About High Cost:

• Overview of the Program
• Overview of the Process
• Site Visits
• Training Events
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• Filing Appeals
• Red Light Status (FCC site)
• Requesting Confidential Information
• Understanding Audits
• Understanding Disaggregation
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• USAC FCC Filings

High Cost Tools:

• Required Forms
• Filing Requirements and Deadlines
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• High Cost Maps IAS
• HCM CLLI Tool
• Disaggregation Maps
• Disaggregation Checklist
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• Disbursement Data Search
• Certification Search
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• Latest News
• Program Compliance - Whistleblower Hotline
• Submitting A Complaint

Step 4: High Cost Loop (HCL) Support

High Cost Loop support is available to rural price-cap and rate-of-return incumbent carriers and competitive carriers providing service in the areas of these rural companies. Non-rural carriers may be eligible where HCL is calculated in excess of the phase-down under the interim hold harmless provisions of the FCC's rules.

All incumbent local exchange carriers (ILECs) are required to submit certain investment and expense data, including line count information, to the National Exchange Carrier Association, Inc. (NECA) on July 31 of each year.

Non-rural ILECs and rural ILECs with competition are required to submit updated line count data to USAC on a quarterly basis to NECA.

Section 36.611 of the FCC's rules (47 C.F.R. § 36.611) lists the specific cost, investment, and line count data that must be submitted by ILECs to NECA.

Required Line Count Filings

Required Certification Filings
State regulator certification requirement

If an ETC is not subject to state jurisdiction, it may file a self-certification directly with USAC and the FCC. Filing requirements.)