The FCC has announced that it has formally launched its information collection effort in the agency’s national security docket. Specifically, the Public Notice compels Eligible Telecommunications Carriers (ETCs) to report the extent to which their networks contain or use potentially prohibited equipment or services provided by Huawei or ZTE, or their subsidiaries, parents, or affiliates, and the costs associated with removing such equipment and replacing it with equivalent equipment, as required by the Commission’s 2019 Supply Chain Order. The Commission had to wait on the release of the Public Notice until the Office of Management and Budget approved the information collection process under the Paperwork Reduction Act. All ETCs are required to participate in the information collection process. Other service providers may also submit information on a voluntary basis. The FCC portal where service providers can submit information is: www.fcc.gov/supplychain. The filing deadline is Wednesday, April 22, 2020.
