Form Over Function: Navigating the FCC Form 499 Filing Rules

For telecommunications carriers, the FCC From 499-A is the equivalent of the IRS Form 1040.  All telecommunications providers, with limited exceptions, are required to report their revenues on FCC Form 499-A annually, and on Form 499-Q on a quarterly basis. The Forms are used to determine a company’s required contribution to the USF as well as to the Local Number Portability Administration (LNPA), North American Numbering Plan Administration (NANPA) and TRS funds, and is the basis for a carrier’s annual FCC regulatory fee.  For new providers, the Form 499-A also serves as a carrier’s FCC registration. The FCC actively enforces filing deadlines and accompanying USF contribution requirement, and may impose monetary penalties for failure to file or make timely USF contributions. This ​“how-to” session will help providers avoid enforcement and provide updates on annual changes to the forms and deadlines.