Supporting Statement OMB 3060-1084 CARE (2022 extension)

3060-1084 March 2022

Rules and Regulations Implementing Minimum Customer Account Record Obligations on All Local and Interexchange Carriers (CARE), CG Docket No. 02-386

SUPPORTING STATEMENT

A. Justification

1. In 2005, the Commission released a Report and Order regarding the exchange of customer account record information (CARE) between local and long distance carriers.¹ In the 2005 CARE Order, the Commission:

1. adopted rules governing the exchange of customer account information between LECs and IXCs; and

2. concluded that mandatory, minimum standards were needed in light of evidence demonstrating that information necessary for carriers to execute customer service requests and to properly bill customers was not consistently provided by all LECs and by all IXCs.

The 2005 CARE Order identified situations in which carriers needed to exchange customer account information to ensure the seamless provision and transfer of services for their customers. The 2005 CARE Order established carriers’ responsibilities with respect to those exchanges. Specifically, the 2005 CARE Order required LECs to supply customer account information to IXCs when: (1) the LEC places a customer on, or removes a customer from, an IXC’s network; (2) a customer presubscribed to an IXC makes certain changes to his/her account information through his/her LEC; (3) an IXC requests billing name and address information for a customer who has usage on an IXC’s network but for whom the IXC does not have an existing account; and (4) a LEC rejects an IXC-initiated order for a preferred interexchange carrier (PIC) change. The 2005 CARE Order also required IXCs to notify LECs when an IXC customer informed the IXC directly of their desire to change IXCs.²

This information collection does not affect individuals or households; thus, there are no impacts under the Privacy Act because it does not require the collection of personally identifiable information (PII) from individuals.

The statutory authority for these information requirements is found in sections 1-4, 201, 202, 222, 258, and 303(r) of the Communications Act of 1934, as amended, 47 U.S.C. §§ 151-154, 201, 202, 222, 258, and 303(r).

The Commission is seeking a three-year extension of this information collection from the Office of Management and Budget (OMB).

2. The information collection requirements contained in 47 CFR § 64.4002 of the Commission’s rules are intended to:

(a) facilitate the timely and accurate establishment, termination, transfer, and billing of customer telephone service accounts; and

(b) apply to both LECs and IXCs.

The information generated and provided by LECs to IXCs pursuant to the information collections is used by IXCs:

(a) to determine when a customer has been placed on or removed from an IXC’s network;

(b) to enable IXCs to accurately calculate customer telephone service charges;

(c) to identify the correct billing name and address of a telephone service customer; and

(d) to inform IXCs of critical changes to their customers’ telephone service accounts.

The information generated by IXCs and provided to LECs pursuant to the information collections is used by LECs:

(a) to add a telephone service customer to, or remove a telephone service customer from, the network of a particular IXC; and

(b) to recognize that a customer no longer wishes to receive long distance services on a presubscribed basis.

3. Customer account records required by these information collection requirements may be transmitted electronically or by any other medium that a carrier chooses to use.

The Commission explained in the 2005 CARE Order that, to the extent that carriers make timely and adequate notifications to other carriers pursuant to inter-carrier agreements or other information exchange processes (including non-electronic processes), those carriers would not be required to incur additional expenses associated with modifying their current processes.

4. The information collection requirements are not duplicative of any currently existing federal regulatory obligation.

5. The Commission’s rules afford carriers flexibility in both the format and medium of information exchanges and, thus, does not require carriers to use CARE or other automated methods, unless they so choose.

In addition, the rules impose no specific time limits or performance measurements on the exchange of customer account information.

These determinations appear to be consistent with the views expressed by a number of small and rural carriers in the Commission’s 2005 rulemaking proceeding.

6. The information collection requirements facilitate the exchange of customer account information between LECs and IXCs and establish carriers’ responsibilities with respect to such exchanges. The requirements are necessary to ensure that consumers’ telephone bills are accurate and that their carrier selection requests are honored and executed without undue delay. The Commission’s CARE requirements also recognize a carrier’s right to be compensated for the services it provides by ensuring that providers of long distance phone services receive proper notification when customers are placed on their networks.

7. The information collections do not require respondents to report information to the agency, but may require respondents to report basic customer account information to other carriers more often than quarterly:

(a) The frequency of the notification requirements depends upon how frequently each carrier’s customers change carriers or make other account changes.

(b) Carriers are required only to exchange basic account information that is reasonably available to them:

(i) Carriers must provide the required notifications promptly and without unreasonable delay but there is no specific timeframe within which the notifications must take place.

(ii) Carriers are not required to retain records for more than three years.

The information collection is not conducted in any manner that is inconsistent with the guidelines in 5 CFR § 1320.5.

8. The Commission published a notice in the Federal Register pursuant to 5 CFR § 1320.8(d) on January 10, 2022, seeking comments from the public on the information collection requirements contained in this collection. See 87 FR 1144. The Commission received no comments.

9. The Commission does not anticipate providing any payment or gift to any of the respondents.

10. Assurance of confidentiality is not offered because this information collection does not require the collection of personally identifiable information (PII) from individuals. The information that is required to be disclosed under the Commission’s rules includes:

1. basic customer account information that carriers need to accurately bill customers and to execute carrier changes and other requests.

2. customer account information that carriers may use for billing and provisioning purposes only and not for marketing purposes, unless they obtain customer approval to do so.

11. There are no questions of a sensitive nature with respect to the information collected.

12. The Commission estimates the annual burden on LECs and IXCs to be:

LECs:

(a) There are approximately 3,117 LECs operating in the United States.³

(b) Approximately 2,630 of these LECs are affected by the information collection reporting requirements contained in 47 CFR § 64.4002(a)-(h), as adopted in the 2005 CARE Order.

(c) The Commission does not include estimates for the largest 487 of the total 3,117 LECs based on its understanding that:

1. Those LECs already conduct their operations as required by the 2005 CARE Order, and therefore,

2. Those LECs are not subject to any new information collection reporting requirements.

(d) Accordingly, LEC respondents subject to the notification requirements contained in 47 CFR § 64.4002(a)–(h), as adopted in the 2005 CARE Order, include approximately 2,630 LECs (respondents).

IXCs:

(a) Similarly, the Commission estimates that there are approximately 359 IXCs operating in the United States.⁴

(b) Approximately 317 of these IXCs are affected by the information collection reporting requirements contained in 47 CFR § 64.4003(a).

(c) The Commission does not include estimates for the largest 42 of the total 359 IXCs based on the Commission’s understanding that:

(i) Those IXCs already conduct their operations as required by the 2005 CARE Order, and therefore,

(ii) Those IXCs are not subject to any new information collection reporting requirements.

(d) Based on the Commission’s understanding that most IXCs may not have mechanisms for communicating the information required by 47 CFR § 64.4003(b), the Commission estimates that all 359 IXCs are affected by the information collection reporting requirements contained in that section.

(e) IXC respondents subject to the notification requirements contained in 47 CFR § 64.4003(a), as adopted in the 2005 CARE Order, include approximately 317 IXCs (respondents).

(f) IXC respondents subject to the notification requirements contained in 47 CFR § 64.4003(b), as adopted in the 2005 CARE Order, include approximately 359 IXCs (respondents).

The Commission notes that the amount of time it will take for each respondent to provide each of the required notifications will vary significantly depending on, among other things, whether the carrier uses automated or manual processes.

The frequency with which each respondent is required to provide particular notifications also will vary significantly depending on, among other things:

1. whether the respondent’s service territory is primarily urban or rural; and

2. depending upon the number of account changes that a particular respondent’s customers make in a given year.

As a general matter, the Commission’s estimates assume that larger carriers rely more on automated processes, and that smaller carriers rely more on manual processes.

These estimates also assume that, because many smaller carriers operate in rural areas where there may be fewer PIC changes and fewer changes in local service providers than in urban areas, certain smaller carriers are required to provide notifications less frequently than their larger counterparts.

The following represents the Commission’s best efforts to estimate the hour and cost burdens associated with the required notifications in the 2005 CARE Order:

a. 47 CFR § 64.4002(a). Requirement that a LEC notify the appropriate IXC when the LEC has processed a PIC selection submitted by a customer and places the customer on the network of the customer’s preferred IXC.

The Commission estimates that 60% of the 2,630 LECs, or approximately 1,578 LECs, experience a processing burden of approximately 2 minutes per notification and are required to provide the notification 48 times per year, for an annual processing burden of 1.6 hours per respondent:

1,578 LECs (respondents) x 1.6 hours per year = 2,525 hours

1,578 respondents x 48 notifications = 75,744 notifications/responses yearly

The Commission assumes that the respondents will use “in-house” personnel whose pay is comparable to a low-to-mid level federal employee (GS-7/Step 5: $26.69/hour) to process the notifications:

2,525 hours x $26.69 per hour = $67,392.25

The remaining 40% of the 2,630 LECS, or approximately 1,052 LECs, may experience a processing burden of approximately 15 minutes per notification. Because these smaller LECs tend to process fewer PIC changes, the Commission estimates that they are required to provide the notification only 24 times per year. Accordingly, the annual processing burden is approximately 6 hours per respondent, as calculated below:

1,052 LECs (respondents) x 6 hours per year = 6,312 hours

1,052 respondents x 24 notifications = 25,248 notifications/responses

The Commission assumes that the respondents will use “in-house” personnel whose pay is comparable to a low-to-mid level federal employee (GS-7/Step 5: $26.69/hour) to process the notifications:

6,312 hours x $26.69 per hour = $168,467.28

b. 47 CFR § 64.4002(b). Requirement that a LEC that has placed a customer on an IXC’s network in response to an IXC-submitted PIC order sends a confirmation to the submitting IXC.

The Commission estimates that 60% of the 2,630 LECs, or approximately 1,578 LECs, may experience a processing burden of approximately 1 minute per notification and are required to provide the notification 68 times per year, for an annual processing burden of 1.13 hours per respondent, as calculated below:

1,578 LECs (respondents) x 1.13 hours per year = 1,783.14 (1,783 hours)

1,578 respondents x 68 notifications = 107,304 notifications/responses

The Commission assumes that the respondents will use “in-house” personnel whose pay is comparable to a low-to-mid level federal employee (GS-7/Step 5: $26.69/hour) to process the notifications:

1,783 hours x $26.69 per hour = $47,588.27

The remaining 40% of the 2,630 LECs or 1,052 LECs may experience a processing burden of approximately 8 minutes per notification. Because these smaller LECs tend to process fewer PIC changes, the Commission estimates that they are required to provide the notification only 32 times per year. Accordingly, the annual processing burden is approximately 4.27 hours per respondent, as calculated below:

1,052 LECs (respondents) x 4.27 hours per year = 4,492.04 (4,492 hours)

1,052 respondents x 32 notifications = 33,664 notifications/responses

The Commission assumes that the respondents will use “in-house” personnel whose pay is comparable to a low-to-mid level federal employee (GS-7/5: $26.69/hour) to process the notifications:

4,492 hours x $26.69 per hour = $119,891.48

c. 47 CFR § 64.4002(c). Requirement that a LEC that rejects or otherwise does not act upon a PIC order submitted to it by an IXC notify the IXC and provide reason(s) why the PIC order could not be processed.

The Commission estimates that approximately 10% of IXC-submitted PIC orders each year are rejected or are not acted upon by a LEC.

Accordingly, the Commission estimates that 60% of these 2,630 LECs, or approximately 1,578 LECs, may experience a processing burden of approximately 10 minutes per notification and are required to provide a reject notification 8 times per year, for an annual processing burden of 1.3 hours per respondent, as calculated below:

1,578 LECs (respondents) x 1.3 hours per year = 2,051.4 (2,051 hours)

1,578 respondents x 8 reject notifications = 12,624 notifications/responses

The Commission assumes that the respondents will use “in-house” personnel whose pay is comparable to a low-to-mid level federal employee (GS-7/5: $26.69/hr) to process the reject notifications.

2,051 hours x $26.69 per hour = $54,741.19

The remaining 40% of the 2,630 LECs, or 1,052 LECs, may experience a processing burden of approximately 20 minutes per reject notification. Because these LECs tend to process fewer PIC changes, the Commission estimates that they are required to provide reject notifications only 4 times per year. Accordingly, the annual processing burden is approximately 1.3 hours per respondent, as calculated below:

1,052 LECs (respondents) x 1.3 hours per year = 1,367.6 (1,368 hours)

1,052 respondents x 4 reject notifications = 4,208 notifications/responses

The Commission assumes that the respondents will use “in-house” personnel whose pay is comparable to a low-to-mid level federal employee (GS-7/5: $26.69/hr) to process the notifications.

1,368 hours x $26.69 per hour = $36,511.92

d. 47 CFR § 64.4002(d). Requirement that a LEC notify the appropriate IXC(s) when the LEC has removed a presubscribed customer from an IXC’s network, either in response to a customer order or upon receipt of a properly verified PIC order submitted by another IXC.

The Commission estimates that 60% of the 2,630 LECs, or approximately 1,578 LECs, may experience a processing burden of approximately 3 minutes per notification and are required to provide the notification 55 times per year, for an annual processing burden of 2.75 hours per respondent, as calculated below:

1,578 LECs (respondents) x 2.75 hours per year = 4,339.5 (4,340 hours)

1,578 respondents x 55 notifications = 86,790 notifications/responses

The Commission assumes that the respondents will use “in-house” personnel whose pay is comparable to a low-to-mid level federal employee (GS-7/Step 5: $26.69/hour) to process the notifications:

4,340 hours x $26.69 per hour = $115,834.60

The remaining 40% of the 2,630 LECs, or 1,052 LECs, may experience a processing burden of approximately 12 minutes per notification. Because these LECs tend to process fewer PIC changes, the Commission estimates that they are required to provide the notification only 33 times per year. Accordingly, the annual processing burden is approximately 6.6 hours per respondent, as calculated below:

1,052 LECs (respondents) x 6.6 hours per year = 6,943.2 (6,943 hours)

1,052 respondents x 33 notifications = 34,716 notifications/responses

The Commission assumes that the respondents will use “in-house” personnel whose pay is comparable to a low-to-mid level federal employee (GS-7/Step 5: $26.69/hour) to process the notifications:

6,943 hours x $26.69 per hour = $185,308.67

e. 47 CFR § 64.4002(e). Requirement that a LEC communicate certain account or line information changes that occur on a presubscribed customer’s account to the customer’s PIC.

The Commission estimates that 60% of the 2,630 LECs, or approximately 1,578 LECs, may experience a processing burden of approximately 2.2 minutes per notification and are required to provide the notification 80 times per year, for an annual processing burden of 2.9 hours per respondent, as calculated below:

1,578 LECs (respondents) x 2.9 hours per year = 4,576.2 (4,576 hours)

1,578 respondents x 80 notifications = 126,240 notifications/responses

The Commission assumes that the respondents will use “in-house” personnel whose pay is comparable to a low-to-mid level federal employee (GS-7/5: $26.69/hr) to process the notifications.

4,576 hours x $26.69 per hour = $122,133.44

The remaining 40% of the 2,630 LECs, or approximately 1,052 LECs, may experience a processing burden of approximately 11 minutes per notification and are required to provide the notification 40 times per year. Accordingly, the annual processing burden is approximately 7.3 hours per respondent, as calculated below:

1,052 LECs (respondents) x 7.3 hours per year = 7,679.6 (7,680 hours)

1,052 respondents x 40 notifications = 42,080 notifications/responses

The Commission assumes that the respondents will use “in-house” personnel whose pay is comparable to a low-to-mid level federal employee (GS-7/Step 5: $26.69/hour) to process the notifications:

7,680 hours x $26.69 per hour = $204,979.20

f. 47 CFR § 64.4002(f). Requirement that a LEC notify the appropriate presubscribed carrier upon receipt of a customer’s request to terminate his/her entire local service account or disconnect one or more lines (but not all lines) of a multi-line account.

The Commission estimates that 60% of the 2,630 LECs, or approximately 1,578 LECs, may experience a processing burden of approximately 3 minutes per notification and are required to provide the notification 20 times per year, for an annual processing burden of one (1) hour per respondent, as calculated below:

1,578 LECs (respondents) x 1 hour per year = 1,578 hours

1,578 respondents x 20 notifications = 31,560 notifications/responses

The Commission assumes that the respondents will use “in-house” personnel whose pay is comparable to a low-to-mid level federal employee (GS-7/Step 5: $26.69/hour) to process the notifications:

1,578 hours x $26.69 per hour = $42,116.82

The remaining 40% of the 2,630 LECs, or approximately 1,052 LECs, may experience a processing burden of approximately 15 minutes per notification and are required to provide the notification 10 times per year. Accordingly, the annual processing burden is approximately 2.5 hours per respondent, as calculated below:

1,052 LECs (respondents) x 2.5 hours per year = 2,630 hours

1,052 respondents x 10 notifications = 10,520 notifications/responses

The Commission assumes that the respondents will use “in-house” personnel whose pay is comparable to a low-to-mid level federal employee (GS-7/Step 5: $26.69/hour) to process the notifications:

2,630 hours x $26.69 per hour = $70,194.70

g. 47 CFR § 64.4002(g). Requirement that a former LEC notify a customer’s PIC(s) when the customer changes LECs.

The Commission estimates that 60% of the 2,630 LECs, or approximately 1,578 LECs, may experience a processing burden of approximately 3.3 minutes per notification and are required to provide the notification 15 times per year, for an annual processing burden of 0.825 hours per respondent, as calculated below:

1,578 LECs (respondents) x 0.825 hours per year = 1,301,85 (1,302 hours)

1,578 respondents x 15 notifications = 23,670 notifications/responses

The Commission assumes that the respondents will use “in-house” personnel whose pay is comparable to a low-to-mid level federal employee (GS-7/Step 5: $26.69/hour) to process the notifications:

1,302 hours x $26.69 per hour = $34,750.38

The remaining 40% of the 2,630 LECS, or approximately 1,052 LECs, may experience a processing burden of approximately 16.5 minutes per notification and are required to provide the notification 5 times per year. Accordingly, the annual processing burden is approximately 1.375 hours per respondent, as calculated below:

1,052 LECs (respondents) x 1.375 hours per year = 1,446.5 (1,447 hours)

1,052 respondents x 5 notifications = 5,260 notifications/responses

The Commission assumes that the respondents will use “in-house” personnel whose pay is comparable to a low-to-mid level federal employee (GS-7/5: $26.69/hr) to process the notifications.

1,447 hours x $26.69 per hour = $38,620.43

h. 47 CFR § 64.4002(h). Requirement that a LEC, upon the request of an IXC, provide the billing name and address information necessary to facilitate a customer’s receipt of a timely, accurate bill for services rendered and/or to prevent fraud.

The Commission estimates that 60% of the 2,630 LECs or approximately 1,578 LECs may experience a processing burden of approximately 3 minutes per notification and are required to provide the notification 15 times per year, for an annual processing burden of 0.75 hours per respondent, as calculated below:

1,578 LECs (respondents) x 0.75 hours per year = 1,183.5 (1,184 hours)

1,578 respondents x 15 notifications = 23,670 notifications/responses

The Commission assumes that the respondents will use “in-house” personnel whose pay is comparable to a low-to-mid level federal employee (GS-7/Step 5: $26.69/ hour) to process the notifications:

1,184 hours x $26.69 per hour = $31,600.96

The remaining 40% or 1,052 LECs may experience a processing burden of approximately 15 minutes per notification and are required to provide the notification 5 times per year. Accordingly, the annual processing burden is approximately 1.25 hours per respondent, as calculated below:

1,052 LECs (respondents) x 1.25 hours per year = 1,315 hours

1,052 respondents x 5 notifications = 5,260 notifications/responses

The Commission assumes that the respondents will use “in-house” personnel whose pay is comparable to a low-to-mid level federal employee (GS-7/Step 5: $26.69/hour) to process the notifications:

1,315 hours x $26.69 per hour = $35,097.35

i. 47 CFR § 64.4003(a). Requirement that an IXC provide to a customer’s LEC the customer’s properly verified PIC order when the customer contacts the IXC to establish interexchange service on a presubscribed basis.

The Commission estimates that 100% of the 317 IXCs may experience a processing burden of approximately 10 minutes per notification and are required to provide the notification 30 times per year. Accordingly, the annual processing burden is approximately 4.98 hours per respondent, as calculated below:

317 IXCs (respondents) x 4.98 hours per year = 1,578.66 (1,579 hours)

317 respondents x 30 notifications = 9,510 notifications/responses

The Commission assumes that the respondents will use “in-house” personnel whose pay is comparable to a low-to-mid level federal employee (GS-7/Step 5: $26.69/hour) to process the notifications:

1,579 hours x $26.69 per hour = $42,143.51

j. 47 CFR § 64.4003(b). Requirement that an IXC notify a customer’s LEC when the customer contacts the IXC to discontinue interexchange service on a presubscribed basis when it is the customer’s desire to have no PIC. Based on the Commission’s understanding that most IXCs do not have mechanisms for communicating the information required by 47 CFR § 4.4003(b), the Commission anticipates that this requirement will have PRA effects for all of the 359 IXCs.

The Commission estimates 359 IXCs may experience a processing burden of approximately 15 minutes per notification and are required to provide the notification 20 times per year. Accordingly, the annual processing burden is approximately 5 hours per respondent, as calculated below:

359 IXCs (respondents) x 5 hours per year = 1,795 hours

359 respondents x 20 notifications = 7,180 notifications/responses

The Commission assumes that the respondents will use “in-house” personnel whose pay is comparable to a low-to-mid level federal employee (GS-7/5: $26.69/hr) to process the notifications.

1,795 hours x $26.69per hour = $47,908.55

Rule Sections	Providers	Hours per Response	Total Hours per Year	Notifications	Notifications per Year	TotalTotal Total “In House” Costs
Information Collection Requirements
47 CFR § 64.4002(a)	1,578 LECs	1.6	2,525	48	75,744	$67,392.25
	1,052 LECs	6	6,312	24	25,248	$168,467.28
47 CFR § 64.4002(b)	1,578 LECs	1.13	1,783	68	107,304	$47,588.27
	1,052 LECs	4.27	4,492	32	33,664	$119,891.48
47 CFR § 64.4002(c)	1,578 LECs	1.3	2,051	8	12,624	$54,741.19
	1,052 LECs	1.3	1,368	4	4,208	$36,511.92
47 CFR § 64.4002(d)	1,578 LECs	2.75	4,340	55	86,790	$115,834.60
	1,052 LECs	6.6	6,943	33	34,716	$185,308.67
47 CFR § 64.4002(e)	1,578 LECs	2.9	4,576	80	126,240	$122,133.44
	1,052 LECs	7.3	7,680	40	42,080	$204,979.20
47 CFR § 64.4002(f)	1,578 LECs	1	1,578	20	31,560	$42,116.82
	1,052 LECs	2.5	2,630	10	10,520	$70,194.70
47 CFR § 64.4002(g)	1,578 LECs	0.825	1,302	15	23,670	$34,750.38
	1,052 LECs	1.375	1,447	5	5,260	$38,620.43
47 CFR § 64.4002(h)	1,578 LECs	0.75	1,184	15	23,670	$31,600.96
	1,052 LECs	1.25	1,315	5	5,260	$35,097.35
Totals			51,526		648,558	$1,375,228.94

47 CFR § 64.4003(a)	317 IXCs	4.98	1,579	30	9,510	$42,143.51
47 CFR § 64.4003(b)	359 IXCs	5	1,795	20	7,180	$47,908.55
Totals			3,374		16,690	$90,052.06
Total Report and Order Information Collection Requirements			54,900		665,248	$1,465,281.00

Cumulative Totals for the Information Collection Requirements

Cumulative Total Number of Respondents: 2,630 LECs + 359 IXCs = 2,989 respondents

Cumulative Total Number of Responses: 665,248 responses

Cumulative Total Annual Burden Hours: 54,900 hours

Cumulative Total In-House Cost: $1,465,281.00

13. The following represents the Commission’s estimate of the annual cost burden to respondents resulting from the collections of information:

(a) Total annualized capital/start-up costs: $0.00

(b) Total annual costs (operations and maintenance): $0.00

(c) Total annualized costs requested: $0.00

The Commission anticipates that the respondents will not incur any new capital or start-up costs and most will be inclined to continue to hire in-house staff to perform these functions:

9. It is unclear how many respondents currently use or in the future may hire third parties to provide their intercarrier notifications.

(ii) The Commission estimates, however, that the potential cost to the respondents, whether they perform the requirements in-house or hire a third party to perform this function, will be roughly the same.

In particular, although smaller entities may be more likely to use labor-intensive manual processes rather than automated processes, they also may have limited staff resources to perform these functions. Because of limited staffing, certain smaller entities may elect to use third party clearinghouses, which use automated processes to provide the required notifications.

Although no data is available to establish the precise cost of using a third-party clearinghouse, the Commission estimates that the cost to provide the notifications in-house using manual processes may be approximately the same as hiring a third party to perform the same functions using automated processes.

14. The information collections contained in the CARE rules result in no costs to the Federal government.

15. There are no program changes or adjustments to this collection.

16. There are no plans to publish the result of the collection of information.

17. The Commission does not intend to seek approval not to display the expiration date for OMB approval of this information.

18. There are no exceptions to the Certification Statement.

B. Collections of Information Employing Statistical Methods.

The Commission does not anticipate that the collection of information will employ statistical methods.

1 See Rules and Regulations Implementing Minimum Customer Account Record Exchange Obligations on All Local and Interexchange Carriers, Report and Order and Further Notice of Proposed Rulemaking, CG Docket No. 02-386, 20 FCC Rcd 4560 (2005) (2005 CARE Order). For purposes of this information collection submission, the Commission refers to incumbent local exchange carriers (ILECs) and competitive local exchange carriers (CLECs) as local exchange carriers (LECs), and to long distance interexchange carriers as IXCs.

2 See 47 CFR §§ 64.4002 – 4003. In 2006, the Commission released an Order on Reconsideration, which made minor modifications to 47 CFR § 64.4002 of the CARE rules to clarify carriers’ respective obligations under the rules. See Rules and Regulations Implementing Minimum Customer Account Record Exchange Obligations on All Local and Interexchange Carriers, Order on Reconsideration, CG Docket No. 02-386, 21 FCC Rcd 10451 (2006).

3 See U.S. Census Bureau, 2012 Economic Census of the United States, Table ID: EC1251SSSZ5, Information: Subject Series - Estab & Firm Size: Employment Size of Firms for the U.S.: 2012, NAICS Code 517110, https://data.census.gov/cedsci/table?text=EC1251SSSZ5&n=517110&tid=ECNSIZE2012.EC1251SSSZ5&hidePreview=false.

4 See Trends in Telephone Service at Table 5.3, https://apps.fcc.gov/edocs_public/attachmatch/DOC-301823A1.pdf.

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