumers that they must grant permission to the covered text provider to access the wireless device’s location information in order to enable routing of the 911 text message to the appropriate. This consumer notification requirement ensures that consumers are aware of how to provide covered text providers with location information sufficient to route 911 text messages to the appropriate PSAP.

Section 20.18(n)(10)(ii) – This rule generally requires that covered text providers must begin routing all 911 text messages to a PSAP by June 30, 2015, or within six months of the PSAP’s valid request for text-to-911 service, whichever is later, unless an alternate timeframe is agreed to by both the PSAP and the covered text provider.

With respect to information collections specifically, the rule requires that, if an alternative timeframe is agreed to by both the PSAP and the covered text provider, “[t]he covered text provider must notify the Commission of the dates and terms of the alternate timeframe within 30 days of the parties’ agreement.” This notification requirement is necessary to enable the Commission to follow up directly with those individual PSAPs or covered text providers in cases where the explanation for additional time is insufficient and to help monitor the transition to text-to-911. The covered text provider must file such notifications in the Commission’s PS Docket Nos. 10-255 and 11-153.

Section 20.18(n)(10)(iii)(C) – The obligation of covered text providers to route 911 text messages is dependent on their receiving a valid PSAP request for service, indicating that the PSAP is capable of receiving 911 text messages. Under Section 20.18(n)(10)(iii), there are two initial criteria to constitute a valid PSAP request. First, the requesting PSAP is technically ready to receive 911 text messages in the format requested and certifies its readiness. See Section 20.18(n)(10)(iii)(A). Second, the appropriate local or State 911 service governing authority has specifically authorized the PSAP to accept and, by extension, the covered text provider to provide, text-to-911 service. See Section 20.18(n)(10)(iii)(B).

Section 20.18(n)(10)(iii)(C) adds that a valid PSAP request also includes the PSAP providing notification to the covered text provider that the PSAP meets the foregoing two criteria. The Second Report and Order provides that, as PSAPs become text-ready, they may either voluntarily register in the PSAP database made available by the Commission (once it becomes available) or provide other written notification reasonably acceptable to the covered text provider. Either measure taken by the PSAP shall constitute sufficient notice to covered text providers of their obligation to deliver text-to-911 service.

Also, the Second Report and Order provides that PSAPs that become text-ready before the database is publicly available may file a notification in PS Docket Nos. 10-255 and 11-153. PSAPs that are already accepting texts as of December 31, 2014 will be presumed to be text-ready and automatically registered in the database, unless they inform the Commission otherwise. The Commission’s database will simplify the PSAP request process for both PSAPs and covered text providers by allowing PSAPs to indicate their readiness to receive texts to 911 in one place, which would in turn serve as notice to all covered text providers.

Section 20.18(n)(11) - Access to SMS networks for 911 text messages. This rule provides that, to the extent that CMRS providers offer Short Message Service (SMS), they shall allow access by any other covered text providers to the capabilities necessary for transmission of 911 text messages originating on such other covered text providers’ application services.

Concerning information collections, this rule provides that covered text providers using the CMRS network to deliver 911 text messages must clearly inform consumers that, absent an SMS plan with the consumer’s underlying CMRS provider, the covered text provider may be unable to deliver 911 text messages. The rule also requires that CMRS providers may migrate to other technologies and need not retain CMRS networks solely for other covered text providers’ 911 use, but they must notify the affected covered text providers not less than 90 days before the migration is to occur.

Further, as the Second Report and Order specifies, CMRS providers are expected to make any necessary specifications for accessing their networks available to other covered text providers upon request, and to inform such covered text providers in advance of any changes in these specifications.

This information collection affects individuals or households. However, personally identifiable information (PII) is not being collected, made available to or accessible by the Commission. The Commission therefore has no direct involvement in the collection of this information on individuals and households. Instead, covered text providers using device-based location information requiring consumer activation must clearly inform individual subscribers that they must grant permission to the covered text provider to access the wireless device’s location information in order to enable routing of the 911 text message to the appropriate PSAP.

Statutory authority for this collection is contained in Sections 1, 2, 4(i), 4(j), 4(o), 251(e), 303(b), 303(g), 303(r), 316, and 403 of the Communications Act of 1934, as amended, 47 U.S.C. §§ 151, 152, 154(i), 154(j), 154(o), 251(e), 303(b), 303(g), 303(r), 316, 403, and Section 4 of the Wireless Communications and Public Safety Act of 1999, Pub. L. No. 106-81, Sections 101 and 201 of the New and Emerging Technologies 911 Improvement Act of 2008, Pub. L. No. 110-283, and Section 106 of the Twenty-First Century Communications and Video Accessibility Act of 2010, Pub. L. No. 111-260, as amended 47 U.S.C. §§ 615a, 615a-1, 615b, 615c.

2. The Commission’s Public Safety and Homeland Security Bureau (the Bureau) will use the data generated by the new information collections concerning a valid PSAP request for text-to-911 service to establish, implement, and maintain a centralized text-to-911 PSAP database. Utilizing a centralized database will allow PSAPs to provide notification in one place of their readiness to receive texts to 911. A PSAP’s listing in the database will serve as notice to all covered text providers, regardless of whether the PSAP has a previous relationship with the covered text provider. The database will include contact information so that covered text providers may coordinate with PSAPs regarding the PSAP’s specific implementation criteria, such as the PSAP’s selected method of receiving texts. The centralized database will facilitate covered text providers periodically reviewing the text-readiness of PSAPs in their service areas and reaching out to these PSAPs as necessary to coordinate implementation of text-to-911 service. This text-to-911 PSAP registry will simplify the PSAP request process for both PSAPs and covered text providers.

The Bureau will issue a Public Notice providing additional information regarding the database, including the availability of the database for PSAP registration. With the Public Notice, PSHSB plans to attach a Form that PSAPs will complete and electronically file with the Commission. The Form will provide entries for the PSAP to (1) indicate that it is text-ready and (2) include its contact information and other information necessary to notify covered text providers of the PSAP’s readiness. This Form will assist the Commission in compiling the database until the database is fully interactive for the purpose of facilitating implementation of text-to-911 service by covered text providers to text-ready PSAPs. An example of the Form is attached to this Supporting Statement. PSAPs that are text-ready before the database is publicly available may electronically file notifications with the Commission in the text-to-911 proceeding dockets, PS Dockets 11-153 and 10-255. The Bureau will also maintain and update its website to identify any new PSAPs that have provided notice of their text readiness.

3. Most records will be kept electronically. Once the centralized database is implemented, PSAPs will be able to access the text-to-911 PSAP database electronically from the Commission’s website and provide updated information as often as they wish. Further, the Commission believes that information technology, including electronic mail, will also reduce the burdens on the public with respect to the notifications required by the new rules.

4. The Commission does not impose similar information collections that can be used to implement text-to-911 service.

5. In conformance with the PRA, the Commission allows 100 percent of respondents to file or mutually exchange their notification information electronically. The Commission has limited the information requirements to that necessary either for evaluating and including the incoming data in the PSAP text-to-911 database or for facilitating the exchange of third-party notification information as set forth by the rules. The PSAP text-to-911 database is intended to facilitate and streamline the exchange of information between the PSAP and the covered text providers to make the notification process more efficient and less burdensome. Many entities subject to the information collections for text-to-911 will therefore be able to apprise themselves of the PSAP service areas that are text-ready and thereby comply with the six-month timeframe to deliver 911 text messages.

6. The information collected will assist the Commission in ensuring public safety and improve the public safety capabilities of PSAPs throughout the nation to receive 911 text messages. In order for December 31, 2014 to be an effective triggering date for the implementation period for covered text providers, it is essential that the Commission have the relevant information on which PSAPs are text-ready before December 31, 2014, so that covered text providers have the full six months to implement text-to-911 service to those PSAPs. Therefore, it is crucial to have OMB’s emergency approval of the information collection so that the adopted rules can be effective as far as possible in advance of the date certain, December 31, 2014. In addition, the rules adopted by the Commission also include other information collections for third party notifications that need to be effective in order to implement text-to-911, including necessary notifications to consumers, covered text providers, and the Commission. These notifications are essential to ensure that all of the affected parties are aware of the limitations, capabilities, and status of text-to-911 services.

7. No special circumstances exist that would cause this data collection to be conducted in any manner that is inconsistent with the guidelines in 5 CFR § 1320.

8. This is an emergency request. The Commission is requesting waiver of the 60 day Federal Register notice requirement under 5 CFR §1320.8(d), soliciting comments on the information collection prior to submission to OMB. Pursuant to 5 CFR §1320.5(a)(1)(iv) and 5 CFR §1320.13(d), on September 16, 2014, the Commission published in the Federal Register (79 FR 55480) a 30-day notice announcing its request for emergency approval and seeking public comment.

9. No payment or gift to respondents has been or will be made.

10. The Commission is not requesting that respondents submit confidential information to the Commission. The information collections pursuant to the Second Report and Order would not impact or modify any of the existing confidentiality procedures. As noted in the Second Report and Order, however, for any notifications by covered text providers informing the Commission of alternative arrangements and deployment schedules within 30 days of entering into such an agreement with a PSAP, pursuant to 47 C.F.R. § 0.459 of the Commission’s rules, covered text providers may request confidential treatment for the notification or a portion of it when they file such notification in PS Docket Nos. 10-255 and 11-153. The Commission will work with respondents to ensure that their concerns regarding the confidentiality of any proprietary, business-sensitive, or security-sensitive information are resolved in a manner consistent with the Commission's rules.

11. As noted above in Question 1, this information collection may affect individuals or households to the extent that covered text providers using device-based location information requiring consumer activation must clearly inform individual consumers that they must grant permission to the covered text provider to access the wireless device’s location information in order to enable routing of the 911 text message to the appropriate PSAP. Any personally identifiable information that is submitted by individuals to their covered text providers should be protected to the extent that it is considered Customer Proprietary Network Information (CPNI), pursuant to 47 U.S.C. § 222(h)(1)(A) and 47 C.F.R. § 64.2001 et seq.

12. Estimates of the burden hours for the collection of information are as follows. These estimates are based on Commission staff’s knowledge and familiarity with the availability of the data required.

a. Notification to Current Subscribers under Section 20.18(n)(10)(i) – includes the notification requiring all covered text providers using device-based location information that requires consumer activation to clearly inform consumers that they must grant permission for the text messaging application to access the wireless device’s location information in order to enable text-to-911.

For this information collection, the Commission estimates that 17 interconnected text messaging applications providers out of 801 covered text providers will be respondents. The estimate of 17 interconnected text messaging providers is based on a Commission staff survey of text messaging applications available through Apple, Google, and Microsoft application stores. We also assume that, to provide the required notification to consumers, the respondents will on, a one-time basis, either be modifying their current terms and conditions of service or providing initial notice when a consumer initially subscribes for an interconnected text messaging application. The Commission estimates that it will take 8 hours to draft, review, and provide the required notification.

Total Number of Respondents on an Annual Basis: 17.

Frequency of Response: 1.

Total Number of Responses Annually:

17 covered text providers x 1 notification/annually = 17 responses.

Total Annual Burden Hours:

17 covered text providers x 1 notification / annually x 8 hours/report = 136 hours.

b. Notification related to Section 20.18(n)(10)(i): The Commission expects CMRS providers to make any necessary specifications for accessing their networks available to other covered text providers upon request, and to inform such covered text providers in advance of any changes in these specifications. For the reasons stated above, the Commission estimates that there are 784 CMRS providers that will provide information on the necessary specifications to other covered text providers, i.e., 17 providers of interconnected text messaging applications. The Commission estimates that a wireless carrier staff engineer will spend two hours providing and communicating this information to all 17 of the estimated other covered text providers that the Commission expects will be making a request.

Total Number of Respondents on an Annual Basis: 784.

Frequency of Response: 1.

Total Number of Responses Annually: 784 CMRS providers x 17 notifications/annually = 13,328 responses.

Total Annual Burden Hours:

784 CMRS providers s x 17 notifications/other covered text providers annually x 2 hours/notification = 26,656 hours.

c. Section 20.18(n)(10)(ii) – the notification by covered text provider to the Commission of the dates and terms of an alternative timeframe for text-to-911 implementation within 30 days of mutual agreement between the covered text provider and the PSAP. The Commission estimates that over the three-year period of the information collection, one-quarter of the 801 (or 200 rounded-down) covered text providers will reach a mutual agreement on an alternative timeframe for implementation with one-quarter (1,700) of the estimated number of PSAPs (6,800) in the U.S. The Commission estimates that, on an annual basis, 67 covered text providers will reach a mutual agreement with 567 PSAPs. The Commission estimates that a covered text provider will need one hour to file the notification with the Commission.

Total Number of Respondents on an Annual Basis: 67 (rounded to a whole number).

Frequency of response: 1.

Total Number of Responses Annually:

67 covered text providers x 567 notifications/annually = 37,989 responses.

Total Annual Burden Hours:

67 covered text providers x 567 notifications annually x 1 hour/notification = 37,989 hours.

d. Section 20.18(n)(10)(iii)(C) – includes the PSAPs providing notification to the covered text providers that the PSAP meets the criteria for a valid PSAP request for text-to-911 service. The Second Report and Order provides that, as PSAPs become text-ready, they may either voluntarily register in the Text-to-911 PSAP database made available by the Commission or provide other written notification reasonably acceptable to the covered text provider. The Commission estimates that there are approximately 6,800 PSAPs nationwide. 128 PSAPs are already receiving text messages. As a result, the Commission estimates that, over the three-year period of the information collection, 6,672 will be either filing notifications with the Commission or providing written notification to covered text providers.

1. PSAPs’ Notification to the Commission – Because the text-to-911 PSAP registry database that the Commission will establish is intended to facilitate the PSAPs’ notification, the Commission estimates that, over the three-year period of the information collection, 90 percent of the remaining 6,672 PSAPs (or 6005 PSAPs) will file a notification with the Commission either by filing in PS Docket Nos. 11-153 and 10-255 or filling out a Form that they can electronically transmit to the Commission. See the Form (containing a self-executing check box for a PSAP’s certifying that it is technically ready to receive 911 text messages) attached to this Supporting Statement. The Commission estimates that PSAPs will need one hour to fill out the Commission’s Form and transmit it to the Commission. The estimates below assume one-time reporting by PSAPs when they register in the database. Therefore, on annual basis, the Commission estimates that 2002 (rounded-up) PSAPs will file a notification with the Commission.

Total Number of Respondents Notifying the Commission on an Annual Basis: (6,672 x .90 /3) = 2002 (rounded-up).

Frequency of Response: 1.

Total Number of Responses Annually:

2002 PSAPs x 1 notification/annually = 2002 responses.

Total Annual Burden Hours:

2002 PSAPs x 1 notification/ annually x 1 hour/notification = 2002 hours.

2. PSAPs’ Notification to Covered Text Providers: The remaining 10 percent of the 6,672 PSAPs or 667 PSAPs will be providing a written notification to 801 covered text providers (based on above estimate of covered text providers. The estimates below assume one-time reporting by PSAPs when they notify covered text providers. In view of the number of PSAPs nationwide, the Commission expects that not all PSAPs will be text-ready in the first year of implementation and that they will be implementing text-to-911 on a rolling basis as their technical capability and funding permit. Therefore, the Commission estimates that on an annual basis 222 (rounded-down) PSAPs will notify covered text providers. The Commission estimates that PSAPs will need two hours to draft a notification. The Commission expect that PSAPs will be notifying covered text providers on a one-time basis, e.g., through a statewide announcement, a local public notice, or a public web page posting.

Total Number of Respondents Notifying Covered Text Providers on an Annual Basis:

(6672 x .10 / 3) = 222 (rounded-down)

Frequency of Response: 1.

Total Number of Responses Annually:

222 PSAPs x 1 notification/annually = 222 responses.

Total Annual Burden Hours:

222 PSAPs x 1 notification/annually x 2 hours/notification = 444 hours.

e. Section 20.18(n)(11) – requires the following two notifications:

1. Notification to consumers – covered text providers using the CMRS network to deliver 911 text messages must clearly inform consumers that, absent an SMS plan with the consumer’s underlying CMRS provider, the covered text provider may be unable to deliver 911 text messages. For this information collection, the Commission estimates that 17 covered text providers, i.e, providers of interconnected text messaging applications, using the CMRS network, will be respondents. This estimate is based on the 17 interconnected text messaging providers from a Commission staff survey of text messaging applications available through Apple, Google, and Microsoft stores. The Commission also assumes that, to provide the required notification to consumers, the respondents using the CMRS network will on a one-time basis either be modifying their current terms and conditions of service or providing initial notice when a consumer initially subscribes for an interconnected text messaging application.

Total Number of Respondents on an Annual Basis: 17.

Frequency of Response: 1.

Total Number of Responses Annually:

17 covered text providers x 1 notification/annually = 17 responses.

Total Annual Burden Hours:

17covered text providers x 1 notification/ annually x 8 hours/report = 136 hours.

2. Notification to affected covered text providers – CMRS providers that migrate to networks using technologies other than SMS text-to-911 networks must notify the affected covered text provider not less than 90 days before the migration is to occur. For this information collection, the Commission estimates that there are (1) 784 CMRS providers based on data from U.S. Census Bureau, 2007 Economic Census, Sector 51, 2011 NAICS code 517210 for the category of Wireless Telecommunications Carriers (except Satellite) and (2) 17 interconnected text messaging providers based on a Commission staff survey of text messaging applications available through Apple, Google, and Microsoft stores. The Commission estimates that over a three-year period of the information collection, the 784 CMRS providers will be migrating to networks using technologies other than SMS or that 261 (rounded-down) CMRS providers will be migrating annually. The Commission estimates that a CMRS provider staff engineer will spend two hours providing and communicating this information to all 17 of the estimated other covered text providers that the Commission expects will be making a request.

Total Number of Respondents on an Annual Basis: 261.

Frequency of Response: 1.

Total Number of Responses Annually:

261 covered text providers x 17 notifications/annually = 4437 responses.

Total Annual Burden Hours:

261 covered text providers x 17 notifications/annually x 2 hours/notification = 8,874 hours.

Burden to the Respondents:

a. Covered Text Providers’ Notification to Current Subscribers = 136 hours

b. CMRS Wireless Carriers’ Notification to Other Covered Text Providers = 26,656 hours

c. Covered Text Providers’ Notification to the Commission of Agreement = 37,989 hours

d. PSAPs’ Notification to Commission = 2002 hours

PSAPs’ Notification to Covered Text Providers = 444 hours

e. (1) Other Covered Text Providers’ Notification to Subscribers = 136 hours

(2) CMRS Covered Text Providers’ Notification to Other Covered Providers = 8,874 hours

76,237 hours

Total Number of Respondents: 17+784+67+2002+222+17+261 = 3,370 Respondents

Total Number of Responses: 17+13,328+37,989+2,002+222+17+4,437 = 58,012 Responses

Total Annual Burden Hours: 136+26,656+37,989+2,002+444+136+8,874= 76,237 Hours

IN-HOUSE COSTS TO RESPONDENTS:

The Commission estimates the hourly wage of a full-time in-house regulatory staff employee of the covered text providers that will be providing the notifications to be $70.00/hour. The Commission also estimates the hourly wage of a full-time senior public safety official submitting the notifications of a valid PSAP request to either the Commission or covered text providers to be equivalent to a GS-14 Step 5 @ $57.70/hour. Therefore, the in-house costs to the respondents are as follows:

a. Covered Text Providers’ Notification to Current Subscribers: 17 responses x 8 hrs. x $70/hr. = $9,520

b. CMRS Wireless Carriers’ Notification to Other Covered Text Providers: 13,328 responses x 2 hr. x $70/hr. = $1,865,920

c. Covered Text Providers’ Notification to the Commission of Agreement: 37,989 responses x 1 hrs. x $70/hr. = $2,659,230

d. PSAPs’ Notification to Commission: 2,002 responses x 1 hr. x $57.70/hr. = $115,515

PSAPs’ Notification to Covered Text Providers: 222 responses x 2 hrs. x $57.70/hr. = $25,619

e. (1) Other Covered Text Providers’ Notification to Subscribers: 17 responses x 8 hrs. x $70/hr = $9,520

(2) CMRS Covered Text Providers’ Notification to Other Covered Providers: 4,437 responses x 2 hrs. x $70/hr. = $621,180

Total Annual “In-House” Costs:

$9,520 + $1,865,920 + $2,659,230 + $115,515 + $25,619 + $9,520 + 621,180 = $5,306,504

13. Provide estimate for the total annual cost burden to respondents or record keepers resulting from the collection of information. (Do not include the cost of any hour burden shown in items 12 and 14).

There is no cost to the respondents.

14. Provide estimates of annualized costs to the Federal government. Also provide a description of the method used to estimate cost, which should include quantification of hours, operational expenses (such as equipment, overhead, printing, and support staff), and any other expenses that would not have been incurred without this collection of information.

There are no costs to the Commission beyond what we consider to be part of the FCC’s normal operating costs.

15. There are no program changes or adjustments. This is a new information collection.

16. The data will not be published for statistical use.

17. We do not seek approval not to display the expiration date for OMB approval of the information collection.

18. There are no exceptions to the Certification Statement in Item 19.

B. Collections of Information Employing Statistical Methods:

No statistical methods are employed.

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