What is a “reseller certificate” and why is Colt asking that I send one?

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Some revenues, whilst being reported, are not included in the base for calculation of a provider’s FUSF contribution (assessable revenue). This is the case for revenues that an operator such as Colt gets from resellers of its services in the USA, provided that this provider, e.g. Colt, obtains a “reseller certificate”.

The FCC has defined a “reseller” as a telecommunications carrier or telecommunications provider that:

  • Incorporates purchased telecommunications into its own offerings.
  • Can reasonably be expected to contribute to FUSF support mechanisms based on revenues from those offerings[1].

A provider such as Colt may demonstrate that it had and has a reasonable expectation that a particular customer – e.g. your company – is a reseller with respect to purchased service(s) by providing a certificate signed each calendar year by the customer. This is what is called the “reseller certificate”.

As your company has been identified as a reseller of the services provided by Colt in the USA, we request that you send us a reseller certificate.

  • Useful links

FCC FUSF webpage: https://www.fcc.gov/general/universal-service

USAC site: https://www.usac.org/

De minimis rules: https://www.usac.org/service-providers/contributing-to-the-usf/forms-to-file/de-minimis/

Reporting forms and FCC’s instructions: https://www.usac.org/service-providers/contributing-to-the-usf/forms-to-file/

Reseller certificate template: https://www.usac.org/service-providers/resources/forms/designed-forms-and-templates/

 

[1] Specifically, a customer is a reseller if it incorporates purchased wholesale service into an offering that is, at least in part, assessable telecommunications and can be reasonably expected to contribute to the federal universal service support mechanisms for that portion of the offering.

 

Click here to see all help information related to FUSF.