Justification for non-substantive change request

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 modify (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 July 1, 2021, the Commission issued a Public Notice seeking comment on the proposed updates (DA 21-785). In response to the Public Notice, three stakeholders suggested modifications to the Commission’s proposed changes,¹ which Commission staff propose to implement.

Summary of Proposed Changes to the 2022 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 “2021” were changed to “2022” and references to “2020” were changed to “2021.”

• Clarifications and Stylistic Changes: In a number of instances, additional non-substantive clarifications and minor stylistic changes, such as typos and spacing, are also made.

Summary of Proposed Updates to the 2022 FCC Form 499-A Instructions:

• Page 7 is updated to clarify that a de minimis provider may still have an indirect contribution obligation through USF pass-through fees assessed by an underlying wholesale provider.

• Page 9 is updated to clarify that systems integrators may have an obligation to file the Form 499-A even if they do not have a USF contribution obligation if they have an obligation to contribute to other support mechanisms (TRS, NANPA, or LNPA).

• Page 14 is updated to clarify that traffic studies also include international revenues.

• Pages 24 and 29 are updated to clarify that non-USF revenues received as support from the federal or state governments may be reported on Line 308, including from programs such as the Emergency Connectivity Fund, Emergency Broadband Benefit Program, and the COVID-19 Telehealth Program.

• Page 34 is updated to clarify that any charge identified on a bill as recovering contributions to state universal service support mechanisms must be shown on Line 403 and included in column (a) in the total.

• Page 34 is updated to clarify that Line 418 includes revenue from the provision of broadband transmission service offered on a common-carrier basis by rate-of-return carriers that are exempt from contribution obligations on those services pursuant to Commission order.

• Page 39 is updated to clarify that reseller certifications must be signed by an employee of the customer rather than a third-party representative or consultant.

• Page 41 is updated to clarify how filers should report good-faith estimates of interstate and international revenues, consistent with USAC’s E-file system configuration requirements, which does not support figures reported in percentages.

• Page 42 is updated to clarify that a safe harbor can be applied to revenues reported on Line 311.

• Page 51 is updated to provide an active link for other common filing requirements for telecommunications carriers and other providers of interstate telecommunications.

Summary of Proposed Modifications to the 2022 FCC Form 499-Q Instructions:

• Circularity Factor Update: The circularity factor will be adjusted and updated in the Form 499-Q instructions based upon the quarterly contribution factors subsequent to the Fourth Quarter 2021 contribution factor announcement.

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

1 INCOMPAS Comments, WC Docket No. 06-122, (rec. Aug. 2, 2021); The Information Technology Industry Council Comments, WC Docket. 06-122 (rec. Aug. 2, 2021); The Voice on the Net Coalition Comments, WC Docket No. 06-122, (rec. Aug. 2, 2021).

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