Federal Communications Commission	DA 26-197


DA 26-197
Released:  February 27, 2026

OFFICE OF INTERNATIONAL AFFAIRS REMINDS CABLE LANDING LICENSEES 
AND COMMON CARRIERS TO FILE ANNUAL CIRCUIT 
CAPACITY HOLDER REPORT BY MARCH 31, 2026

Electronic Filing Window Opens on March 1, 2026
We remind cable landing licensees and common carriers that they must each report their circuit capacity data in the annual Circuit Capacity Holder Report by March 31, 2026. 47 CFR § 43.82(a)(2); see Review of Submarine Cable Landing License Rules and Procedures to Assess Evolving National Security, Law Enforcement, Foreign Policy, and Trade Policy Risks; Amendment of the Schedule of Application Fees Set Forth in Sections 1.1102 through 1.1109 of the Commission’s Rules, OI Docket No. 24-523, MD Docket No. 24-524, Report and Order and Further Notice of Proposed Rulemaking, 40 FCC Rcd 6481, 6573, para. 190 (2025) (2025 Submarine Cable Report and Order); corrected by Erratum, https://docs.fcc.gov/public/attachments/DOC-414544A1.pdf (OIA and OMD, rel. Sep. 16, 2025); corrected by Second Erratum, https://docs.fcc.gov/public/attachments/DOC-415107A1.pdf (OIA and OMD, rel. Oct. 24, 2025).  
  Since the last collection held in 2025, the Commission adopted changes in the 2025 Submarine Cable Report and Order that eliminated the requirement for licensees to file the Cable Operator Report, and consolidated reporting obligations into a single report, the Capacity Holder Report. 2025 Submarine Cable Report and Order, 40 FCC Rcd at 6485, 6573, paras. 7, 190 and Appendix A (adopting the change to eliminate the Cable Operator Report).
  This change is now effective. See Federal Communications Commission, Review of Submarine Cable Landing License Rules and Procedures To Assess Evolving National Security, Law Enforcement, Foreign Policy, and Trade Policy Risks, 90 Fed Reg 48648 (Oct. 27, 2025) (Federal Register Notice) (amending 47 CFR § 43.82 by removing and reserving paragraph (a)(1), effective November 26, 2025).
  Accordingly, cable landing licensees and common carriers must report their circuit capacity on U.S.- international cables for data as of December 31, 2025, in one consolidated filing, the Capacity Holder Report. 2025 Submarine Cable Report and Order, 40 FCC Rcd at 6485, para. 7.
  

In the 2025 Submarine Cable Report and Order, the Commission also adopted other circuit capacity reporting requirements to enhance the quality and usefulness of the data for national security and other purposes.  Id. at 6572, para. 189.
  These other reporting requirements are not yet effective.  We will announce the effective date of these requirements in the Federal Register and in a public notice. In the 2025 Submarine Cable Report and Order, the Commission adopted other changes to the circuit capacity reporting requirements that include:  (1) requiring Capacity Holder Reports for domestic cables; (2) integrating information about available, planned, and design capacity into the Capacity Holder Report; (3) identifying, with respect to each sale, lease, or purchase of a fiber pair and/or spectrum, the submarine cable, the U.S. and foreign landing points of the fiber pair and/or spectrum, and the entity that manages the fiber pair and/or spectrum, if different from the entity that owns it; (4) requiring cable landing licensees and common carriers to identify whether they own or control submarine line terminal equipment (SLTE) on the U.S. and/or foreign ends of each submarine cable landing in the United States; (5) allowing any subsidiary, parent entity, or affiliate to file the Capacity Holder Report on behalf of a licensee or common carrier, so long as the legal name of the licensee or common carrier is identified in the report and an officer of the licensee or common carrier certifies; (6) codifying a compliance provision; and (7) sharing with the Committee for the Assessment of Foreign Participation in the United States Telecommunications Services Sector, Department of Homeland Security, and the State Department the capacity data filed on a confidential basis without the pre-notification requirements of section 0.442(d).  Id. at 6574-82, 6624, paras. 193-213, 335; Federal Register Notice, 90 Fed Reg at 48648, 48703; see 47 CFR § 0.442(d).
  
Circuit Capacity Holder Report.  Section 43.82(a)(2) of the Commission’s rules requires each cable landing licensee and common carrier with capacity on a submarine cable between the United States and a foreign point to file a Capacity Holder Report. 47 CFR § 43.82(a)(2).
 Cable landing licensees and common carriers must file a Capacity Holder Report identifying the capacity that they own or hold through an indefeasible right of use (IRU) or an inter-carrier lease (ICL) as of December 31, 2025. Id.; Filing Manual for Section 43.82 Circuit Capacity Reports, at 2, para. 1 (Feb. 2026) (Filing Manual); see also 2025 Submarine Cable Report and Order, 40 FCC Rcd at 6572-82, paras. 189-213; Federal Register Notice, 90 Fed Reg at 48648 (stating the Commission will publish a document in the Federal Register announcing the effective date of rule sections that are delayed indefinitely, including amendatory instruction 22 (47 CFR § 43.82)).  As required, the Office of International Affairs revised the Filing Manual to conform with the elimination of the Cable Operator Report adopted in the 2025 Submarine Cable Report and Order.  2025 Submarine Cable Report and Order, 40 FCC Rcd at 6573, para. 189; Office of Management and Budget, Notice of Office of Management and Budget Action, OMB Control No. 3060-1156 (Feb. 19, 2026), https://www.reginfo.gov/public/do/PRAViewICR?ref_nbr=202602-3060-020; see Office of Management and Budget, Notice of Office of Management and Budget Action, OMB Control No. 3060-1156 (Jan. 30, 2026), https://www.reginfo.gov/public/do/PRAViewICR?ref_nbr=202601-3060-017.


· Filing on Behalf of Affiliated Entities.  If a Filing Entity is filing on behalf of an affiliated entity or entities, the Filing Entity should submit a list of the entities for which it is filing circuit capacity data by sending an email to Circuit.Capacity@fcc.gov. Filing Manual at 2, 6, paras. 6, 32.
  

Section 43.82 Online Filing Manual and System. Filers should refer to the updated Filing Manual for Section 43.82 Circuit Capacity Reports (Filing Manual) for current instructions on how to file the Capacity Holder Report, including who must file, the required information, and the filing procedures. See generally Filing Manual.


· Filing Manual - The Filing Manual is attached to this Public Notice.
· Section 43.82 Online Filing System - Filing Entities must file their Circuit Capacity Reports through the section 43.82 online filing system at https://apps2.fcc.gov/section4362/login.xhtml.

CORES Information.  Each Filing Entity must use a single CORES FCC Registration Number (FRN) when filing data on:  (1) Filing Entity contact information; (2) preparer contact information; (3) authorizations/licenses; (4) submarine cable capacity holder data; and (5) certifying official’s information. Filers must enter the data directly into the online forms in the section 43.82 online filing system. Each Filing Entity must provide the correct FCC authorization/license numbers associated with its filing.  All contact information must be kept up-to-date.

Sample Templates.  For ease of reference, we provide a sample template of the Capacity Holder Report in Attachment 1 and the current license number for each U.S.-international submarine cable in Attachment 2 in this public notice. Filing Entities should access and use the template from the Section 43.82 Online Filing System to file their data with the Commission.  Filing Entities must not use the sample template included in this Public Notice or templates from prior years because doing so would render the filing incomplete and possibly, late. 

· Attachment 1 – Sample Capacity Holder Report
· Attachment 2 – Current License Numbers for U.S.-International Submarine Cables as of December 31, 2025

Enforcement of Circuit Capacity Rules. We remind cable landing licensees and common carriers of their obligation to file timely and accurate reports by March 31, 2026. We encourage Filing Entities to file their reports as early as possible during the filing window. A failure to comply with the section 43.82 requirements may subject such entities to an enforcement action.  Filing Entities that are unable to file by the deadline must submit an online waiver request seeking an extension of time to file as soon as possible, but no later than March 31, 2026. Filing Manual at 3, para. 11; see 47 CFR § 1.3.
  

FCC Contact Information.  FCC staff will send emails through the Section 43.82 Online Filing System. All system-generated emails will be from FCC-INTL-Part43@fcc.gov. Filing Entities should ensure that their systems will accept emails from this email address and check spam folders in case the emails are flagged. Any section 43.82 requests or any other questions should be emailed to Circuit.Capacity@fcc.gov.  

For additional information, contact Stacey Ashton, Telecommunications and Analysis Division, Office of International Affairs, Stacey.Ashton@fcc.gov, (202) 418-2214.

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