Thanks to Jim Baller for allowing me to share his Federal Communications Law Compliance for 2014 document. It is so valuable – and I think it’s so generous for him to share.

He has gone through everything from key principles of the Federal Universal Service program to Digital Media Copyright Act. I’ll include the table of contents below

TABLE OF CONTENTS

I. CABLE SERVICE …………………………………………………………………………………………….4

A. Reporting, Filing, and Other Requirements…………………………………………………….4

1. Form 325: Annual Cable Operator Report…………………………………………..4

2. Form 396-C: Annual Employment Report ………………………………………….5

3. Performance Testing…………………………………………………………………………5

4. Signal Leakage and Aeronautical Frequency Monitoring………………………6

5. Annual FCC Regulatory User Fees……………………………………………………..6

6. Copyright Statutory Royalty Fee………………………………………………………..7

7. Review and Update Public File…………………………………………………………..8

8. Commercial Leased Access……………………………………………………………….9

9. Closed Captioning…………………………………………………………………………..10

10. Special Requirements for New Operators…………………………………………..13

B. CALM Act …………………………………………………………………………………………..13

II. “TELECOMMUNICATIONS” and “TELECOMMUNICATIONS SERVICE”………….14

A. Private Carriage vs. Common Carriage………………………………………………………..15

B. Federal Registration Requirement……………………………………………………………….16

C. Federal Universal Service Program……………………………………………………………..16

1. Key Principles………………………………………………………………………………..16

2. USP Compliance: Forms 499-A and 499-Q……………………………………….18

D. Section 214 Certification……………………………………………………………………………20

1. Construction, Acquisition and Extensions of Lines……………………………..20

2. Prior Authorization of Transfer of Line Subject to 214

3. Discontinuance of Service……………………………………………………………….20

E. Other Requirements…………………………………………………………………………………..21

1. Form 477: Local Telephone Competition and Broadband Reporting………………………………………………………………………22

2. Annual FCC Regulatory Fees…………………………………………………………..22

3. Customer Proprietary Network Information Compliance Certification…………………………………………………………………………………..23

4. Form 395: Common Carrier Annual Employment Report…………………..24

5. Communications Assistance for Law Enforcement Act……………………….24

6. Disability Access ……………………………………………………………………………24

7. Special Access ……………………………………………………………………………….25

8. Other Requirements………………………………………………………………………..26

III. INTERCONNECTED VOIP…………………………………………………………………………………27

A. Definition and Regulatory Status…………………………………………………………………27

B. Requirements …………………………………………………………………………………………..27

1. Forms 499-A and 499-Q: Federal Universal Service Program……………..27

2. Form 477: Local Telephone Competition and Broadband Reporting………………………………………………………………………28

3. Consumer Proprietary Network Information Compliance Certification…………………………………………………………………………………..29

4. E911 Service………………………………………………………………………………….29

5. Disability Access ……………………………………………………………………………29

6. Local Number Portability………………………………………………………………..29

7. Communications Assistance for Law Enforcement Act……………………….30

8. Form 395: Common Carrier Annual Employment Report……………………30

9. Annual FCC Regulatory Fees…………………………………………………………..30

IV. BROADBAND INTERNET ACCESS SERVICE……………………………………………………31

A. Generally …………………………………………………………………………………………..31

B. Filing and Reporting Requirements…………………………………………………..32

1. Form 477: Local Telephone Competition and Broadband Reporting………………………………………………………………………32

2. Communications Assistance for Law Enforcement Act……………………….33

3. Digital Millennium Copyright Act…………………………………………………….33

V. OTHER OBLIGATIONS……………………………………………………………………………………..34

A. Antenna Structure Registration……………………………………………………………………34

B. Network Neutrality: Open Internet Transparency Statement………………………….34

COMPLIANCE TIMETABLE…………………………………………………………………………………………36