All ETCs Must File Reports Regarding Banned Equipment in Their Networks

Update: The FCC has delayed the deadline to May 22, 2020, because of the COVID-19 pandemic.

In a Public Notice released yesterday, the FCC initiated a one-time filing for all ILECs and other eligible telecommunications carriers (ETCs) to report the extent to which their networks contain or use potentially “prohibited” equipment or services. The equipment or services are those provided by Huawei Technologies Company or ZTE Corporation or their subsidiaries, parents or affiliates. The FCC banned carriers last fall from using universal service funds to pay for any equipment manufactured by the two Chinese firms citing national security interests.

The deadline for making the filing is April 22 May 22, 2020, and must be submitted using the FCC’s portal at www.fcc.gov/supplychain.

If your company uses equipment or services by either of these companies, you will need to identify the equipment and services, the costs associated with purchasing and/or installing the equipment and services, and the costs associated with removing and replacing the equipment and services. If your company does not have such equipment and services, you must still make the filing and report that fact to the FCC.

Companies that use JSI’s Continuing Property Records (CPR) services will be contacted by their CPR representatives to assist with this filing. If you are not a JSI CPR client but have this equipment and would like our assistance in making the filing, please contact Denise Whittington in our CPR department. Denise can assist in identifying the equipment, determining the cost estimations, and meeting the filing requirements. If your company does not have this equipment but you’d like help with the filing, please contact Cindy Neugebauer in our Texas office at 512-338-0473.