FCC Invites Feedback on Slimming Down Its Paperwork Burden
Published Date: 11/17/2025
Notice
Summary
The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) is asking the public and other agencies to comment on their plan to collect information, aiming to cut down paperwork, especially for small businesses with fewer than 25 employees. They want to make sure the process is easy and fair, and no one faces penalties without a valid approval number. Comments are due by December 17, 2025, so now’s the time to speak up!
Analyzed Economic Effects
4 provisions identified: 3 benefits, 1 costs, 0 mixed.
Large Annual Paperwork Burden for IPCS Providers
If you are an incarcerated people's communications services (IPCS) provider, the FCC says 35 businesses will file 43 responses and the paperwork will take between 5 and 240 hours per response, totaling 10,565 hours of burden per year. Responding is mandatory and the OMB control number for this collection is 3060-1222.
Lower IPCS Rates for Incarcerated People
The FCC says its 2024 IPCS Order reforms IPCS regulation and "significantly lowers the IPCS rates that incarcerated people and their loved ones will pay." Those reforms implement the Martha Wright-Reed Just and Reasonable Communications Act of 2022 and cover services regardless of technology used.
FCC Seeks Small Business Paperwork Relief Ideas
The FCC specifically asks for comments on how to reduce information collection burdens for small businesses with fewer than 25 employees, per the Small Business Paperwork Relief Act. You can submit comments on these ideas by December 17, 2025 at www.reginfo.gov and to FCC contacts listed in the notice.
Alternate Pricing Plans Allowed with Consumer Safeguards
The FCC adopted new rules allowing IPCS providers to offer optional alternate pricing plans subject to specific consumer protection and disclosure requirements codified at 47 CFR 64.6140(c)-(f). The rules require the alternate plans to comply with general IPCS rules and include safeguards so providers cannot use plans to evade IPCS rules.
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Key Dates
Department and Agencies
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