FCC Announces Key Dates for Affordable Connectivity Program Transparency Data Collection

On November 15, 2022, the Federal Communications Commission adopted a Report and Order establishing the Affordable Connectivity Program (ACP) Transparency Data Collection to collect information related to the price, subscription rates, and plan characteristics of the internet service offerings of participating providers, as required by the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act. In the Report and Order, the FCC  directed its Wireline Competition Bureau (Bureau) to establish a compliance date, or data submission deadline, which could be no sooner than ninety days after the FCC announces that the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) has completed its review required under the Paperwork Reduction Act (PRA). The Report and Order also directed the Bureau to announce a “snapshot” date for the data collection. Now the Bureau announces that OMB completed its PRA review on August 11, 2023. The Bureau establishes a compliance date, or data submission deadline, for the collection of November 9, 2023, based on a reference or snapshot date of August 1, 2023. ACP providers must submit data through the ACP Data Collection System hosted by the Universal Service Administrative Company (USAC). Providers can begin submitting data on September 8, 2023.