FCC Reviews Paperwork for Rural Phone and Internet Fund Recipients
Published Date: 3/5/2025
Notice
Summary
The FCC is reviewing its paperwork rules for companies and organizations that get money to help provide phone and internet service in hard-to-reach areas. They want to make sure the forms are useful, clear, and not too time-consuming, especially for small businesses. If you have thoughts, you can share them by May 5, 2025, so the FCC can keep improving how they collect info without wasting anyone’s time or money.
Analyzed Economic Effects
6 provisions identified: 3 benefits, 3 costs, 0 mixed.
Who Must File and Time Burden
If your company, nonprofit, or state/local/tribal government receives high-cost Universal Service Fund support, you must file FCC Form 481 and/or FCC Form 525 to obtain or retain those benefits. The FCC estimates 2,229 respondents will submit 14,172 responses, with each response taking between 0.1 and 15 hours and a total annual burden of 51,573 hours.
Enhanced A-CAM Funding Awarded
The FCC authorized 368 carriers to receive Enhanced Alternative Connect America Cost Model (Enhanced A-CAM) support totaling $18.28 billion over a 15-year term that ends in 2038. This support is for broadband deployment with speeds of at least 100 Mbps download and 20 Mbps upload.
No Duplicate Form 481 Filings
Carriers no longer must file duplicate copies of FCC Form 481 with more than one entity; they must file the Form 481 with the Universal Service Administrative Company (USAC) only. This change was made in the October 20, 2023 Administrative Order and affects annual high-cost reports and certifications.
Supply-Chain Purchase Restrictions
Recipients of Universal Service Fund high-cost support are prohibited from using that support to purchase equipment or services from covered companies that pose a national security threat, under the 2019 and 2020 Supply Chain Orders and 47 CFR 54.9. These procurement restrictions apply to use of USF funds.
RBE Location Reporting Moved to HUBB
Recipients of Rural Broadband Experiments (RBE) support no longer submit location information with FCC Form 481; instead, since March 1, 2018 they must submit location information using the Universal Service Administrative Company's High-Cost Universal Broadband (HUBB) portal. That location collection is covered under OMB Control No. 3060-1228.
Timing Rules for Form 481 Certifications
The FCC clarified that the required certification of compliance with voice and broadband benchmarks in FCC Form 481 covers the calendar year preceding the date the Form 481 is due, and is based on benchmarks released by the Commission two years before the year the Form 481 is due. This timing was made explicit in the Administrative Order dated October 20, 2023.
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Key Dates
Department and Agencies
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