*Pages 1--1 from  Microsoft Word - 41957*
 PUBLIC  NOTICE  Federal  Communications  Commission  445  12th  St.,  S.  W.  Washington,  D.  C.  20554  News  Media  In 
 September  8,  2004 
 IMPORTANT  NOTICE  TO  ENTITIES  DELINQUENT  IN  DEBT  OWED  TO  THE  FCC 


 Effective  October  1,  2004,  the  Federal  Communications  Commission  (FCC)  will  implement  its  new  rules  further  implementing  the  Debt  Collection  Improvement  Act  of  1996  (DCIA).  The  new 
 rules  will  have  an  impact  on  anyone  doing  business  with  the  FCC  who  is  delinquent  in  debt  owed  to  the  agency. 


 The  new  rule,  found  at  47  C.  F.  R.  §1.1910  and  commonly  referred  to  as  the  “red  light  rule,”  provides  that  anyone  filing  an  application  or  seeking  a  benefit  from  the  Commission  or  one  of  its 
 components  (including  the  Universal  Service  Administrative  Corporation,  the  Telecommunications  Relay  Service,  or  the  North  American  Numbering  Plan  Administrator)  who 
 is  delinquent  in  debts  owed  to  the  Commission  will  be  barred  from  receiving  a  license  or  other  benefit  until  the  delinquency  has  been  resolved.  Under  this  rule,  when  an  application  or  request 
 for  benefit  is  filed,  the  FCC  Registration  Number  (FRN)  will  be  checked  to  determine  if  the  entity  or  person  is  delinquent  in  debt  owed  to  the  Commission.  Multiple  FRNs  associated  with  a 
 Tax  Payer  Identification  Number  will  be  included  in  the  red-  light  check;  and  if  the  TIN  is  found  to  have  delinquent  debt  –  your  application  will  receive  a  red-  light.  Delinquent  debtors  will  be 
 notified  and  given  30  days  to  either  pay  the  debt  or  make  other  satisfactory  arrangements.  Failure  to  do  so  will  result  in  dismissal  of  the  application  or  request  for  benefits.  All  applications 
 or  other  requests  for  benefits  pending  on  or  received  after  October  1,  2004,  will  be  subject  to  the  new  rule. 


 Additionally,  the  Commission  has  amended  its  fee  rules  consistent  with  the  new  red  light  rule.  Any  Commission  action  taken  prior  to  timely  payment  of  these  charges  is  contingent  and  subject 
 to  recission.  In  addition,  all  application  fees  must  now  be  paid  in  full  prior  to  a  grant  of  the  application.  Under  our  past  business  practice,  when  an  application  fee  was  underpaid,  the 
 application  was  processed  and  the  applicant  was  billed  for  the  additional  amount.  However,  starting  on  October  1,  2004,  we  will  still  bill  for  the  additional  application  fees  due,  but  will  not 
 complete  processing  of  the  application  until  full  payment  is  received. 
 It  is  incumbent  upon  anyone  owing  debts  to  the  Commission  to  pay  their  bills  fully  by  the  date  specified  on  the  bill  for  collection  or  statement.  We  encourage  everyone  doing  business  with  the 


 FCC  to  resolve  any  outstanding  debts  prior  to  October  1,  2004.  If  you  are  uncertain  about  the  status  of  your  outstanding  bills  for  collection,  open  bills  can  now  be  viewed  by  accessing  the 
 newly  expanded  Fee  Filer  on-  line  system  located  on  our  website  at  <https://  svartifoss2.  fcc.  gov/  FeeFiler/  login.  cfm>  or  by  sending  an  e-  mail  to  ARINQUIRIES@  fcc.  gov. 
1