FCC Seeks Comment on Universal Service Fund and Intercarrier Compensation

The FCC is seeking additional public comment on universal service and intercarrier compensation (ICC) policies that should be part of its forthcoming National Broadband Plan.


The universal service fund (USF) currently consists of high-cost, low-income (including the Lifeline and Link Up programs), schools and libraries (the E-rate program) and rural health
care support mechanisms. The FCC asks whether the size of funding for each support mechanism is appropriate to achieve the objective of universalization of broadband?
Also under consideration is whether the FCC should modify the current methodology for assessing contributions to the universal service fund.


The FCC is also interested in whether reductions in current levels of universal service high-cost support and/or intercarrier compensation would jeopardize some carrier's ability to continue to serve customers and advance the deployment of next generation broadband-capable networks.


Comments are due by December 7, 2009.
http://www.fcc.govhttp://www.fcc.gov/cgb/ecfs/