History of Changes to ARMIS Reporting Requirements 2000-2014

Reporting Year 2014

The USTelecom Forbearance Long Order (released May 17, 2013) granted conditional forbearance from the ARMIS Report 43-01 filing requirement to all eligible price cap carriers. This forbearance is conditioned on a carrier receiving Commission approval of a compliance plan as outlined in the AT&T Cost Assignment Forbearance Order and on continued annual public filing of pole attachment data, without assertions of confidentiality, which the carrier had previously been reporting in ARMIS Report 43-01, Table III.  A carrier subject to the ARMIS Report 43-01 filing requirement that has not met the conditions for forbearance is expected to file the full ARMIS Report 43-01, Tables I, II, and III.

The ARMIS Procedures Order (released September 24, 2014) and ARMIS Transition Date Public Notice (released December 17, 2014) resulted in the following revisions to ARMIS data filed for reporting year 2014 and subsequent years:

  • Effective January 1, 2015, the Electronic ARMIS Filing System (EAFS) will no longer be available for electronic submissions to the Commission.  All ARMIS filings, including resubmissions, must be filed using the Commission’s Electronic Comment Filing System (ECFS) in CC Docket No. 86-182.  Data filed after January 1, 2015 will only be available for viewing or downloading via ECFS.
  • Effective January 1, 2015, carriers that are required to file pole attachment data, including those that had previously been filing this data in ECFS in WC Docket No. 07-204, must, going forward, file their pole attachment data in ECFS in CC Docket No. 86-182.
  • Effective January 1, 2015, carriers must submit all ARMIS reports and pole attachment data in a machine-searchable, reader-friendly file format and include, in a single ECFS filing, all reports that are required for the carrier’s annual filing.
  • A transmittal letter and a certification statement signed by a corporate officer must still accompany each report, including filings of pole attachment data. The transmittal letter must reference CC Docket No. 86-182.
  • Mid-size carriers, as defined in section 32.9000, must continue to submit the certification required by section 64.905 of the Commission’s rules. This certification must be submitted as part of the carrier’s annual ARMIS filing in ECFS.

Reporting Year 2010

The ARMIS Forbearance Order granted conditional forbearance from carrier obligations to file ARMIS Reports 43-05 and 43-06, provided that the carrier committed to file the data voluntarily for 24 months after September 6, 2008.  The 24 months ended on September 6, 2010, and carriers were no longer required to file Reports 43-05 and 43-06 for reporting year 2010 and subsequent years.

Reporting Year 2008

The AT&T Cost Assignment Forbearance Order (released April 24, 2008), the ARMIS Forbearance Order (released September 6, 2008), and the ARMIS Financial Reporting Forbearance Order (released December 12, 2008) resulted in the following changes to ARMIS data filed for reporting year 2008:

  • Reports 43-04, 495A, 495B: In the AT&T Cost Assignment Forbearance Order, the Commission relieved AT&T from filing ARMIS Reports 43-04, 495A, and 495B, subject to Wireline Competition Bureau approval of a compliance plan submitted by AT&T.  In the ARMIS Forbearance Order, the Commission extended the same relief to Verizon and Qwest, subject to Bureau approval of compliance plans submitted by these companies. Subsequently, on December 31, 2008, the Bureau approved compliance plans submitted by AT&T, Verizon, and Qwest.
  • Reports 43-05, 43-06: In the ARMIS Forbearance Order, the Commission decided to forbear from the rules requiring that carriers file ARMIS Reports 43-05 and 43-06, provided that the carriers committed to file the data voluntarily for 24 months after September 6, 2008.
  • Reports 43-07, 43-08: In the ARMIS Forbearance Order, the Commission granted conditional forbearance from filing ARMIS Report 43-07 in its entirety, and from filing certain parts of ARMIS Report 43-08 for those carriers that committed to collecting and retaining those data for 24 months after September 6, 2008.  Filers were still required to file ARMIS Report 43-08 Table III, columns (fc), (fd), (fe), and (fi).
  • Reports 43-01, 43-02, 43-03: In the ARMIS Financial Reporting Forbearance Order, the Commission granted conditional forbearance from the ARMIS financial reporting requirements, to AT&T, Qwest, and Verizon.  The Commission conditioned forebearance on these carrers obtaining Commission approval of compliance plans, as outlined by the AT&T Cost Assignment Forbearance Order and the ARMIS Forbearance Order, and on their continued annual public filing of pole attachment data, without assertions of confidentiality, which these carriers had been reporting in ARMIS Report 43-01, Table III, annually in WC Docket No. 07-204.  The Commission ruled further that these companies are not required to file pole attachment data for study areas in those states that certify to the Commission that they regulate pole attachments.  Forbearance from ARMIS Report 43-01 requirements was not extended to any other ILEC.

Reporting Year 2007

The Section 272 Sunset Order (released August 31, 2007) required AT&T, Qwest, and Verizon to include the imputation charges they debit to account 32.5280 in their ARMIS filings, accompanied by an explanatory footnote for each line item identifying the amount imputed. These data values with explanatory footnotes were provided in Report 43-01, Table 1, row 1045, columns (b) and (c); FCC Report 43-02, Table I-1, row 5280, column (b); and FCC Report 43-03, Table I, row 5280, columns (b), (d), and (j).


Reporting Year 2005

The Annual ARMIS Order (released December 8, 2005) resulted in the following changes:

  • Report 43-01: Removed, in Table I (Cost and Revenue), Row 1970, Common Line Support - Long Term.  In Table II (Demand Analysis), instructions for Row 2090 are clarified, by removing the reference to mobile telephone/pagers.
  • Report 43-03: Added two new rows and associated instructions in order to add wholesale and retail percentages for account 6623.
  • Report 43-05: Made several minor clarifying changes within the forms and instructions for this report to update the forms for Table III (Common Trunk Blockage) and Table V (Service Quality Complaints), and added clarifying language to the instructions for Table IV (Total Switch Downtime), Column (an) - Total Number of Switches.
  • Report 43-07: Made several minor clarifying changes within the forms and instructions for this report: within Table I (Switching Equipment), minor changes to row titles for Rows 0113, and 0114.  Clarified General Instructions for this table, and modified the instructions for Rows 0110, 0111, 0113, and 0114 in order to clarify switching equipment nomenclature.
  • Report 43-08: Made several minor clarifying changes within the forms and instructions for this report: within Table II (Switched Access Lines in Service), minor change to the column title for Column (ck).  Modified the instructions for Central Office Switches and for Columns (ck) and (cl), in order to clarify the types of central office and remote switches that are to be reported.  In Table III (Access Lines in Service by Customer), the table’s format is modified, the column titles of Columns (fd) and (fe) are changed, and the instructions for these columns and for Column (fc) are modified.  This was done to clarify that Payphone Lines are a subset of Multiline Business Switched Access Lines; corrected formulas in Columns (fc) and (fd).

Reporting Year 2004

The 2004 ARMIS Annual ARMIS Order (released December 8, 2004) resulted in the following changes in order to comply with requirements set forth in the notice Office of Management and Budget - Standards for Defining Metropolitan and Micropolitan Statistical Areas, 65 Fed. Reg. 82228 (2000) and in Report and Order in CC Docket No. 98-117, Fifth Memorandum Opinion and Order in AAD File No. 98-43, 14 FCC Rcd 11443 (1999):

  • Report 43-01: modified the instructions for Row 1970, in Table I, Cost and Revenue, to reflect time periods and multiplicative factors to be applied to 2004 data.
  • Report 43-02: modified the General Instructions for Table C-5, Important Changes During the Year, to require that carriers file Annual SEC 10K Reports with the Commission electronically, rather than by paper copy.
  • Report 43-04: clarified instructions for Rows 1216 and 3090.
  • Report 43-05: made several minor clarifying changes to this report, in Table II, Installation and Repair Intervals (Local Service), Row 0140, and Table III, Common Trunk Blockage, Row 0180. Also modified the instructions for Table II, Column (ad) and Table IV, Total Switch Downtime, Row 0200, to incorporate the new definitions for Metropolitan Statistical Areas.
  • Report 43-07: made several minor clarifying changes to this report, and modify the instructions for Table I, Switching Equipment, Column (b), to incorporate the new definitions for Metropolitan Statistical Areas.  Also, to insure consistency in calculations between this report and FCC Report 43-08, the Operating Data Report, directed filers to report the quantities of facilities in Table II, Rows 0320, 0321, 0322, and 0323 in whole numbers.

Reporting Year 2003

The 2003 ARMIS Annual ARMIS Order (released December 17, 2003) resulted in the following changes to reflect requirements set forth in the Phase 2 Report and Order (released November 5, 2001) and its Errata (released January 18, 2002); the Phase 2 Reconsideration Order (released March 8, 2002); the Accounting Suspension Order (released November 12, 2002); and the Accounting Suspension Order Extension (released June 24, 2003):

  • Report 43-01, Table I - Cost and Revenue: added and eliminated rows associated with certain Class A Account Level Reporting. Removed Rows 1050, 1340, 1350, 1360, 1870, and 1881, and added Row 1365, Nonoperating Income and Expenses, and Row 1865, Other Long-term Liabilities and Deferred Credits.  Modified Class B Account Level Reporting by removing Rows 1870 and 1871, and by adding Row 1365, Non-operating Income and Expenses, and Row 1865, Other Long-term Liabilities and Deferred Credits.
  • Report 43-01, Table III, Pole and Conduit Rental Calculation Information: the instructions for Row 503, General & Administrative Expense were revised.
  • Report 43-02, Table B-1:
    • Eliminated the following rows associated with certain Class A Accounts: Rows 1130 - 1160, 1180 - 1210, 1290 - 1330, 1401, 1402, 1407, 1408, 1437, 1439, 2215, 2215.1, 2215.2, 2215.3, 2231.1, 2231.2, 2425, 3400, 3420, 3500, 3600, 4010, 4020, 4030, 4050, 4060, 4120, 4210 - 4270, 4310, and 4360. 
    • Row titles for Rows 1438, 2211, 2341, 2424 were changed and the following new rows were added: Row 1170, Receivables, Row 1171, Allowance for doubtful accounts, Row 2212.1, Circuit switching, Row 2212.2, Packet switching, Row 2232.1, Electronic circuit, Row 2232.2, Optical circuit, Row 2690.1, Network software, Row 2690.2, General purpose computer software, Row 4000, Current accounts and notes payable, and Row 4300, Other long-term liabilities and deferred credits. 
    • Row 420 was changed to Row 4200, Long-term debt and funded debt.
  • Report 43-02, Table B-2, Statement of Cash Flows: instructions for Rows 0130, 0140, and 0150 were clarified.
  • Report 43-02, Table B-3, Investment in Affiliates and Other Companies:
    • Deleted Rows 0301 through 0330, 0401 through 0430, 0440, 0450, and 0460
    • Deleted Columns (aa) through (ao)
    • Modified the column section titles of existing Account 1401/1402, Account 1160, and Account 1180
    • Added a new Column (q), Total, as a clarification
    • Maked row and column instructions changes to reflect the table deletions and clarification.
  • Report 43-02, Table B-5, Analysis of Entries in Accumulated Depreciation:
    • Deleted Rows 0190, 0230, 0240, 0250, 0260, 0300, 0310 and 0440, by changing titles of Rows 0180, 0220, 0290, and 0430, and by adding Row 0235, Digital electronic switching - circuit, Row 0237, Digital electronic switching - packet, Row 0305, Circuit equipment - electronic, and Row 0307, Circuit equipment - optical.
    • Modified all instructions affected by the Class A Account changes.
    • Revised the instructions for Rows 0270 and 0320, and for Column (f).
  • Report 43-02, Table I-1, Income Statement Accounts:
    • Deleted Rows 5002 - 5004, 5050, 5069, 5084, 5100 - 5169, 5200, 5240 - 5270, 5301, 5302, 6215, 6425, 6612, 6710, 6711, 6712, 6721 - 6728, 7110 - 7160, 7310 - 7370, 7410 - 7450, 7510 - 7540, and 7610 - 7640, and by
    • Changed row titles for Rows 5060, 6110, 6120, 6210, 6211, 6212, 6220, 6230, 6310, 6341, 6410, 6424, 650, 6510, 6530, 6540, 690, 6610, 6611, 700, 6790, 7200, 790, 615, 625, 635, 6121 - 6124, 6211, 6212, 6231, 6232, 6311 - 6362, 6411 - 6441, 6511, 665, 6531 - 6533, 675, 685, 6561 - 6565, 6611, 6613, and 6621 - 6623. 
    • Added Row 6212.1, Circuit switching expense, Row 6212.2, Packet switching expense, Row 6232.1, Electronic circuit expense, and Row 6232.2, Optical circuit expense
    • Added Row 526, Miscellaneous revenue, and Row 527, Total Miscellaneous Revenues, and changes Row 510 to Row 5001, Basic area revenue, Row 525 to Row 5100, Long distance message revenue, and Row 5080 to Row 522, Network Access Services Revenues. For new Class A subaccounts that have been added to this table, instructions are added for Row 6212, Digital Electronic Switching, and Row 6232, Circuit Equipment. All instructions affected by Class A Account changes are modified accordingly. Order
    • Revised the instructions for Rows 520, 5080, 530, 6210, 710, and made clarifying changes to the instructions for Row 790.
  • Report 43-02, Table I-6, Special Charges: clarifed the title for Row 0270 and revises the instructions for Rows 0100, 0200, 0220, 0240, and 0250, and made changes to section definitions throughout the instructions.
  • Report 43-02, Table I-7, Donations or Payments for Services Rendered by Persons Other Than Employees: modified the section definition for Rows 1501 through 1598.
  • Report 43-03:
    • Modified Table I, Regulated/Nonregulated Data, by removing Rows 5002 - 5004, 5050, 5069, 5084, 5100 - 5169, 5200, 5240 - 5270, 5301, 5302, 6215, 6425, 6612, 6710, 6711, 6712, 6721 - 6728, 7110 - 7160, 7310 - 7370, 7510 - 7540, 7610 - 7640,1439, 2215, 2425, 3400, 3420, 3500, 3600, 4120, 4310, and 4360.
    • Added Row 4300, Other long-term liabilities and deferred credits, Row 526, Miscellaneous revenue, and Row 527, Total Miscellaneous Revenues
    • Changed titles of numerous rows in this table
    • Row replacements: Row 510 to Row 5001, Basic area revenue; Row 525 to Row 5100, Long distance message revenue, and Row 5080 to Row 522, Network access services revenues
    • Made additional changes of a clarifying nature to a number of section titles, and removes the “N/A” from Column (m), Subject to Separations, Row 3410. 
    • Revised the instructions for Rows 520, 530, 6210, 720, 2210, 370, and 495, clarified the instructions for Column (m), and changed the definitions of Columns (c), (d), (e), and (f).
  • Report 43-04:
    • Modified Table I, Separations and Access Data, by removing Rows 4013, 3220, 3230, 3240, 3250, 3260, and 3270
    • Updated the Allocation Reference Table and removed the “N/A” from the data fields for Column (c), State, Rows 4010, 4011, and 4012
    • Required that data fields for Row 7330, Corporate Operations Expense - EAS - Directly Assigned Exchange, Columns (i) through (o) be populated with “N/A.”
    • Modified the instructions for Rows 4010, 4011, 4012, 4014, and 3430, revised Item 3 in the report’s General Instructions, and clarified instructions for Row 6230.
  • Report 43-05: 
    • Table IV - Total Switch Downtime, changed column instructions for the definition of “Switch Downtime”
    • Table IV-A - Occurrences of Two Minutes or more Duration Downtime, General Instructions, changed the definition of switch downtime to require complete loss of all call processing capability
    • Table IV-A, Column (t), Cause, revised to clarify that the definition in item 01 includes hardware changes as well as software and firmware changes.
  • Report 43-07:
    • Modified Table I, Switching Equipment, by changing Rows 0150 and 0160 to reflect the renaming of “analog” switches and lines to “non-digital” switches and lines.
    • Made clarifying changes to Table II - Transmission Facilities, by modifying language in several of the row instructions. A number of changes are made to
    • Improved consistency in grammatical usage among the instructions and refined the terminology used in describing the data this table is designed to capture
    • Modified the section instructions entitled Loop Plant - Central Office Terminations and the instructions for Rows 0370 - 0470.
  • Unbundled Network Elements: Any row/column data entry which contained UNE data had to be accompanied by an explanatory footnote identifying the types of UNEs (e.g., “UNE-P”) included.

Reporting Year 2002

The 2002 Annual ARMIS Order (released December 19, 2002) resulted in the following changes to reflect requirements set forth in the ARMIS Review Order (released June 30, 1999), the Phase 2 Report and Order (released November 5, 2001) and its Erratum (released January 18, 2002), the Phase 2 Reconsideration Order (released March 8, 2002), and the Accounting Suspension Order (released November 12, 2002):

  • Beginning April 1, 2003, ARMIS data had to be filed electronically.
  • Report 43-01:
    • Table I: incorporated the requirement for mid-sized incumbent LECs to file annual Part 64 certification letters, signed under oath by an officer of the company; modify Table I - Cost and Revenue, by removing Column (e), All Other Adjustments; revised the title of Column (d) to Adjustments to include all adjustments
    • Table II, Demand Analysis: removed Common Line Minutes of Use collected in Rows 2010, 2020, 2030, and 2040, and revised the general instructions to reflect the removal of these rows
    • Added Table III, Pole and Conduit Rental Calculation Information
  • Report 43-02: report no longer required to be filed by mid-sized carriers. Thus, all references to Class B level reporting in the instructions and any related tables were removed
  • Report 43-03:
    • Report no longer required to be filed by mid-sized carriers. Thus, all references to Class B level reporting in the instructions and any related tables were removed
    • Modifed Table I - Regulated/Nonregulated Data, by removing Column (l), Other Adjustments
    • Revised the title of Column (k) to Adjustments and included all adjustments
  • Report 43-04: report no longer required to be filed by mid-sized carriers. Thus, all references to Class B level reporting in the instructions are removed.
  • Report 43-07:
    • Table I, Switching Equipment: removed Rows 0130, 0131, 0132, 0133, 0134, 0135, 0140, 0141, 0151, 0152, 0153, 0154, 0155, 0161, 0171, 0172, 0173, 0174, 0175, 0181, 0190, 0191, 0200, 0201, 0210, 0211, 0220, 0221, 0231, 0232, 0233, 0234, 0235, 0236, 0237, 0241, 0246, 0247, 0251, 0256, 0257, 0271, 0281, 0291, and 0301;
    • Table I: modified the instructions for the following: Row 0110, Total Switches; Row 0111, Local Switches; Row 0112, Tandems; Row 0120, Total Number Access Lines In Service; Row 0150, Total ASPC Switches; Row 0170, Total DSPC Switches; and the paragraph entitled “Type of Switch.”
    • Table I: renamed Rows 0230, 0240, and 0250, modified their instructions to remove distinctions between the reporting of switches with SS7-317 and SS7-394 capability, and made related revisions to the general instructions.
    • Table II: removed Rows 0331, 0332, 0333, 0350, 0351, 0352, 0360, 0361, 0362, and 0363; added four new rows to assess the penetration of fiber in the local loop and gauge the development of broadband infrastructure: Row 0485, Hybrid Fiber/Metallic Loop Interface Locations; Row 0486 Switched Access Lines Served from Interface Locations; Row 0487, Total xDSL Terminated at Customer Premises; and Row 0488, xDSL Terminated at Customer Premises via Hybrid Fiber/Metallic Interface Locations.
    • Removed Table III, ILEC Call Set-Up Time and Table IV, Additions and Book Costs.
  • Report 43-08:
    • Table I.A, Outside Plant Statistics - Cable and Wire Facilities, removed Columns (j), (k), (l), and (m), all associated with Submarine and Deep Sea Cable, and revised Columns (p) and (q) to reflect this action.
    • Table I.B, Outside Plant Statistics - Other, removed Column (be), Terrestrial Kilometers of One-Way Satellite Radio Channel, and Columns (bj) and (bm), which collect loop and interoffice video facilities data. Removed references to video circuits in the instructions entitled “Total Equipped Local Loop Circuit Kilometers,” and “Total Equipped Interoffice Circuit Kilometers (Cable and Microwave Systems).”  Removed the distinction between analog and digital lines by deleting Columns (cf), (cg), and (ch), which collected digital data, and revised the instructions for Columns (cc), (cd), and (ce) to reflect the deletion of the digital columns.
    • Table III, Access Lines in Service by Customer: removed Columns (de), (dg), (dh), and (di), and added Columns (ff), Residential Switched Access Lines / Lifeline, (fg), Residential Switched Access Lines / Non-Lifeline / Primary, (fh), Residential Switched Access Lines / Non-Lifeline / Non-Primary, and (fm), Local Private Lines; restructure Columns (da), (db), (dc), (dd), (df), (dj), (dk), (dl), and (dm), which were relocated, respectively, to Columns (fa), (fb), (fc), (fd), (fe), (fi), (fj), (fk), and (fl). Columns (fc) and (fd) were modified to remove references to analog technology.

Reporting Year 2001

On April 1, 2002, the following changes were made as a result of the 2001 ARMIS Order (released December 10, 2001) and the Phase 2 Order on Reconsideration (released March 8, 2002):

  • Mid-sized ILECs were not required to file ARMIS Reports 43-02, 43-03 and 43-04. Therefore, the COSAs were not available for selection, beginning with the 2001 data.
  • Report 43-01: Columns (i), (j), (k), (o), (q), and (t) were eliminated. The title of Column (m) was changed to “Common Line.”
  • Report 43-04: Data for 360 rows were eliminated beginning with the 2001 data.  Columns (e), (f), (g), (k), (m), and (p) were eliminated. The title of Column (i) was changed to “Common Line.”
  • Allocation factors were automatically displayed - on the output screen - when a specific cost, revenue or investment row was selected.

Reporting Year 2000

On April 2, 2001, the following changes were made to the system:

  • The COSA code display screens and the preset reports results reflected current company structures (e.g., mergers, acquisitions, etc.).
  • Many of the tables in the 43-02 report were eliminated (per the 2000 Annual ARMIS Order).  The tables remaining were C3, C5, B1, B2, B3, B4, B5, B6, B7, B10, I1, I2, I6, and I7.
  • Per the 2000 Annual ARMIS Order, a new table was created for Table I-1 of the 43-02, by eliminating the expense matrix and combining Column (ab) of I-1B with Column (b) of I-1A.  The new table had a single column, Column (b).
  • For rows that were discontinued, dates were added to indicate the years of availability (e.g., Report 43-01, Rows 1110, 1610, and 1880).
  • Rows for which no data had been available for several years were no longer available for selection.
Bureau/Office:
Economics and Analytics
Updated:
Monday, December 22, 2014