The FCC Form 499 Filer Database is an identification system for all interstate telecommunications carriers, all interconnected VoIP providers, and certain other providers of interstate telecommunications. These providers are required to register with the Commission using the Telecommunications Reporting Worksheet (FCC Form 499-A) and update their registration on a periodic basis, including at least once a year. Filers submit the FCC Form 499-A to the Universal Service Administrative Company (USAC).
USAC is an independent, not-for-profit corporation designated as the administrator of the federal Universal Service Fund by the FCC. USAC administers Universal Service Fund programs for carriers serving high-cost areas, low-income consumers, rural health care providers, and schools and libraries. The Universal Service Fund helps communities across the country afford telecommunications and advanced services.
The FCC Form 499 Filer Database can be found on the FCC's website at http://apps.fcc.gov/cgb/form499/499a.cfm. The most recent version of FCC Form 499-A can be found on the FCC's website at http://www.fcc.gov/formpage.html. Providers can file the form online on USAC's website, at http://forms.universalservice.org.
Although the registration information filed via FCC Form 499-A is public and attainable from the FCC Form 499 Filer Database, the majority of the information reported on that form is private and not accessible to the public. The FCC Form 499 Filer Database is used by industry, consumers, and the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) to find the a provider's Form 499 Filer ID, business name(s), primary address, jurisdictions in which the provider either currently provides service or in which it plans to offer service in the next year, and designated agent for service of process, as well as names under which the provider may have conducted business in the past. This search functionality has been enhanced to include a RESTful API to provide the search results in HTML or XML format.
Read a brief explanation of each field included in the data set. Download
There is an XML Schema which defines the output data set. Download
View a small subset of data as an example of the file download layout. Download (151kb)
To access the complete set of data in the Form 499 database, run the web service with only the "XML=TRUE" parameter or with all the other parameters blank.
This FCC Form 499 Filer Database API returns the FCC Form 499 information that matches the search parameters. The search results can be returned as HTML or XML. The data is grouped by Form 499 Filer ID, with sections for each filer including Filer Identification, Agent for Service of Process, and FCC Registration Information.
This FCC Form 499 Filer Database API is an enhancement to the existing web-based FCC Form 499 Filer Database. The FCC Form 499 Filer Database is a web application that can now be called as a Web Service. This enhancement allows the FCC to provide the search results as machine readable XML on an as-needed basis.
XML (Required) - Must be set to TRUE for the web service to operate. If XML is FALSE or is left off the call, the program will return the search results page as HTML.
FilerID (Optional) - FCC Form 499 Filer ID Number. Only one FilerID is allowed.
LegalName (Optional) - Legal or Trade Name of Filer.
Frn (Optional) - Registration Number (CORESID).
State (Optional) - Jurisdiction in Which the Filer Provides Telecommunications. Any number of States can be entered. The following values are valid:
comm_type (Optional) - Primary Communications Type. The following describes the possible values for Communications Type:
R1 (Optional): Logical operator for joining states if multiple states are specified. Default behavior is "AND". Possible values include:
The API responds with XML formatted as described by the XML Schema.
If the query is not valid, the application will return HTTP 400 Bad Request, with XML describing any errors encountered. The following values will be returned if they are encountered:
Here is an example of the xml output when some of these errors are encountered:
<?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8" standalone="yes" ?>
<Response status="Fail">
<Errors>
<Err code="1" msg="Invalid state value atlantis." />
<Err code="4" msg="Invalid value DEF for FRN." />
<Err code="4" msg="Invalid value AND/OR for R1. Only 'and' and 'or' are allowed." />
<Err code="5" msg="Invalid value ABC for Filer ID." />
<Err code="6" msg="Invalid value INVALID for Communications Type." />
</Errors>
</Response>