Reporting Requirements for Telecommunications Carriers

MPSC Reporting Requirements and Information for Telecommunications Carriers

This information is in response to numerous inquiries staff has received from providers regarding their obligations. The items listed below are excerpts from state and federal laws and Commission Orders, policies, and practices which pertain to telecommunications basic local exchange service providers. This is not an all-inclusive list and is not a substitute for a company being fully knowledgeable of state and federal laws, Commission orders, policies, and practices which pertain to them.

Legal Requirements as Defined by State Laws and Michigan Public Service Commission Orders

1. Prohibitions identified in Sec. 305 and Sec. 502 of the Michigan Telecommunications Act (MTA). These sections of the law prohibit companies from providing any provider a higher quality of service or better cost than another provider purchasing their services. These sections also prohibit a company from dealing dishonestly with its end use customers.
2. Requirements relative to the Discontinuance of Basic Local Exchange Service or regulated toll service as specified in Sec. 313 of the MTA. This section defines the circumstances under which a provider may discontinue providing service in an exchange.
3. Compliance with the Anti-Slamming Procedures adopted on September 23, 1998 in Case No. U-11757 and on April 23, 1999 and September 28, 1999 in Case No. U- 11900. The orders in these cases define procedures for intrastate providers to ensure customers are not changed to another provider without their knowledge and approval. See also MTA.
4. Emergency 9-1-1 Service. All providers are required to connect users to emergency services using the abbreviated dialing number, 9-1-1. The 9-1-1 system is a county-administered program and all Michigan counties have E9-1-1 service. Service providers may request a technical 9-1-1 surcharge to cover 9-1-1 costs, as authorized in the Emergency 9-1-1 Service Enabling Act. Local exchange carriers need to notify individual counties prior to providing service. A company doing its own billing will collect the 9-1-1 surcharge appropriate to the county and the State of Michigan and remit earmarked money appropriately. If a provider is handling the 9-1-1 administrative procedures for another provider, the terms of their arrangement regarding 9-1-1 surcharges may be found in its interconnection agreement or other wholesale agreement. For more information on 9-1-1 surcharges, please see the following link: Please see https://www.michigan.gov/msp/divisions/911committee/911-funding

Filing and/or Reporting Requirements Defined by State Laws, Rules, and Commission Orders

1. Reporting Requirements as specified in Section 202(1)(a) of the MTA and the Order in Case No. U-11103 dated December 12, 1996. These requirements address the manner and form of keeping books of accounts for regulated services, access by the Commission and the public to a company’s books.
2. Tariff Filing Requirements for regulated services as specified in Sec. 202(1)(b) of the MTA and as stated further by the Commission Order in Case No. U-14973 of July 25, 2006. These documents require a company to file a tariff of its services and costs, and the details of the content and the procedure for filing such tariffs. Additional information on tariff requirements and filing procedures can be found on the MPSC website here: https://www.michigan.gov/mpsc/regulatory/telecommunications/tariffs/filing.
3. Assessment Requirements as specified in Sec. 211 of the MTA. In February of each year, the Commission sends a notice to regulated service providers requesting information regarding gross revenues for the previous calendar year. This information is due by April 30 and is sent to the Department of Licensing & Regulatory Affairs who then bills the company for its Utility Assessment.
4. Annual Reporting on activity, revenues and/or expenditures for the Lifeline and Telecommunications Relay Service programs and a company’s end-user count are due April 1 of each year for the calendar year ending the previous December. Reminder instructions for each program are e-mailed prior to the due date each year. The reminder email will include an electronic reporting form and instructions.
5. Registration. All providers of telecommunications service in Michigan are required to register annually (MTA Sec. 211a, Case No. U-11900) with the Commission by means of the Intrastate Telecommunications Service Provider (ITSP) registration on the Commission’s web site. See https://mpsc.my.site.com/itsp/ITSPHome for further instructions.
6. Do Not Call List PA 612 of 2002 prescribes the rights and duties of parties to home solicitation sales, to regulate certain telephone solicitation, to provide for the powers and duties of certain state officers and entities and to prescribe penalties and remedies. See https://www.legislature.mi.gov/documents/2001-2002/publicact/pdf/2002-PA-0612.pdf for more information.
7. Transfer of Bankrupt Provider's License outlines procedures and rules for the transfer of the license to another qualified provider in the case of bankruptcy. See https://ars.apps.lara.state.mi.us/AdminCode/DownloadAdminCodeFile?FileName=852_10818_AdminCode.pdf for more information.
8. Arbitration and Mediation Procedures administrate practice and procedure before the Michigan Public Service Commission in the arbitration proceedings required by section 252(b) of the Federal Telecommunications Act and in the mediation proceedings conducted pursuant to the MTA. See https://ars.apps.lara.state.mi.us/AdminCode/DownloadAdminCodeFile?FileName=853_10819_AdminCode.pdf for more information.
9. Operator Service Providers These rules apply to any person who provides operator service in Michigan through a method other than as specified in section 102(s)(i), (ii), or (iii) of Act No. 179 of the Public Acts of 1991. See https://ars.apps.lara.state.mi.us/AdminCode/DownloadAdminCodeFile?FileName=849_10815_AdminCode.pdf for more information.
10. Payphone Services These rules apply to all aspects of payphone service, except for the provision of operator services and outlines quality standards for payphone services. See https://ars.apps.lara.state.mi.us/AdminCode/DownloadAdminCodeFile?FileName=850_10816_AdminCode.pdf for more information.
11. Responsibilities of Providers of Basic Local Exchange Service that Cease to Provide the Service These rules provide for further guidance on the process and notification requirements for providers of BLES to discontinue that service under Section 313 of the MTA. See https://ars.apps.lara.state.mi.us/AdminCode/DownloadAdminCodeFile?FileName=R%20484.1001%20to%20R%20484.1019.pdf for more information.
12. Transfers of Control Under Section 303 of the MTA, the sale or transfer of shares of stock of a provider of basic local exchange service is not a sale or transfer of a license or discontinuance of service. Section 303 further states that a license is not transferable to an unlicensed provider. Commission Staff requests that notification and description of a transfer of control or merger and acquisition be provided to Staff in order to determine how the proposed transaction affects the existing licensed entity and if a new license may be required. Staff also requests that courtesy notification of transactions involving IXCs and CAPs be provided as well to ensure our records are up to date. Notifications can be sent to Telecommunications Division Director Ryan McAnany at mcananyr@michigan.gov. Further questions can be directed to Lori Thelen at thelenL4@michigan.gov.
13. NOTICE: If your company has tangible property, either real or personal within the State of Michigan, the company may be subject to the mandatory annual filing requirements of PA 282 of 1905. For your convenience, the State of Michigan has developed an online filing process to facilitate your compliance. Please visit the Michigan Department of Treasury website located at http://www.michigan.gov/stateassessedproperty for more information.

Telecommunications Carrier Annual Reporting and Registration Requirements*

*This table is a reference to some of the annual reporting and registration requirements for telecom carriers. A carrier subject to a reporting or registration requirement will be notified, provided the carrier has current contact information on file with the MPSC. Other MPSC reporting and registration requirements may be implemented in the future, but providers will receive notification of such. This table is not an all-inclusive list and is not a substitute for a company being fully knowledgeable of state and federal laws and Commission orders and other obligations which may apply to them.

**Reporting/registration requirement applies to local providers that are licensed and tariffed for local exchange service. Local providers must receive a license, and tariffs must be filed for applicable regulated services prior to commencement of service.

Compiled by Telecommunications Division Staff. Last Revised 11/12/2025.