The new Form 477 filing interface goes live on July 31.
Last year we reported on the Commission’s expansion of the Form 477 Data Program, which collects information from broadband and voice service providers. Because of the new “information collection” components, the expansion could not fully take effect until approval by the Office of Management and Budget. The FCC has now published notice in the Federal Register announcing OMB’s final approval of the new Form 477 protocols. As a result, all the rules comprising the Form 477 Data Program are now in effect and the FCC is ready to collect its data through a new filing interface.
And about that new interface. According to a recent Public Notice, the newly developed Form 477 filing interface – originally set to go live on July 31 – must be capable of collecting and processing data “securely and efficiently”. Of course, being a new system (and developed by the government), one would anticipate a few technical difficulties at the outset. To account for potential issues, the FCC has shifted the Form 477 filing window by 30 days – where it would typically run from July 1 to September 1, this year it will run from July 31 to October 1, 2014.
To assist filers with the new system, the Commission also plans to march out a number of resources – updated web pages, instructions, systems guide, and frequently asked questions – before July 31. It’s also planning to present an “instructional webinar”, but don’t look for that until sometime after the filing window opens. Unfortunately, there’s no mention of an Android or iPhone app.
More information on the revised Form 477 data collection can be found on the FCC’s website.
