FCC Asks Public to Complain About Paperwork Again
Published Date: 7/17/2026
Notice
Summary
The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) is asking the public and small businesses to share their thoughts on how to make paperwork easier and less time-consuming. They want to reduce the burden of information collection, especially for small businesses with fewer than 25 employees. Comments are open until August 17, 2026, so don’t miss your chance to help shape simpler rules!
Analyzed Economic Effects
6 provisions identified: 2 benefits, 2 costs, 2 mixed.
Large network collection: 4,452 respondents, 452,623 hours
OMB Control Number 3060-0741 implements revised collections with 4,452 respondents and 450,838 responses, estimated at 0.5–4.5 hours per response for a total annual burden of 452,623 hours. The collection supports rules under 47 U.S.C. 222 and 251 and is subject to PRA review.
Faster discontinuances and blanket grandfathering
The FCC revised Part 63 to allow streamlined processing for technology-transition discontinuances if an applicant certifies one or more of five categories of replacement service is available throughout the affected area. The Commission granted blanket Section 214(a) authority for carriers to grandfather legacy voice services, data services below 25 Mbps download/3 Mbps upload, and interconnected VoIP provisioned over copper, eliminating the need to file a Section 214(a) application when grandfathering these services.
911 coordination requirement for discontinuances
Carriers seeking authority to discontinue services that support interconnection trunks or exchange of traffic must identify the specific service and include a statement that at least 90 days prior to filing they provided a designated point of contact to 911 authorities and other listed providers to coordinate the transition and ensure continued 911 connectivity.
FCC asks small businesses to suggest paperwork cuts
The FCC is asking the public and small businesses to comment on ways to reduce paperwork burden under the Paperwork Reduction Act. The agency specifically requests ideas to further reduce information-collection burden for small businesses with fewer than 25 employees; comments are due by August 17, 2026.
Part 63 collection: 78 respondents, 648 burden hours
OMB Control Number 3060-0149 (Part 63) covers a collection with 78 respondents and 90 responses, each response estimated at 6–10 hours, for a total annual burden of 648 hours. The collection is a revision of a currently approved collection and is subject to the PRA review and comment process.
Reseller forbearance with customer-notice condition
The Commission granted conditional forbearance relief allowing resellers to discontinue resold services when their wholesale provider is discontinuing, on the condition that discontinuing resellers provide reasonable notice to their customers.
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Key Dates
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