USACE-RateApplicant ProcessStep 5: Starting Services
FCC Form 486 Filing

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FCC Form 486 Filing

FCC Form 486 (Receipt of Service Confirmation and Children’s Internet Protection Act Certification Form) notifies USAC that the billed entity and/or the eligible entities that it represents is receiving, or has received, service in the relevant funding year from the named service provider(s).

Purpose of FCC Form 486

Applicants file an FCC Form 486 to:

  • Notify USAC that services have started for the recipients of service included on one or more funded Funding Request Numbers (FRNs).
  • Indicate the status of compliance with the Children’s Internet Protection Act (CIPA) for the recipients of service for the FRN(s).

When to File FCC Form 486

Applicants cannot file the FCC Form 486 for an FRN until USAC issues a Funding Commitment Decision Letter (FCDL) with a positive funding commitment.

Early Filing: Applicants that have received an FCDL, confirmed with their service providers that services will start in July of the upcoming funding year, and can truthfully make all of the certifications on the form, can file FCC Form 486 early – that is, before services have started for the funding year.

Deadline: FCC Form 486 must be certified no later than 120 days after the service start date shown on the FCC Form 486 or 120 days after the date of the FCDL, whichever date is later.

How to File FCC Form 486 (Funding Year (FY) 2016 and Forward)

File this form online in the E-Rate Productivity Center (EPC).

For step-by-step filing guidance, watch the FCC Form 486 video.

How to File FCC Form 486 (FY2015 and Previous Funding Years)

  1. Complete this form online in the E-Rate program legacy system following the instructions on the page as you click through.
  2. Create a PDF of the certified form and use a digital or ink signature to sign the certification page.
  3. Create a customer service case in EPC.
    • Log into One Portal to access EPC.
    • In EPC, Select the Contact Us link from the upper right menu on your landing page.
    • In the Customer Service Case, enter the following fields:
      1. Enter a Nickname and for Description enter “Certification of FCC Form 486 for FYXYZ.”
      2. For Topic, choose “FCC Form 486.”
      3. For Subtopic, choose “Other.”
      4. For Form Type, choose “FCC Form 486.”
      5. Under Document, click the “Upload” button (or drag and drop the file) and upload the signed copy of the form to the Customer Service Case.
      6. Click Submit located in the lower right-hand corner.

How to Create a Customer Service Case in EPC:

  1. Log in to One Portal and then access EPC.
  2. Select the Contact Us link from the upper right menu on your landing page.

Late FCC Forms 486

USAC issues an FCC Form 486 Urgent Reminder Letter to applicants that appear to have missed the deadline to certify an FCC Form 486 based on the service delivery data in the FCC Form 471. The deadline to file an FCC Form 486 is 120 days after the date of the FCDL or 120 days after the service start date, whichever is later.

USAC calculates the date to issue this letter based on the service start date reported on the FCC Form 471. If your actual service start date is later than the date you reported on FCC Form 471, your deadline may not have passed. In this case, you are responsible for calculating and meeting your actual deadline, as USAC will not issue a second reminder letter.

Applicants that file their FCC Form 486 in EPC will receive this letter in the EPC News feed and have 15 days from the date of the letter to submit and certify an FCC Form 486 online or on paper with no penalty (if the service start date reported on the FCC Form 471 was the actual service start date). Note: For FY2015 and previous funding years, the letter provides a 20-day grace period (15 days plus five days for mail receipt, as these letters are mailed).

If you miss this deadline, USAC will adjust your service start date to a date 120 days before the date you certified your form, and your funding commitment may be reduced to reflect the reduction in service time.

If you want to appeal a decision related to a late-filed FCC Form 486, you must file your appeal first with USAC. If USAC denies the appeal, then you may then appeal to the FCC.

After Filing

USAC issues an applicant version and a service provider version of the FCC Form 486 Notification Letter after the FCC Form 486 has been successfully processed by USAC.

For FCC Forms 486 filed in EPC starting in FY2016, applicants and service providers will receive this notification in their EPC news feed. The notification letters will be mailed for FY2015 and previous funding years.

CIPA and Technology Plan Certifications for FY2014 and Previous Funding Years

For FY2011-FY2014, applicants applying for internal connections and basic maintenance services were required to prepare a technology plan. Before FY2011, technology plans were required for all eligible services other than basic telephone service.

For FY2010-FY2014, applicants requesting only voice over internet protocol (VoIP) services in the telecommunications services or internet access service types were not required to prepare a technology plan.

CIPA does not apply to VoIP services or telecommunications (dark fiber).