Justification for non-substantive change request_2.4.2020

Federal Communications Commission

Explanation of Non-Substantive Changes to OMB Control Number: 3060-0855:

• FCC Form 499-A

• FCC Form 499-Q

• Instructions to FCC Form 499-A

• Instructions to FCC Form 499-Q

Purpose of this Submission: This submission is being made for proposed non-substantive changes to an existing information collection pursuant to 44 U.S.C. § 3507. This submission seeks to update (i) FCC Form 499-A; (ii) the accompanying instructions to FCC Form 499-A; (iii) FCC Form 499-Q; and (iv) the accompanying instructions to FCC Form 499-Q. On December 26, 2019, the Commission issued a Public Notice seeking comment on the proposed modifications (DA 19-1330). In response to the Public Notice, two stakeholders filed comments in support of the Commission’s proposed changes. An additional stakeholder suggested a modification to the Commission’s proposed change for the reporting of universal service support revenues. We agree that the stakeholder’s proposed modification will minimize any potential burden for filers complying with revenue reporting processes and have implemented the suggested change in the 499-A Instructions.

Summary of Proposed Changes to the 2020 FCC Form 499-A and FCC Form 499-Q, where applicable, and instructions:

• Date Changes: Dates were updated throughout the FCC Forms and instructions. References to “2019” were changed to “2020” and references to “2018” were changed to “2019.”

• Circularity Factor Update: The circularity factor was adjusted and updated in the FCC Form 499-A and the FCC Form 499-Q instructions based upon the quarterly contribution factors.

• Traffic Study Submission: Instructions were updated to reflect that providers are no longer required to file quarterly the traffic studies relied on to report interstate revenues on the FCC Form 499-Q.

• Deletion of References to SMS and MMS Messaging Services: References to text messaging were deleted to conform to a recent Commission decision classifying text messaging as an information service.
  
  

• Clarifications and Stylistic Changes: In a number of instances, additional clarifications were made, and minor stylistic changes, such as typos and spacing, were corrected in the FCC Forms 499-A and 499-Q instructions, without changing the substance.

Summary of Proposed Updates to the 2020 FCC Form 499-A Instructions:

• Page 15 was updated to clarify that filers who fail to submit, upon request, documentation supporting their Forms 499 are subject to enforcement provisions of the Act and other applicable law, as well as administrative penalties.

• Page 28 was updated to clarify that all amounts that filers receive as universal service support may be reported on line 308.

• There are no changes in the burden and no costs are associated with this information collection.

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