Changes are coming to the FCC’s Form 477 data collection later this year. As announced earlier this year, the FCC will begin collecting voice and broadband data using a revised Form 477 with a new filing interface just recently approved by the Office of Management and Budget. The new interface, which will be available beginning July 31, 2014, will be able to accept, process, and validate fixed deployment data by census block and mobile deployment shapefiles, and the FCC is testing the site to ensure that such data can be handled safely and securely. In light of this ongoing testing, the FCC is postponing the upcoming Form 477 filing deadline from September 1 to October 1, 2014 to report data as of June 30, 2014. The later filing deadline is intended to give filers additional time to compile and format their data in accordance with the new requirements, which are detailed on the FCC’s website.
