USF
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FCC Broadband Plan: USF to Fund 4 Mbps Broadband
3/15/10 at 10:21 AM by Bernie Arnason
The details of the FCC’s national broadband plan are trickling out. The actual plan will be unveiled tomorrow at an FCC open meeting and delivered to Congress on March 17th. The creation of the plan was mandated by the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of ...
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FCC Proposes New USF Focused Broadband Approach
3/8/10 at 9:45 AM by Bernie Arnason
The universal service fund (USF) has a legacy of bringing phone service to all parts of the country. The shift to wireless and broadband/IP as primary means for communication is putting strains on this support system, as more consumers leave traditional TDM voice service behind for ...
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FCC’s National Broadband Plan May Cost $25 Billion
3/2/10 at 11:10 PM by Bernie Arnason
In about two weeks the FCC is scheduled to deliver a national broadband plan to Congress. The American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 mandated that the FCC author the plan, with the idea that the billions of dollars ...
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Rural Cable Weighs in on Universal Service Fund Reform
12/9/09 at 11:05 AM by Andrew Burger
With the FCC due to update Congress in February on efforts to craft a National Broadband Plan, the American Cable Association (ACA) yesterday became the latest telecom industry lobbying group to ...
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NCTA Urges USF Reform, Says $2 Billion is Wasted
11/6/09 at 8:50 AM by Andrew Burger
The National Cable & Telecommunications Association, the cable industry's main lobbying concern, is urging the FCC to revamp Universal Service Fund rates and spending, claiming "that as much as $2 billion in government funding is being used to subsidize telephone companies in ...
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How Many Broadband Providers Are Enough?
8/5/09 at 3:21 PM by Bernie Arnason
Can Abilene, Lubbock, and Wichita Falls, Texas support multiple WiMAX providers, not to mention competing wireline broadband services? We’re about to find out. When Clearwire announced their expansion into ten new markets, the list included Abilene, Lubbock, and Wichita Falls, Texas.
Problem is, as Information Week ...
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Looks Like USF Reform Delayed Until Next Year
12/3/08 at 8:45 AM by Telecompetitor  Anticipation has been building for the past few months about universal service fund (USF) and intercarrier compensation (ICC) reform. The FCC was originally set to vote on historic changes to the multi-billion dollar telecom settlement process this past Election Day. The debate was then delayed to December 18th. Now December 18th looks unlikely, since the FCC just extended the public ...
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Rural Wireless Carriers Want USF Back
9/3/08 at 10:16 PM by Telecompetitor  Several rural wireless carriers and the Rural Cellular Association have asked a federal court to review the FCC interim universal service fund (USF) cap ruling affecting eligible telecommunications carriers (ETCs). The cap temporarily prevents ETCs from dipping into the USF. ETCs are a relatively new phenomenon, and before the cap, their “eligibility” allowed them to receive comparable USF subsidies to the wireline ...
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Interim USF Cap May Slow Wireless Substitution in Rural Areas
5/3/08 at 11:00 PM by Telecompetitor  The FCC recently instituted an interim cap on universal service funding (USF) for competitive eligible telecommunication carriers (CETCs). CETCs are primarily wireless carriers who have qualified for USF subsidies. These subsidies have been somewhat of a catalyst for building out wireless infrastructure in rural areas. The CETC issue has created controversy because CETCs have been getting USF support based on the costs of the incumbent wireline ...
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TracFone Eligible for USF in Ten States
4/14/08 at 10:06 PM by Telecompetitor  TracFone, the leading provider of prepaid wireless in the U.S. has gained eligibility for USF subsidies in ten states. The FCC stated the goal of this move is to target low income consumers, with a "wireless Lifeline" type program. The approved states include Alabama, Connecticut, Delaware, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, New York, North Carolina, Pennsylvania, Tennessee and Virginia. The District of Columbia was also approved. Their eligibility ...
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