FCC Sets Deadlines and Procedures for Filing Annual Access Tariffs by Incumbent Carriers

On March 25, 2014, the Pricing Policy Division of the Federal Communications Commission’s (FCC) Wireline Competition Bureau issued an Order that outlines the deadlines and procedures for price-cap and rate-of-return incumbent carriers (ILECs) subject to §§61.382 and 61.393 of the FCC’s Rules for filing their 2014 annual access charge tariffs and Tariff Review Plans (TRPs). Tariffs will go into effect July 1, 2014.

“Price-cap ILECs must file their short form TRPs by May 19, 2014, with comments due May 29, 2014…”

As part of this Order, the Division granted a sua sponte waiver of the requirements under §61.49(k), which mandates that short form TRPs be filed 90 days prior to the annual access tariff effective date. Rather, the Division stated that, going forward until such time as the Commission determines otherwise, the Division will require that short form TRPs be filed approximately 45 days prior to the annual switched access charge effective date, but the exact date will be determined annually, and released in the Order that establishes the filing dates for that year’s annual access tariff filings. Price-cap ILECs must file their short form TRPs by May 19, 2014, with comments due May 29, 2014, and reply comments due June 5, 2014.

Tariffs filed on 15 days’ notice must be filed June 16, 2014. Petitions to suspend or reject these tariffs are due by June 23, 2014, with replies due by 12:00pm EDT on June 26, 2014. Tariffs that are filed on seven days’ notice are due June 24, 2014, with petitions to suspend or reject due by 12:00pm EDT on June 26, 2014, with replies due by 12:00pm EDT on June 27, 2014. A copy of the Order can be found here. (DA-14-404)

If you are interested in learning more about the annual access tariff filing process and potential impacts on your business, please contact Ross A. Buntrock, Jonathan E. Canis, Michael B. Hazzard, or Katherine Barker Marshall.