RECENT NEWS - General - On March 2, 2024, in the School and Libraries docket, CC Docket No. 02-6, in the Emergency Connectivity Fund (ECF) Program docket, WC Docket No. 21-93, in the Contribution Methodology docket, WC...more
Lifeline/ Affordable Connectivity Program (ACP) - On February 29, 2024, the FCC announced in a News Release the results of a survey of ACP participants. The survey found that 68% of respondents had inconsistent...more
General - • On August 24, 2023, the Wireline Competition Bureau (WCB) issued a Public Notice (DA 23-753) seeking nominations for six positions on the Board of Directors for the Universal Service Administrative Company...more
Lifeline / Affordable Connectivity Program (ACP) - • On April 28, 2023, Universal Service Administrative Company (USAC) announced the annual recertification for Lifeline subscribers. Starting May 1, 2023, and continuing...more
General - On March 24, 2023, in Consumers’ Research v. FCC, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit issued a Decision (No. 22-60008) upholding the constitutionality of Congress’s delegation of administration of...more
General - • On January 31, 2023, in the School and Libraries docket, CC Docket No. 02-6, in the Emergency Connectivity Fund (ECF) program docket, WC Docket No. 21-93, in the Rural Health Care (RHC) program docket, WC...more
General - • On December 23, 2022, FCC Chairwoman Rosenworcel named six members of the Board of Directors of the Universal Service Administrative Company (USAC) in a Public Notice (DA 22-1365....more
General - • On October 31, 2022, in the School and Libraries docket, CC Docket No. 02-6, WC Docket No. 06-122, in the RHC Program docket, WC Docket No. 02-60, in the Connected Care Pilot Program docket, WC Docket No....more
General - • On September 30, 2022, the Office of Chairwoman Rosenworcel issued a statement on Hurricane Ian, describing http://www.fcc.gov/ian as the centralize location for FCC information relating to the hurricane....more
RECENT NEWS - Upcoming Action - Under the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (Section 60104(c)), by the middle of August 2022 (270 days after the November 15th date of enactment), the FCC is required to issue a...more
Recent News - Lifeline / Affordable Connectivity Program (ACP) - • On May 25, 2022, the WCB released a Public Notice (DC 22-569) seeking comment on petition filed by Blue Casa Telephone, LLC requesting a waiver of the...more
Recent News - General (Including Non-USF Programs) - On September 27, the FCC’s Wireline Competition Bureau (WCB) announced via Public Notice (DA 21-1207) that the application filing window for the Secure and Trusted...more
Recent News - General (Including Non-USF Programs) - On August 20, the FCC’s Wireline Competition Bureau (WCB) issued a Public Notice (DA 21-1027) seeking nominations for six board member positions on Universal Service...more
ECF Summary - On May 10, 2021, the FCC unanimously adopted final rules in a Report and Order to implement the $7.17 billion Emergency Connectivity Fund Program (ECF Program or Fund). The ECF Program is a fund that enables...more
Commentary - In March, the FCC and USAC worked hard to stand up the first of three pandemic-related special programs, the Emergency Broadband Benefit Program (EBBP). Rules for the $3.2 billion EBBP were adopted in February...more
Commentary - 2021 is well underway and the new leadership at the FCC is taking shape. While we don’t yet know who will fill the Chair on a permanent basis, the FCC under Acting Chairwoman Rosenworcel is proceeding without...more
Looking Ahead to the New Administration - With the election behind us, this month we will preview some of the possible changes Universal Service could see in the Biden administration. First, and most significantly, we...more
Recent News - Contributions - On October 9, 2020, the FCC released an Order (FCC-20-142) further addressing the treatment of private line revenues under the USF program. The FCC affirmed the 2017 Private Line Order, in...more
Recent News - General - On September 14, 2020, the FCC’s Office of Managing Director (OMD) issued a Public Notice (DA 20-1075) announcing that the proposed universal service contribution factor for the fourth quarter...more
Commentary - As we were finalizing this month’s Tracker, USAC held its quarterly board meeting for July. This is the second quarterly board meeting to be held since the COVID-19 restrictions were implemented and USAC...more
Commentary - Over three months into the coronavirus-related disruptions, the Universal Service Fund seems to be settling in to a new normal. The FCC acted quickly in March to waive many rules and extend deadlines. These...more
COMMENTARY - On March 10, Kelley Drye held its Annual webinar on the state of the Universal Service Fund. We gave an overview of trends in the Fund, discussed the importance of creating an ethics and compliance plan ahead...more
COMMENTARY - We were tempted to title this edition “RDOF Takes Off,” as this is the biggest USF news of the month. The Rural Digital Opportunity Fund is the latest in the FCC’s attempts to revamp the High Cost program to...more
COMMENTARY - Our first USF Tracker of 2020 follows an uptick in FCC activity affecting the Universal Service Fund. In the last quarter of 2019, the FCC released major orders affecting three of the four programs (E-rate,...more
COMMENTARY - For this month, we want to spotlight the significant new oversight tasks assigned to USAC by the FCC. True, there is plenty under the ordinary administrative function of reviewing and approving applications...more