NTCA–The Rural Broadband Association issued the following statement from Chief Executive Officer Shirley Bloomfield on the FCC’s report to Congress on the future of the Universal Service Fund (USF):
“As more grant programs are established to deploy broadband networks, we cannot forget that it is equally important to sustain those networks once they are deployed and keep services affordable. The Universal Service Fund was established to ensure that all Americans—regardless of where they live—have sustainable, affordable access to telecommunications services, allowing consumers in rural Montana to have comparable services to those in Washington, D.C. I thank the commission for acknowledging the importance of the USF in the wake of significant new deployment grant programs and for affirming the fund’s constitutionality and enduring goals of providing affordable and equitable access for all.
“I also appreciate the commission’s consideration of how to stabilize the funding mechanism that supports the USF program from skyrocketing costs, including by assessing broadband access revenues as proposed in the USForward report presented by NTCA, INCOMPAS and the Schools, Health & Libraries Broadband (SHLB) Coalition and supported by 332 public interest groups, communications companies, anchor institutions, and consumers. Given the importance of immediate reform and that the commission has the authority to assess broadband revenues now, there is no need for the FCC to wait for additional authority from Congress to start reforming USF. We cannot let ‘the perfect be the enemy of the better’ given how dire the situation is for families who depend on affordable connectivity, and now is the time for the commission to act using its existing authority so Americans can continue to enjoy the benefits of connectivity for many years to come.”
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NTCA–The Rural Broadband Association is the premier association representing nearly 850 independent, community-based telecommunications companies that are leading innovative change in smart rural communities across America. In an era of transformative technological developments, regulatory challenges and marketplace competition, NTCA members are advancing efforts to close the digital divide by delivering robust and high-quality services over future-proof networks. Their commitment to building sustainable networks makes rural communities fertile ground for innovation in economic development, e-commerce, health care, agriculture and education, and it contributes billions of dollars to the U.S. economy each year. Visit us at www.ntca.org.