 Universal
Service
The goals of Universal Service, as mandated by the 1996 Act, are to:
- Promote the availability of quality services at just, reasonable
and affordable rates for all consumers
- Increase nationwide access to advanced telecommunications services
- Advance the availability of such services to all consumers, including
those in low income, rural, insular, and high cost areas at rates that
are reasonably comparable to those charged in urban areas
- Increase access to telecommunications and advanced services in schools,
libraries and rural health care facilities
- Provide equitable and non-discriminatory contributions from all providers
of telecommunications services to the fund supporting universal service
programs
The Commission established four programs to fulfill these goals. They
are:
These programs are funded by the Universal Service Fund. Telecommunications
providers must contribute to the fund through an assessment on
their interstate and international revenues. The Commission appointed
the Universal Service Administrative Company, or USAC, to administer
the four programs and the Universal Service Fund.
Detailed statistical information about the Universal Service Fund is
available in the annual Monitoring
Report.
HEADLINES
8/27/08
Sacred Wind Communications, Inc. And Qwest
Corporation: In this order, WCB grants Sacred Wind's request to
extend the timing of our previously granted waiver of sections 36.611
and 36.612, permitting Sacred Wind to receive immediate high-cost loop
support based on projected costs, subject to true-up, to the end of 2008.
Sacred Wind requests this extension because approval of the transaction
by the New Mexico Public Regulatory Commission was delayed until December
15, 2006, which resulted in only 15 days of network costs during calendar
year 2006 (actual costs for 2006 are the basis for 2008 high-cost support
payments).
Order: Word | Acrobat
8/26/08
Waterway Communication System, LLC and Mobex
Network Services, LLC: In this order, WCB denies a request for
review filed by Maritime Communications/Land Mobile, LLC (Maritime) on
behalf of Waterway Communication System, LLC (Waterway) and Mobex Network
Services, LLC (Mobex). Maritime seeks review of USAC’s decision denying
Watercom’s and Mobex’s request for refund of $1.3 million in USF contributions.
Maritime asserts that the Commission’s rules do not require maritime
radio service providers to contribute to USF, and that USAC should, therefore,
refund the monies Watercom and Mobex previously paid into the USF.
Order: Word | Acrobat
8/26/08
Level 3 Form 499A: The Wireline Competition
Bureau seeks comment on a request filed by Level 3 seeking review of
a decision by USAC, or, in the alternative, a petition for waiver to
expedite processing of Level 3’s revised 2007 FCC Form 499-A filing.
Level 3 also filed a petition seeking a stay of USAC’s decision to calculate
Level 3’s annual true-up amount based on its original FCC Form 499-A
filing. Level 3 also filed a motion for waiver of public notice. Comments
are due September 10, 2008, and reply comments are due September 17,
2008.
Public Notice: Word | Acrobat
8/25/08
WCB Grants WeavTel Petition for Waiver of
USF Filing Deadline: In this order, the Wireline Competition Bureau
grants Westgate Communications LLC d/b/a WeavTel waiver of a filing deadline
required by section 54.903(a) of the Commission's rules to allow WeavTel
to receive universal service high-cost support.
Order: Word | Acrobat
8/20/08
Compass Global, Inc.: The Wireline
Competition Bureau seeks comment on a request filed by Compass Global,
Inc. seeking review and reversal of a decision by USAC, in which USAC
found that Compass Global had failed to timely file revisions to its
2005 and 2006 FCC Forms 499-A. Comments are due September 19, 2008, and
reply comments are due October 6, 2008.
Public Notice: Word | Acrobat
8/20/08
High-Cost Support Filing Waiver Petitions: The
Wireline Competition Bureau seeks comment on petitions for waiver of
filing deadlines submitted by H&B Cable Service, Inc.; Flat Rock Telephone
Co-op, Inc.; Western New Mexico Telephone Company, Inc.; Yukon Telephone
Company, Inc.; Windstream Communications, Inc.; and Northern New England
Telephone Operation LLC and Telephone Operating Company of Vermont LLC
(FairPoint Communications). Comments on the petitions are due September
19, 2008, and reply comments are due October 6, 2008.
Public Notice: Word | Acrobat
8/20/08
Comment Cycle for Eligible Service List: The
Wireline Competition Bureau announces that the summary for the Eligible
Services List NPRM has been published in the Federal Register. Comments
are due September 18, 2008, and reply comments are due October 3, 2008.
Public Notice: Word | Acrobat
8/14/08
Inter-Tel, Inc. Reconsideration Order: The
Wireline Competition Bureau grants a petition for reconsideration filed
by Inter-Tel, Inc. (Inter-Tel), seeking partial reconsideration of the
Approach Learning Order. In that order, the Bureau addressed several
appeals of USAC decisions relating to alleged violations of the Commission's
competitive bidding requirements under the E-rate program. On reconsideration,
the Bureau finds that the relief extended in the Approach Learning Order
applies to any work that Inter-Tel had not yet performed for funding
request numbers 764333, 764346, 764341, 764340.
Order on Reconsideration: Word | Acrobat
8/12/08
United States Cellular Corporation: The
Wireline Competition Bureau seeks comment on a petition filed by United
States Cellular Corporation to amend its eligible telecommunications
carrier (ETC) designation in Tennessee. Comments are due September 11,
2008 and reply comments are due September 26, 2008.
Public Notice: Word | Acrobat
8/12/08
Savannah R-III School District: In
this order, the Telecommunications Access Policy Division grants a request
for review filed by Savannah R-III School District (Savannah) for E-rate
Funding Years 2003, 2004 and 2005, finding that Savannah demonstrated
that on-premise satellite equipment was properly classified as Internet
access for purposes of E-rate funding.
Order: Word | Acrobat
8/8/08
Airband Communications, Inc.: The Wireline
Competition Bureau seeks comment on Airband Communications, Inc.'s request
for review of a universal service fund contribution decision by the Universal
Service Administrative Company. Comments are due September 8, 2008, and
reply comments are due September 23, 2008.
Public Notice: Word | Acrobat
8/8/08
InterCall, Inc.: The Wireline Competition
Bureau seeks comment on Global Conference Partners, A+ Conferencing Ltd.,
Free Conferencing Corporation, and The Conference Group's petitions for
reconsideration and clarification of the Commission's InterCall Order.
Comments are due September 8, 2008, and reply comments are due September
22, 2008.
Public Notice: Word | Acrobat
8/7/08
Virgin Mobile USA, L.P.: The Wireline
Competition Bureau grants the Massachusetts Department of Telecommunications
and Cable's motion for a 21-day extension of the deadlines for filing
comments and reply comments in response to Virgin Mobile's petition seeking
limited eligible telecommunications carrier (ETC) designation in Massachusetts.
Comments are due August 21, 2008, and reply comments are due September
5, 2008.
Order: Word | Acrobat
8/6/08
IDT Request for Review Public Notice: The
Wireline Competition Bureau seeks comment on IDT Corporation and IDT
Telecom’s request for review of a universal service fund contribution
decision by the Universal Service Administrative Company. Comments are
due September 5, 2008, and reply comments are due September 22, 2008.
Public Notice: Word | Acrobat
8/5/08
Low-Income USF Support Certification Public
Notice: The Wireline Competition Bureau reminds eligible telecommunications
carriers (ETCs) that, by September 2, 2008, an ETC in a state with its
own state-based low-income universal service program must submit a certification,
signed by an officer of the company, to USAC attesting that the ETC has
complied with the state verification procedures. All ETCs in federal
default states must also submit their annual Lifeline verification survey
results to USAC by September 2, 2008.
Public Notice: Word | Acrobat | Text
8/1/08
Mid-Com Request for Review Public Notice: Mid-Communications,
Inc. (Mid-Com) requests review of a decision by USAC to adjust Mid-Com's
local switching support retroactively for calendar year 2006. Comments
on the request are due September 2, 2008, and reply comments are due
September 17, 2008.
Public Notice: Word | Acrobat | Text
7/31/08
Funding Year 2009 Eligible Services List Public
Notice: The Commission seeks comment on USAC's proposed E-rate
eligible services list for funding year 2009. Comments are due August
14, 2008, and reply comments are due August 21, 2008.
Public Notice: Word | Acrobat
7/31/08
E-Rate Eligible Services Notice of Proposed
Rulemaking: The Commission seeks comment on changes to the eligible
services list for E-rate universal service support. Comments on the notice
of proposed rulemaking will be due 30 days after its publication in the
Federal Register, and reply comments will be due 45 days after publication
in the Federal Register.
NPRM: Word | Acrobat
7/31/08
SADDLEBACK et al. ANNUAL ETC REPORT FILING
WAIVER ORDER
In this order, the Wireline Competition Bureau (Bureau) grants petitions
for waiver filed by Saddleback Communications (Saddleback), Pine Belt
Cellular, Inc. (Pine Belt), and IT&E Overseas, Inc, (IT&E) seeking waiver
of the annual eligible telecommunications carrier (ETC) filing deadlines
set forth in section 54.209(b) of the Commission’s rules for 2006
and 2007. The Bureau also grants a petition for waiver filed by Gila
River Telecommunications, Inc. (Gila River) seeking waiver of the annual
ETC filing deadline for 2006. Finally, the Bureau grants Gila River’s
petition for waiver of the 2007 annual ETC filing deadline, but denies
Gila River's request for a prospective waiver of section 54.209 for all
future annual ETC filings.
Order: Word | Acrobat
7/28/08
Notice of Rural Health Care Pilot Program
Quarterly Report Filing Deadline: The Wireline Competition Bureau
announces the July 30, 2008 filing deadline for Rural Health Care Pilot
Program quarterly reports.
Public Notice: Word | Acrobat | Text
7/28/08
NEP Cellcorp ETC Public Notice: NEP
Cellcorp, Inc. (NEP) asks the Commission to amend its decision to deny
NEP’s request for eligible telecommunications carrier (ETC) designation
in the rural study area of North-Eastern Pennsylvania Telephone Company.
Comments are due August 27, 2008 and reply comments are due September
11, 2008.
Public Notice: Word | Acrobat | Text
7/17/08
Audio Bridging FCC Form 499-Q Filing Date
Public Notice: The Wireline Competition Bureau provides notice
of the August 1st FCC Form 499-Q filing date for audio bridging service
providers, pursuant to the InterCall Order.
Public Notice: Word | Acrobat | Text
7/17/08
Public Notice: The Wireline Competition
Bureau seeks comment on a petition filed by Achieve Telecom Networks
seeking review and reversal of a decision by USAC in which USAC denied
Achieve's request to accept its amended FCC Form 499-Q. Comments on the
petition are due August 11, 2008 and reply comments are due August 25,
2008.
Public Notice: Word | Acrobat | Text
7/8/08
Public Notice: The Wireline Competition
Bureau seeks comment on a petition filed by Sage Telecom, Inc. and Sage
Telecom of Texas, L.P., seeking waiver of the requirement that USAC calculate
the universal service annual contribution true-up for under-projections
based on the average of the two highest contribution factors, and that
USAC calculate the true-up for over-projections based on the average
of the two lowest contribution factors. Comments on the petition are
due August 7, 2008 and reply comments are due August 21, 2008.
Public Notice: Word | Acrobat | Text
7/1/08
Virgin Mobile Massachusetts ETC Petition Public
Notice: The Wireline Competition Bureau seeks comment on a petition
filed by Virgin Mobile USA, L.P. (Virgin Mobile) for a limited designation
as an eligible telecommunications carrier in Massachusetts. Virgin Mobile
is seeking eligibility for Lifeline universal service support only. Comments
on the petition are due July 31, 2008 and reply comments are due August
15, 2008.
Virgin Mobile Massachusetts ETC Petition Public Notice: Word | Acrobat | Text
6/30/08
InterCall, Inc.: In this order, the
FCC denies in part and grants in part a request for review filed by InterCall,
Inc. of a Universal Service Administrative Company decision finding that
the audio bridging services offered by InterCall are “toll teleconferencing” services
and that InterCall must contribute directly to the universal service
fund based on revenues from these services.
Intercall, Inc.: Word | Acrobat
6/26/08
Aventure Communication Technology, LLC: The
Wireline Competition Bureau, based on the unique circumstances presented,
grants an appeal filed by Aventure Communication Technology, LLC requesting
reversal of a decision by USAC to reject a late-filed revision to its
FCC Form 499-Q.
Aventure Communication Technology, LLC: Word | Acrobat
6/23/08
E-rate Rollover Public Notice: The
Wireline Competition Bureau announces that $600 million in unused funds
will be carried forward from Funding Years 2002, 2003, and 2004 to increase
the disbursements to schools and libraries in Funding Year 2008 in excess
of the annual cap.
E-rate Rollover Public Notice: Word | Acrobat
6/19/08
InterCall USAC Abeyance Letter: The
Wireline Competition Bureau directed USAC to hold in abeyance until July
1, 2008 its universal service contribution decision regarding InterCall,
Inc.
Intercall USAC Abeyance Letter: Word | Acrobat
6/17/08
Public Notice: Northwest Iowa Telephone
Company: The Wireline Competition Bureau seeks comment on a petition
filed by Northwest Iowa Telephone Company for waiver of a filing deadline
required by section 54.301(e)(1) of the Commission's rules for receipt
of universal service support. Comments on the petition are due July 17,
2008 and reply comments are due August 1, 2008.
Public Notice: Word | Acrobat
6/13/08
Order: Arkansas Department of Information
Systems E-Rate Order (Arkansas DIS): The Telecommunications Access Policy
Division grants two requests for review filed by the Arkansas DIS, seeking
review of decisions by USAC denying E-rate funding for Funding Years
2004 and 2005 for failure to timely submit FCC Forms 471, 486 or 472.
Order: Word | Acrobat
6/10/08
Order: Competitive ETC Interim Cap
Erratum: The Telecommunications Access Policy Division released an erratum
correcting a May 1, 2008 order, which capped high-cost universal service
support to competitive eligible telecommunications carriers.
Order: Word | Acrobat
6/10/08
Public Notice: The Wireline Competition
Bureau seeks comment on two Requests for Review filed by Lake Delton
Urgent Care and Franciscan Skemp Prairie du Chien Clinic that seek review
of decisions of USAC. USAC’s decisions reduced the applicants'
Rural Health Care funding requests for Funding Year 2006. Comments on
the requests are due July 10, 2008, and reply comments are due July 25,
2008.
Public Notice: Word | Acrobat
6/6/08
Public Notice: Palmerton/Northeastern
Pennsylvania Telephone Company Waiver: The Wireline Competition Bureau
seeks comment on a petition filed by Palmerton Telephone Company and
Northeastern Pennsylvania Telephone Company for waiver of a filing deadline
required by section 54.301(e)(1) of the Commission’s rules for
receipt of universal service funds. Comments on the requests are due
July 7, 2008, and reply comments are due July 22, 2008.
Public Notice: Word | Acrobat
6/4/08
Order: Cox Communications, Inc.: The
Wireline Competition Bureau grants an appeal filed by Cox Communications,
Inc., requesting reversal of a decision by USAC to disallow Cox’s
use of VoIP revenue allocation methodology to determine interstate revenues
for universal service contribution purposes.
Public Notice: Word | Acrobat
|
