FCC Sets New September 15 Deadline for Most Form 477 Filers

On September 3, 2021, the FCC’s Office of Economics and Analytics announced the filing deadline for the submission of Form 477 data as of June 30, 2021. 

For filers in Louisiana and Mississippi affected by Hurricane Ida, the deadline is October 1, 2021.  For all other filers, the deadline is September 15, 2021.  The deadline was originally September 1, 2021. 

The Commission defined “affected” filers as those entities required to file Form 477 that “operate facilities, or, in a significant manner essential to the business operation, rely on personnel, records, or financial institutions located in the parishes of Louisiana or the counties of Mississippi that the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) has designated as eligible for Individual or Public Assistance for the purposes of federal disaster relief as of the date of release of this Public Notice, which includes all parishes and counties in those states, to provide services or to conduct substantial business activities with the Commission.” 

The Commission had provided an extension to allow filers time to focus on recovering from the effects of Hurricane Ida, which struck the Gulf Coast of the United States on August 29, 2021. 

Service providers that are required to file Form 477 but fail to do so may be subject to enforcement action under sections 502 and 503 of the Communications Act and any other applicable law.