FCC Asks Public: Please Help Us Reduce Our Paperwork
Published Date: 12/15/2025
Notice
Summary
The FCC is checking in on some paperwork rules to make sure they’re still useful and not too much work, especially for small businesses. They want your thoughts by February 13, 2026, to help keep things clear and easy. This review affects over 4,000 businesses and involves about 24,600 hours of work yearly, but it won’t cost anyone extra money.
Analyzed Economic Effects
4 provisions identified: 2 benefits, 2 costs, 0 mixed.
Paperwork Burden on ~4,100 Businesses
The FCC is reviewing an information collection (OMB 3060-0548) that currently covers 4,103 business respondents and 49,236 responses. The collection is estimated to cause 24,618 total annual burden hours and a total annual cost of no cost; the FCC seeks comments by February 13, 2026 on ways to reduce this paperwork burden, including impacts on small businesses with fewer than 25 employees.
Customer-Service Collection Burden on Operators/Governments
The FCC is also reviewing a separate collection (OMB 3060-0652) that lists 540 respondents and 1,102,100 responses, with an estimated 34,650 total annual burden hours and no total annual cost. The agency requests comments by February 13, 2026 on reducing burden and improving clarity, including for small entities.
Cable Subscribers Get Must-Carry Info & Notices
Cable systems must keep a public file listing all broadcast TV stations they carry and must respond in writing within 30 days to any written request for identification of signals carried. Operators must notify subscribers by June 2, 1993 and annually thereafter, and to each new subscriber at installation, about stations that cannot be viewed without a converter box and offer to sell or lease a converter box.
Required Customer Service Notices and Billing Rules
Cable operators must provide written information at installation, at least annually, and on request about products, prices, installation and maintenance policies, channel positions, and billing and complaint procedures. Operators must give subscribers at least 30 days' advance written notice of rate or service changes (or as soon as possible if outside the operator's control) that includes the precise amount and an explanation, and must respond to written billing disputes within 30 days. Local franchise authorities must give affected cable operators 90 days' written notice before enforcing customer service standards.
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Key Dates
Department and Agencies
Related Federal Register Documents
2026-16995, Information Collection Being Submitted to the Office of Management and Budget for Emergency Review and Approval
As part of its continuing effort to reduce paperwork burdens, and as required by the Paperwork Reduction Act (PRA) of 1995, the Federal Communications Commission (Commission) invites the general public and other Federal agencies to take this opportunity to comment on the following information collection. Comments are requested concerning: Whether the collection of information is necessary for the proper performance of the functions of the Commission, including whether the information shall have practical utility; the accuracy of the Commission's burden estimate; ways to enhance the quality, utility, and clarity of the information collected; 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; and ways to further reduce the information collection burden on small business concerns with fewer than 25 employees. The Commission 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 PRA that does not display a valid Office of Management and Budget (OMB) control number.
2026-16993, Information Collections Being Reviewed by the Federal Communications Commission Under Delegated Authority
As part of its continuing effort to reduce paperwork burdens, and as required by the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 (PRA), the Federal Communications Commission (FCC or Commission) invites the general public and other Federal agencies to take this opportunity to comment on the following information collections. Comments are requested concerning: 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; the accuracy of the Commission's burden estimate; ways to enhance the quality, utility, and clarity of the information collected; 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; and ways to further reduce the information collection burden on small business concerns with fewer than 25 employees.
2026-16997, Information Collection Being Reviewed by the Federal Communications Commission Under Delegated Authority
As part of its continuing effort to reduce paperwork burdens, and as required by the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 (PRA), the Federal Communications Commission (FCC or Commission) invites the general public and other Federal agencies to take this opportunity to comment on the following information collections. Comments are requested concerning: 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; the accuracy of the Commission's burden estimate; ways to enhance the quality, utility, and clarity of the information collected; 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; and ways to further reduce the information collection burden on small business concerns with fewer than 25 employees.
2026-16996, Information Collection Being Reviewed by the Federal Communications Commission
The FCC is asking for public feedback on a new paperwork collection related to space launch coordination. This affects businesses, nonprofits, and governments who might spend 4 to 16 hours filling out forms. Comments are due by October 19, 2026, helping the FCC reduce hassle and improve the process without extra costs.
2026-16740, Information Collection Being Submitted to the Office of Management and Budget for Emergency Review and Approval
As part of its continuing effort to reduce paperwork burdens, and as required by the Paperwork Reduction Act (PRA) of 1995, the Federal Communications Commission (Commission) invites the general public and other Federal agencies to take this opportunity to comment on the following information collection. Comments are requested concerning: Whether the collection of information is necessary for the proper performance of the functions of the Commission, including whether the information shall have practical utility; the accuracy of the Commission's burden estimate; ways to enhance the quality, utility, and clarity of the information collected; 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; and ways to further reduce the information collection burden on small business concerns with fewer than 25 employees. The Commission 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 PRA that does not display a valid Office of Management and Budget (OMB) control number.
2026-16615, Unified Agenda of Federal Regulatory and Deregulatory Actions-2026
Executive Order 12866, Regulatory Planning and Review (Sep. 30, 1993), requires each agency to publish a regulatory agenda (Agenda) of regulations under development or review during the next year which will be included in the Unified Agenda of Regulatory and Deregulatory Actions (Unified Agenda). 58 FR 51735 (Oct. 4, 1993). The Agenda required by Executive Order 12866 must include all regulations the agency expects to develop or review during the next 12 months, regardless of whether they may have a significant economic impact on a substantial number of small entities. Executive Order 12866 provides that agencies may combine this agenda with the regulatory flexibility agenda required under the RFA. To help keep the public informed of significant rulemaking proceedings and meet its obligations under the RFA and Executive Order 12866, the Commission has prepared Agenda entries providing a brief description and summary of each regulatory activity that is currently planned for the 12 months, subject to revision, including the objectives and legal basis for each, and the name and telephone number of an agency official who is knowledgeable about items in the agenda. The Commission's Agenda entries published in the Federal Register are only those entries for rules that are likely to have a significant economic impact on a substantial number of small entities pursuant to the RFA. The Commission's complete list of regulatory and deregulatory actions for the Unified Agenda will be published on the internet in a searchable format at www.reginfo.gov.
Previous / Next Documents
Previous: 2025-22713, Information Collections Being Reviewed by the Federal Communications Commission Delegated Authority
The FCC is checking in on some paperwork rules to make sure they’re easy and useful for businesses and nonprofits, especially small ones. They want your thoughts on how to keep these forms clear and not too time-consuming. If you have ideas or concerns, speak up by February 13, 2026, so the FCC can keep things running smoothly without costing too much time or money.
Next: 2025-22715, Arms Sales Notification
The U.S. Department of Defense is letting everyone know about a big arms sale to Spain, including helicopters, missiles, and high-tech gear. This deal updates a previous sale from 2022 and involves millions in national funds. Spain gets upgraded military tech soon, keeping the partnership strong and ready for action!