The release of the National Broadband Plan in March 2010 initiated a series of changes, reforms, and modernizations to the USF High Cost Program. The materials on this webpage are designed to serve as a resource – providing you with information on actions by the FCC and the advocacy and outreach efforts of WTA to ensure Americans living in rural areas continue to receive high-quality advanced communications services.
Modernization of ACAM/CAF-BLS
- WTA Notice of Ex Parte – filed March 2, 2023
- WTA Notice of Ex Parte – filed November 4, 2022
- WTA Notice of Ex Parte – filed September 1, 2022
- WTA Notice of Ex Parte – filed August 18, 2022
Notice of Proposed Rulemaking on ACAM Broadband Coalition Petition – adopted May 19, 2022
- WTA comments on NPRM – filed July 18, 2022
- WTA reply comments on NPRM – filed August 1, 2022
Alaska Plan Modernization – 2023
- ATA Petition for Rulemaking – filed January 4, 2023
- WTA Comments in support of ATA Petition – filed February 23, 2023
Notice of Inquiry on the Future of USF – adopted December 15, 2021
- FCC Report on the Future of USF – released August 15, 2022
- WTA comments on NOI – filed February 17, 2022
- WTA reply comments on NOI – filed March 17, 2022
2021-23 Budget Control Mechanism
- WTA Notice of Ex Parte – filed March 2, 2023
- FCC Order waiving BCM – adopted May 9, 2022
- WTA Notice of Ex Parte – filed April 29, 2022
- FCC Order waiving BCM – adopted June 3, 2021
- WTA Notice of Ex Parte – filed June 1, 2021
- WTA Notice of Ex Parte – filed October 15, 2020
- WTA Notice of Ex Parte – filed June 1, 2020
Notice of Proposed Rulemaking on Rural Digital Opportunity Fund (RDOF) – adopted August 1, 2019
- WTA comments on NPRM – filed September 20, 2019
- WTA reply comments on NPRM – filed October 21, 2019
- Public Notice on bidding procedures for RDOF – released March 2, 2020
- WTA comments on Public Notice – filed March 27, 2020
- Industry letter to Congress on ETC designation – sent July 29, 2020
- WTA letter contesting LDT claims – filed May 6, 2021
Notice of Proposed Rulemaking on Capping USF – adopted May 15, 2019
- WTA comments on NPRM – filed July 29, 2019
- WTA reply comments on NPRM – filed August 26, 2019
Report, Order and Further Notice of Proposed Rulemaking on USF High Cost Budget – adopted December 12, 2018 (establishing new model offer for ACAM carriers and model offer for cost-based carriers, increasing budget for cost-based carriers and increasing deployment speeds, seeking comment on competitive overlap, Tribal areas, and standalone broadband conversion)
- WTA comments on FNPRM – filed March 9, 2019
- WTA reply comments on FNPRM – filed April 5, 2019
Order on Network Performance Testing – adopted July 6, 2018
- WTA ex parte meeting with Chairman Pai’s staff – September 5, 2018
- WTA Application for Review of Order – filed September 19, 2018
- WTA ex parte meeting with Wireline Competition Bureau – April 2, 2019
- WTA letter on reducing burdens of testing – filed April 17, 2019
- WTA ex parte meeting with Wireline Competition Bureau – July 10, 2019
- WTA ex parte meeting with Commissioner staff – October 15, 2019
- Order on Reconsideration of network performance testing – adopted October 25, 2019
Report, Order and Notice of Proposed Rulemaking on USF Budget – adopted March 14, 2018 (clarifying eligible expenses, mitigating effects of Budget Control Mechanism (BCM), seeking comment High Cost Program budget, new model offers, and more)
- WTA comments on NPRM – filed May 25, 2018
- WTA reply comments on NPRM – filed June 27, 2018
Order and Further Notice of Proposed Rulemaking on ACAM – adopted December 19, 2016 (adding $50 million annually to the budget for ACAM, seeking comment further expanding ACAM budget)
- WTA comments on FNPRM – filed February 13, 2017
- WTA letter to FCC on ACAM funding – filed November 11, 2016
Alaska Plan – adopted August 23, 2016 Report and Order, Order, Order on Reconsideration and Further Notice of Proposed Rulemaking – adopted March 23, 2016 (establishing voluntary model for RoR carriers, standalone broadband support, cap-ex and op-ex limits, budgetary controls, and more)
- WTA comments on FNPRM – filed May 12, 2016
- WTA Petition for Reconsideration of March Order – filed May 25, 2016
- WTA reply comments on FNPRM – filed June 13, 2016
- Public Notice on initial ACAM offers – released August 3, 2016
- Public Notice on initial ACAM acceptance and second ACAM offers – released December 20, 2016
- Public Notice on second ACAM offer acceptance – released January 24, 2017
Omnibus Order, Seventh Order on Reconsideration, and Further Notice of Proposed Rulemaking – adopted April 23, 2014 (establishing CAF Phase II bidding process, eliminating support in 100% competitive overlap areas, seeking comment on standalone broadband, model-based support, CBM, race-to-the-top, rate floor, Mobility Fund, and more)
- Rural Associations’ comments on USF FNPRM – filed August 8, 2014
- Rural Associations’ reply comments on USF FNPRM – filed September 8, 2014
Public Notice on Standalone Broadband – released May 16, 2013
- Rural Associations’ comments on standalone broadband – filed June 17, 2013
Further Notice and Proposed Rulemaking on USF Contributions Reform – adopted April 27, 2012
- Rural Associations’ comments on Contributions Reform FNPRM – filed July 9, 2012
- Rural Associations’ reply comments on Contributions Reform FNPRM – filed August 6, 2012
Report and Order and Further Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (USF/ICC Transformation Order) – adopted October 27, 2011 (establishing a HCP budget, CAF Phase I and II, limits on funding for rate-of-return areas, Mobility Fund, RAF, and ICC reforms, as well as seeking comment on RoR Represcription, unsubsidized competitors, cap-ex and op-ex limits using regression analysis, and more)
- Order on Reconsideration – adopted December 23, 2011
- Rural Associations’ Petition for Reconsideration of Transformation Order – filed December 29, 2011
- Rural Associations’ comments on HCP portion of Transformation Order – filed January, 18, 2012
- Rural Associations’ reply comments on HCP portion of Transformation Order – filed February 17, 2012
- Rural Associations’ comments on ICC portion of Transformation Order – filed February 24, 2012
- Rural Associations’ reply comments on ICC portion of Transformation Order – filed March 30, 2012
- Second Order on Reconsideration – adopted April 24, 2012
- Regression Analysis Order – adopted April 25, 2012
- Rural Associations’ Application for Review of regression caps – filed May 25, 2012
- Third Order on Reconsideration – adopted May 31, 2012
- Fourth Order on Reconsideration – adopted July 18, 2012
- Fifth Order on Reconsideration – adopted November 13, 2012
- Public Notice on CAF RAF – released January 17, 2013
- Rural Associations’ comments on RAF – filed February 19, 2013
- Sixth Order on Reconsideration – adopted January 31, 2013
- Public Notice on Rate-of-Return Represcription – released May 16, 2013
- Rural Associations’ comments on RoR Represcription – filed July 25, 2013
Public Notice and Further Inquiry – released August 3, 2011 (seeking comment on ABC and RLEC plan)
- Rural Associations’ comments on Further Inquiry- filed August 24, 2011
- Rural Associations’ reply comments on Further Inquiry – filed September 6, 2011
Notice of Proposed Rulemaking and Further Notice of Proposed Rulemaking – adopted February 8, 2011 (seeking comment on transitioning the traditional HCP to the CAF and intercarrier compensation from per-minute rates to explicit support from CAF)
- Rural Associations’ comments on near-term ICC aspects of NPRM/FNPRM – filed April 1, 2011
- Rural Associations’ reply comments on near-term ICC aspects of NPRM/FNPRM – filed April 18, 2011
- Rural Associations’ comments on HCP aspects of NPRM/FNPRM – filed April 18, 2011
- Rural Associations’ reply comments on HCP aspects of NPRM/FNPRM – filed May 23, 2011
- Industry letter on ABC Plan and RLEC plan – filed July 29, 2011
Notice of Inquiry and Notice of Proposed Rulemaking – adopted April 21, 2020 (seeking comment on use of a model and auctions for HCP distribution and methods to reduce inefficient spending in legacy HCP)
- Rural Associations’ comments on NOI/NPRM – filed July 12, 2010
- Rural Associations’ reply comments on NOI/NPRM – filed August 12, 2010
National Broadband Plan – released March 17, 2010
- WTA comments on National Broadband Plan proposal – filed July 8, 2009
- WTA reply comments on National Broadband Plan proposal – filed January 27, 2010
