Upcoming FCC Broadcast and Telecom Deadlines for January – March
Broadcast Deadlines:
January 30, 2021
Children's Television Programming Reports - Each commercial TV and Class A television station must electronically file its annual Children's Television Programming Report, on FCC Form 2100 Schedule H, to report on programming aired by the station and other efforts in 2020 that were specifically designed to serve the educational and informational needs of children.
Commercial Compliance Certifications - Each commercial TV and Class A television station must post to its Online Public Inspection File (OPIF) a certification (or certifications) of compliance during 2020 with the statutory limits on commercial time during children's programming. The certification(s) should cover both the primary programming stream and all subchannels aired by the station.
February 1, 2021
Radio License Renewal Applications Due - Applications for renewal of license for radio stations located in Kansas, Nebraska, and Oklahoma must be filed in the Licensing and Management System (LMS). These applications must be accompanied by Schedule 396, the Broadcast Equal Employment Opportunity (EEO") Program Report, also filed in LMS, regardless of the number of full-time employees. Under the new public notice rules, radio stations filing renewal applications must begin broadcasts of their post-filing announcements concerning their license renewal applications between the date the application is accepted for filing and five business days thereafter and must continue for a period of four weeks. Once complete, a certification of broadcast, with a copy of the announcement's text, must be posted to the OPIF.
Television License Renewal Applications Due - Applications for renewal of license for television stations located in Arkansas, Louisiana, and Mississippi must be filed in LMS. These applications must be accompanied by Schedule 396, the Broadcast EEO Program Report, also filed in LMS, regardless of the number of full-time employees. Under the new public notice rules, radio stations filing renewal applications must begin broadcasts of their post-filing announcements concerning their license renewal applications between the date the application is accepted for filing and five business days thereafter and must continue for a period of four weeks. Once complete, a certification of broadcast, with a copy of the announcement's text, must be posted to the OPIF within seven days.
EEO Public File Reports - All radio and television station employment units with five or more full-time employees and located in Arkansas, Kansas, Louisiana, Mississippi, Nebraska, New Jersey, New York, and Oklahoma must place EEO Public File Reports in their OPIFs. For all stations with websites, the report must be posted there as well. Per announced FCC policy, the reporting period may end ten days before the report is due, and the reporting period for the next year will begin on the following day.
Telecom Deadlines:
January 15, 2021
Hearing Aid Compatibility Certification (FCC Form 855) - Digital mobile service providers (primarily cell phone providers, including MVNOs and resellers, and certain mobile interconnected and non-interconnected Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) services) must certify annually whether they comply with the Commission's wireless hearing aid compatibility requirements. The FCC streamlined the filing requirement for digital mobile service providers in 2019. However, digital mobile service providers still use the same electronic filing portal that device manufacturers use to file their annual Form 655 relating to hearing aid compatibility. Device manufacturers are still required to file Form 655.
January 31, 2021 (Due February 1, 2021 because January 31 falls on a Sunday)
Lifeline Recertification (FCC Form 555) - All eligible telecommunications carriers must re-certify all subscribers every 12 months, except for subscribers in states where the National Verifier, state Lifeline administrator, or other state agency is responsible for annual re-certification of subscribers' Lifeline eligibility. In 2018, the FCC changed Form 555 to make the filing due for all carriers on January 31 each year, rather than on a rolling 12-month basis for each carrier. Carriers should file the form using Universal Service Administration Company's (USAC) E-file system.
February 1, 2021
Numbering Resource Utilization Forecast (NRUF) (FCC Form 502) - Twice a year, service providers with numbers from the North American Numbering Plan Administrator (NANPA), a Pooling Administrator, or another telecommunications carrier must file a numbering resource utilization forecast. Subscriber toll-free numbers are not included in the report. Interconnected VoIP providers are subject to the reporting requirement along with other service providers who receive NANPA numbers, such as wireless carriers, paging companies, incumbent local exchange carriers (ILECs), and competitive local exchange carriers (CLECs). The next biennial reporting deadline is February 1, 2021.
Quarterly Telecommunications Reporting Worksheet (FCC Form 499-Q) - FCC rules require telecommunications carriers and interconnected VoIP providers to file quarterly revenue statements reporting historical revenue for the prior quarter and projecting revenue for the next quarter. The projected revenue is used to calculate contributions to the Universal Service Fund (USF) for high cost, rural, insular and tribal areas as well as to support telecommunications services for schools, libraries, and rural health care providers. USF assessments are billed monthly.
February 14, 2021 (Due Feb. 16, 2021 due to President's Day Holiday)
Quarterly Percentage of Interstate Usage (PIU) Reporting and Certification - Prepaid calling card providers (PCCPs) must report the percentage of interstate use factors and associated call volumes to carriers that provide them with transport services. Additionally, PCCPs must file traffic information and a certification signed by a company officer stating that the provider is in compliance with the FCC's PIU and USF reporting requirements.
March 1, 2021
FCC Form 477 - This form is filed online biannually on March 1 and September 1. The Commission collects a variety of information about broadband deployment and wireless and wired telephone service on Form 477. Broadly speaking, the following providers must fill Form 477: 1) facilities-based providers of broadband connections to end users, 2) providers of wired or fixed wireless local exchange telephone service, 3) providers of interconnected Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) service; and 4) facilities-based providers of mobile telephony (mobile voice) services. If you have any questions about whether your company must file Form 477 or what information your company is required to submit in the filing, you should contact your telecommunications counsel.