On December 9, 2022, the FCC released an Order announcing that it was sunsetting the collection of broadband deployment data through the FCC Form 477 system. As of publication of the Order in the Federal Register, Broadband service providers will no longer be required to submit broadband availability data via the Form 477. The Order concludes that collection of Broadband availability data via Form 477 is no longer necessary since the Broadband Data Collection (“BDC”) system is collecting more precise location-specific broadband deployment and availability data and utilizing more uniform standards.
However, providers must continue to submit the broadband voice and subscription data required under Form 477 – but now via the new BDC system.
Accordingly, as of December 31, 2022, providers are required to submit the following data using the BDC filing system:
- Fixed and mobile broadband voice Form 477 subscription data
- Fixed and mobile BDC broadband availability data
- BDC mobile voice availability data
The Form 477 system will remain open only for fliers to make corrections to existing Form 477 filings for data as of June 30, 2022 and earlier.
The Order also directs the relevant bureaus and offices to develop procedures and processes for the submission of data relied upon by various FCC programs and rules that was previously collected via the Form 477, such as coverage data for the Alaska Plan, the Bringing Puerto Rico Together Fund and Connect USVI Fund, competitive market test data for Business Data Services, and the broadband deployment obligations under the Connect America Fund Broadband Loop Support program.
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