Final Notice: HUBB Report Due March 1

For rate-of-return carriers that are required to file geocoded broadband location information in USAC’s High Cost Universal Service Broadband (HUBB) portal, only one week remains until the deadline. A-CAM recipients and rate-of-return companies on Legacy support with buildout requirements must report broadband location data in the HUBB by March 1, 2019. Even if you did not deploy broadband to any new locations in 2018, you must still certify that you have no locations to report.

A-CAM recipients are required to file geocoded location data about all locations that were newly deployed or upgraded during calendar year 2018, as well as all pre-existing locations where broadband was deployed prior to January 1, 2017. Legacy support recipients with buildout obligations, meaning those that were at less than 80% 10/1 Mbps deployment in October 2016, must report all locations that were newly deployed or upgraded during calendar year 2018. Legacy support recipients that were over 80% 10/1 Mbps will report the number of new locations on their FCC Form 481 due in July.

New rules for rate-of-return carriers adopted in December 2018 eventually will require all USF recipients-A-CAM and Legacy-to file geocoded broadband location data in the HUBB. JSI anticipates that this will be required at some point this year after the FCC releases its Public Notice announcing new buildout obligations for Legacy carriers. We strongly encourage all rate-of-return carriers to track broadband deployments and upgrades as they happen by geocoding the newly deployed or upgraded locations on site and maintaining a list throughout the year on the HUBB template or something similar. JSI can provide you with a tracking template as well as recommendations on how to stay on top of your HUBB requirements throughout the year.

With the deadline fast approaching, clients who still need assistance with the HUBB filing are encouraged to contact their JSI consultants as soon as possible to ensure timely filing. If you need assistance with completing the filing or if you have any questions about HUBB requirements, please contact Cassandra Heyne in the Maryland Office at 301-459-7590; Lisa McLaughlin or Terri DeLong in JSI’s Texas office at 512-338-0473; or Lans Chase in our Georgia Office at 770-569-2105.