Universal Service
The Telecommunications Act of 1996 included provisions to assure universal service to all consumers throughout the United States, focusing on rural, insular and high-cost areas, as well as low income consumers, and certain social institutions such as libraries, schools and rural health care providers. The Telecommunications Act also established a Universal Service Fund that collects assessments on revenue from interstate telecommunications service and redistributes support to local eligible telecommunications carriers (ETCs) providing supported services to targeted areas.
USTelecom Position
USTelecom believes a sustainable Universal Service Fund is critical to protecting basic, affordable telephone service for all Americans. To restore the long-term health of the Fund, USTelecom members have outlined these key principles:
- Broaden the base of contributors to include all providers and assess contributions primarily on telephone numbers and connections;
- Use competitive bidding to reduce the number of mobile providers in an area receiving support;
- Better target support to rural areas served by larger providers;
- Reduce support to providers with low subscriber rates;
- Adopt changes to restrain fund growth; and
- Apply carrier of last resort obligations uniformly.
Background
Growth in demand for support from the Universal Service Fund combined with the erosion of the contribution bases to the Fund are jeopardizing the future sustainability of the Fund and thus the availability of modern infrastructure offering telecommunications services to many Americans.
Advocacy Efforts
Before the FCC
USTelecom has been actively involved in several proceedings before the Federal Communications Commission involving universal service, including proceedings that have focused on contributions to the Fund and designations of eligible telecommunications carriers (ETCs) to receive support from the Fund. USTelecom has filed written comments and made several ex parte presentations on these issues. USTelecom will continue its advocacy as the FCC moves forward with its considerations of these proceedings.
In Congress
USTelecom continues to provide Congressional testimony, hold policy briefings for Capitol Hill staff and conduct other advocacy activities to educate Congress on this issue.
More Information
2009
- Dec 11 - Rural Cellular v FCC, DC Circuit Court
- Dec 07 - GN 09-47, 09-51, 09-137 - USTelecom Comments on the Role of the USF and ICC in the National Broadband Plan - NBP Public Notice #19
- Nov 07 - BOUCHER, TERRY RELEASE UNIVERSAL SERVICE REFORM DISCUSSION DRAFT - 111th Congress Press Release
- Nov 06 - Universal Service Reform Act of 2009
- Nov 06 - Universal Service Reform Act of 2009 - Section by Section Overview
- Nov 02 - Universal Service Fund Discussion Draft
- Oct 15 - USAC Final Report on 2006-07 FCC OIG USF Audit Program--Schools and Libraries Audits
- Sep 28 - Due Process Audit Filing
- Sep 10 - USAC Report Analyzing 2006-07 High Cost Audits
- Sep 10 - USAC Final Report on FCC OIG High Cost Program Beneficiary Audits
- Aug 20 - WC 05-337, CC 96-45 - USTelecom's Comments on Advantage Cellular Systems, Inc., Request for Cost-Based High-Cost Universal Service Support
- Aug 20 - WC 05-337, CC 96-45 - AT&T's Request for Review of Decision of the Universal Service Administrator
- Jul 24 - Broadband Affordability Act
- Jul 06 - USTelecom Comments re USAC Audit
- Jun 12 - USTelecom letters to appropriations committee on USF
- May 26 - WC 05-337, CC 96-45 - Corr Wireless Request for Review of Universal Service Administrator Decision
- May 08 - WC 95-337, CC 96-45 - USTelecom Comments on the Commissions's NOI re High Cost Universal Service
- Apr 24 - WC 05-195 - Comprehensive Review of the Universal Service Fund Management Administration and Oversight
- Apr 09 - USF Audit Letter to Appropriators
- Nov 13 - WC 05-195 - USF Audit Management
- Oct 17 - WC 03-109 - Comments ATT Request for Review of USAC Audit
- Oct 17 - WC 03-109 - USTelecom Comments - AT&T Request for Review of USAC Audit
2008