Telecom

Telephone Assistance Plan (TAP)

2013 reporting period - TAP Reporting Form
2012 reporting period - TAP Reporting Form

• Press Release, May 31, 2013: TAP Surcharge Reduction, Increase in Benefits to Low-Income Customers
• Press Release, March 7, 2013: Minnesota Customers Must Act to Keep Lifeline and TAP Telephone Discounts

What is TAP?

Minnesota's Telephone Assistance Program (TAP) provides a discount in the form of monthly credits to low income customers' telephone bills. The eligibility requirements are the same as the federal Lifeline program. Minnesota Rules, part 7817.0900 requires local service providers to maintain adequate records of surcharge revenues, expenses, and credits related to the TAP program and to report this information on a Commission-prescribed TAP Reporting Form.

The TAP Reporting Form provides the Commission the ability to track all revenues and expenses of the Telephone Assistance Plan program. Since TAP is funded by a surcharge on telephone lines, all local service providers in Minnesota must file a TAP reporting form to help the Commission ensure that all local service providers are appropriately paying into the fund.

Any local service provider with a certificate for local service must file either annually, quarterly or monthly reports with the Commission. Only those local service providers with 100 or fewer subscribers may file an annual report. All reports must be eFiled within 30 calendar days after the reporting period ends.

The TAP report enables reimbursement of credits and administrative expenses filed during the reporting period. The correct reporting form to use is the form for the year reporting period in which the credits were applied.

• eFiling your TAP Reporting Form
• 2013 Notice of Compliance Filing Requirement: TAP
• Find your Company Identification U- Number
• 911 Remittance Form: Wireline 911, TAM and Tap fee remittance form 92 cents (Minnesota Department of Public Safety)
• Under Construction: A Refresher, Minnesota's Telephone Assistance Plan
• Minnesota Rules Chapter 7817, Telephone Assistance Plans
• Minnesota Statute § 237.70, Development of Telephone Assistance Plan

The TAP reporting form includes an instructions tab. Please review these instructions before completing the TAP Reporting Form. All TAP reporting forms must include the 911 Fee Remittance Form(s) submitted to the Department of Public Safety's Minnesota 911 Program to remit collections for 911, TAM (Tele-Relay) and TAP surcharges. Paste a copy of the 911 Fee Remittance form(s) in the tab(s) of the TAP Reporting Form.

Companies that do not fill out the reporting form accurately will be asked to resubmit.

All TAP Reporting Forms with its attached 911 Fee Remittance Form(s) must be submitted via eFiling.

Contact: Theresa Staples, theresa.staples@state.mn.us, 651/201-2202