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Form 499-A – Telecommunications Reporting Worksheet Due April 3!

It’s that time of year again when most intrastate, interstate and international providers of telecommunications, in addition to certain other entities that provide interstate telecommunications for a fee, must file their annual FCC Form 499-A Telecommunications Reporting Worksheet and make any necessary contributions.  This filing is due on April 3.  All filers must report revenues for and contribute to one or more of the following:

• • the Universal Service Fund (USF) support mechanisms,

  • the Telecommunications Relay Service Fund (TRS),

  • the North American Numbering Plan Administration (NANPA) cost recovery mechanism,

  • the shared costs of local number portability and

  • Interstate Telecommunications Service Provider (ITSP) regulatory fees.

Entities that qualify for the de minimis exemption (entities whose universal service support mechanisms contributions will be less than $10,000) and are exempted from filing the FCC Form 499-Q quarterly reports MUST still file Form 499-A.  Additionally, providers that offer telecommunications for a fee exclusively on a non-common carrier basis do NOT need to file Form 499-A if their contribution to the universal service support mechanisms would be de minimis.

The Form itself contains revenue information from the prior quarter plus projections for the next quarter.  Such revenues consist of 2016 gross billed telecom revenues and uncollectible revenue/bad debt associated with gross billed telecom revenues (if any), as well as 2016 gross billed revenues for all other services and uncollectible revenue/bad debts associated with gross billed revenue for all other services (if any).  Please note that Block 2-B of Form 499-A requires each carrier to designate an agent in the District of Columbia upon whom all notices, process, orders and decisions by the FCC may be served on behalf of that carrier in proceedings before the FCC.

The telecommunications specialists at Shulman Rogers are ready to help.  Please let us know if you need our assistance to make this filing.

Contact

Georgina L.O. Feigen
301-945-9292

Alan S. Tilles
301-231-0930