The U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit recently ruled in a closely divided 9-7 en banc decision that the Federal Communications Commission’s (FCC) method of funding the Universal Service Fund (USF) is an...more
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
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 May 30, 2023, the Wireline Competition Bureau (WCB), in an Order (DA 23-460) on its own motion, granted a limited, one-time waiver to a number of Lifeline subscribers...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 February 28, 2023, in the School and Libraries docket, CC Docket No. 02-6, and in the Contribution Methodology docket, WC Docket No. 06-122, the Wireline Competition Bureau (WCB) issued a Public Notice (DA...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 November 30, 2022, in the School and Libraries docket, CC Docket No. 02-6, in the Emergency Connectivity Fund, WC Docket No. 21-93, in the Contribution Methodology docket, WC Docket No. 06-122, and in the...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 - 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 April 4, 2022, the transition from the Data Universal Numbering System (DUNS) number to the Unique Entity Identifier (UEI) took place. The FCC via Public Notice...more
Recent News - General (Including Non-USF Programs) - March 17 marked the deadline to file reply comments in the Report on the Future of the Universal Service Fund proceeding....more
The FCC released a streamlined agenda for its next Commission Open Meeting, scheduled for December 14, 2021. The agency will consider a Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (“NPRM”) and Notice of Inquiry regarding how to improve 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
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 delay. So far,...more
Kelley Drye is proud to present our 12th Annual Update on federal Universal Service Fund (USF) developments. Please join us on March 22, 2021 for Kelley Drye’s annual webinar discussing the state of the federal Universal...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
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