FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE NEWS MEDIA CONTACT: July 14, 1999 Emily Hoffnar 202/418-0253 Commission Acts to Streamline Telecommunications Companies' Reporting Requirements By a Report and Order adopted today, the Commission has reduced regulatory burdens on all telecommunications carriers by consolidating and streamlining four separate carrier reports into one. Today's action is part of the Commission's 1998 biennial review, which aims to repeal or modify FCC requirements that no longer serve the public interest. The actions taken in this proceeding advance the goals of the biennial review by eliminating duplicative burdens on carriers and by promoting efficient administration of cost recovery and support mechanisms. This action directs carriers to file only one form to satisfy the contributor reporting requirements associated with four Congressionally-mandated programs: 1) universal service support; 2) telecommunications relay services (TRS) support; 3) cost recovery for numbering administration; and 4) the cost recovery for the shared costs of long-term, local number portability. The Commission will release the new consolidated form -- or Telecommunications Reporting Worksheet -- with the Order. In developing the streamlined filing, the Commission worked closely with the telecommunications industry and the administrators of the support and cost recovery mechanisms to develop the simplest, most user-friendly form possible. The new form does not alter the substance of what carriers report, but will reduce duplicative reporting requirements that were developed to implement the Telecommunications Act of 1996. Commission staff predict that the new form will save companies more than 40 percent of the time that they currently spend completing the existing requirements. The Commission also sought to improve coordination and efficiency among the four administrators. For example, the Order will enable administrators to share contributor data, subject to confidentiality rules, as a means of reducing administrative costs and increasing accuracy of contributions. This Order also harmonizes the revenue basis of the four programs using the consolidated form. End-user telecommunications revenues will be the basis for contributions to all four programs. This harmonization will reduce carrier confusion and increase compliance with the reporting requirements. In this Order, the Commission took no other action to change the underlying universal service, TRS, numbering administration, and local number portability mechanisms nor the way in which they are implemented. The attached table shows the carrier reporting forms that will be replaced by the new Telecommunications Reporting Worksheet. Action by the Commission, July 14, 1999, by Report and Order (FCC 99-175). Chairman Kennard, and Commissioners Ness, Furchtgott-Roth, Powell, and Tristani, with Commissioner Furchtgott-Roth issuing a statement. Common Carrier Bureau contacts: Scott Bergmann 202/418-7102 Jim Lande 202/418-0948 Report No: CC 99-29 CC Docket No.: 98-171 Attachment Carrier reporting forms that will be replaced by the new Telecommunications Reporting Worksheet. Mechanism Previous New Universal Service - Form 457 - Filed March 31 and Sept. 1 - Filed with Universal Service administrator - Reports end-user revenue & revenue from other contributors - Form 499 - Filed April 1* - Filed in one location - Reports end-user revenue & revenue from other contributors TRS - Form 431 - Filed April 26 - Filed with TRS administrator - Reports gross telecommunications revenues NANPA - Form 496 - Filed March 12 - Filed with NANP B&C Agent - Reports gross telecommunications revenues & selected expense data Local Number Portability - Form 487 - Filed April 16 - Filed with LNP administrator - Reports end-user telecommunications revenue and revenue from other contributors * Contributors to universal service support mechanisms also file on September 1.