Today, the FCC released its 6th Order on Reconsideration of the USF/ICC Transformation Order. WTA and NTCA issued a joint press release in response.
Announcements
USDA Secretary Vilsack Meets with FCC Chairman Genachowski about USF/ICC Reform
On February 15th, Secretary of Agriculture Tom Vilsack met with FCC Chairman Genachowski to make recommendations to facilitate broadband build-out in rural America. Secretary Vilsack made the following recommendations:
- Create a separate Connect America Fund for Rate of Return Carriers
- Include unused CAF Phase 1 support in Phase 2 for use by rural price-cap carriers
- Adjust the regression analysis to “correct the structural and data integrity concerns of rural carriers and apply the caps incrementally”
- Defer adoption of FNPRM items until the impact of current caps are fully implemented into rural carrier business plans
- Modify and expand the waiver process
FCC Releases NPRM on Call Completion
Today, the FCC released a Notice of Proposed Rulemaking seeking comment on rules to help “address problems in the completion of long-distance telephone calls to rural customers.” Comments are due 30 days after the NPRM is published in the Federal Register. Reply comments are due 15 days later.
WTA, NTCA and NECA issued a press release.
The Critical Need for USF Contributions Reform
This week, WTA released a brief report highlighting the need and rational for engaging in contributions reform by expanding the base of contributors to the Universal Service Fund.
Letter to President Obama
View Video Message
Dear Mr. President:
Rural Telephone/Nex-Tech, Lenora, Kansas, is in the final months of completing its $101 million broadband expansion project in western Kansas, as a successful applicant in the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA) program. While we are proud to provide broadband service to individuals, businesses and institutions in a 9,300 square mile sparsely populated rural area, we have ambivalent feelings concerning our future ability to build and maintain broadband and modern telecommunication services in light of the recent FCC policy decisions that will drastically impact our company and other high-cost rural providers like us. Read More →