Source: http://www.fcc.gov/print/node/38934
Timestamp: 2014-07-10 14:33:40
Document Index: 450207731

Matched Legal Cases: ['§ 63', '§ 63', '§ 64', '§ 64', '§ 54', '§ 64', '§ 64', '§ 54', '§ 159', '§ 1', '§ 1', '§ 1']

Word Document [1]PDF Document [2]Text Document [3]	Released: April 16, 2012
9 47 C.F.R. § 63.18. 10 See id.11 Id. §§ 63.18(e)(2), 63.23.12 See Implementation of the Subscriber Carrier Selection Changes Provisions of the Telecommunications Act of 1996, Third Report and Order and Second Order on Reconsideration, 15 FCC Rcd 15996, 16024-26, paras. 59-62 (2000) (Carrier Selection Order). 13 47 C.F.R. § 64.1195; see Telecommunications Reporting Worksheet, FCC Form 499-A, available at http://transition.fcc.gov/Forms/Form499-A/499a2-2011.pdf [4] (Oct. 2011).
16 47 C.F.R. § 64.604(c)(5)(iii)(A) (requiring every carrier that provides “interstate services, including . . . international . . . services” to contribute to the TRS Fund). 17 47 C.F.R. § 54.711(a); see also 47 C.F.R. § 64.604(c)(5)(iii)(A).18 See 47 C.F.R. § 64.604(c)(5)(iii)(A), (B). Our rules, however, do not condition payment on receipt of an invoice or other notice from the TRS Fund administrator. See id. 19 See 47 C.F.R. § 54.713(c).20 Section 9(a)(1) of the Act directs the Commission to “assess and collect regulatory fees to recover the costs of the following regulatory activities of the Commission: enforcement activities, policy and rulemaking activities, user information services, and international activities.” 47 U.S.C. § 159(a)(1); see also 47 C.F.R. §§ 1.1151, 1.1154, 1.1157 Interstate telecommunications service providers (ITSPs) are subject to regulatory fees based on billed interstate and international end-user revenues for local and most toll services. Carriers whose total regulatory fee payment obligation is less than $10 are exempt; however, the vast majority of FCC Form 499-A filers are required to pay ITSP regulatory fees. See Regulatory Fees Fact Sheet: What You Owe – Interstate Telecommunications Service Providers (ITSP) for FY 2011 at 6, http://hraunfoss.fcc.gov/edocs_public/attachmatch/DOC-309146A1.doc [5] (rel. Aug. 2011).
21 See 47 C.F.R. §§ 1.1154, 1.1157.22 See 47 C.F.R. § 1.1157(b)(1).
and failure to do so subjects a carrier to late payment penalties, as well as possible revocation of its operating authority.23
RB Communications, Inc. is a California corporation that does business under the trade name “Starfone.”24 Beginning in 2003,25 Starfone has resold interstate and international telecommunications services26 to end users.27 On October 6, 2008, the Universal Service Administrative Company (USAC) referred Starfone to the Enforcement Bureau (Bureau) for potential enforcement action related to its apparent failures to register and to comply with other regulatory requirements.28 9.
On March 9, 2009, the Bureau issued a letter of inquiry (LOI) to Starfone seeking information about its compliance with the Commission’s rules governing, among other things, the provision of international telecommunications service and contributions to the TRS Fund.29 The Bureau issued a further letter of inquiry to Starfone on September 4, 2009.30 10.
In its response to the LOI, Starfone admitted that it had not previously applied for an international Section 214 authorization.31 Starfone also admitted that it had failed to timely register with the Commission,32 and that it had never contributed to the TRS Fund.33
On July 23, 2009, USAC received for the first time a signed “registration-only” Form 499-A from Starfone. On February 1, 2010, Starfone submitte