WTA Urges Full Funding for Universal Service

WTA has filed comments with the FCC seeking full funding of the Alternative-Connect America Model (A-CAM) and modified legacy rate-of-return universal service funding mechanisms. The FCC previously reduced A-CAM support and rural broadband deployment obligations as a result of insufficient funding and has imposed an approximately 9% haircut in the first half of 2017 for carriers remaining on legacy rate-of-return regulation.  WTA’s comments urged the FCC to restore A-CAM funding to $200 per location, eliminate the budget control mechanism applicable to rate-of-return carriers, and implement an annual inflationary adjustment similar to that received by other USF programs.