Section 402(b)(1)(A)(iii) of the Telecommunications Act of 1996 added section 204(a)(3) to the Communications Act of 1934, as amended, providing for streamlined tariff filings by local exchange carriers. On September 6, 1996, in an effort to meet the goals of the 1996 Act, the Commission released the Tariff Streamlining NPRM, proposing measures to implement the tariff streamlining requirements of section 204(a)(3). Among other suggestions, the Commission proposed requiring LECs to file tariffs electronically. The Commission began implementing the electronic filing of tariffs on January 31, 1997, when it released the Streamlined Tariff Order. On November 17, 1997, the Bureau made this electronic system, known as the Electronic Tariff Filing System (EFTS), available for voluntary filing by incumbent LECs. The Bureau also announced that the use of ETFS would become mandatory for all incumbent LECs in 1998. On May 28, 1998, in the ETFS Order, the Bureau established July 1, 1998, as the date after which incumbent LECs would be required to use ETFS to file tariffs and associated documents. The Commission deferred consideration of establishing mandatory electronic filing for non-incumbent LECs until the conclusion of a proceeding considering the mandatory detariffing of interstate long distance services. On June 9, 2011, the Commission adopted rule revisions to require all tariff filers to file tariffs using ETFS. Carriers were given a 60-day window in order to make their initial filings on ETFS. On October 13, 2011, the Commission announced that all tariff filers should file their initial Base Document and/or Informational Tariff using the ETFS between November 17, 2011, and January 17, 2012. As of January 17, 2012, all carriers are required to use ETFS on a going-forward basis to file their tariff documents.