News - February 14, 2022

USForward: 332 Groups Send Letter to FCC as Pressure Builds to Save Universal Service Fund

WASHINGTON, D.C. (February 14, 2022) – The pressure is building on the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) to save the Universal Service Fund (USF) which provides critical assistance for rural and low-income families seeking affordable internet connectivity, as well as schools, libraries, and rural health care providers. 

Today 332 entities sent a letter to the FCC calling for rapid action to help stabilize the funding mechanism that supports the USF program from skyrocketing costs, poised to reach a staggering 40 percent. The 332 organizations signing the “Call to Action” letter represent a broad and diverse group of stakeholders, including public interest groups, communications companies, anchor institutions, and consumers.

The “Call to Action” letter urges the Commission to expand the services that pay into the USF to include broadband internet access services (BIAS) revenues, pointing out that the FCC has the power to take this action now. As explained in the USForward Report, including BIAS revenues in the contribution base is smart and equitable public policy that the FCC can implement quickly.

“Our recommendation would reduce regulatory uncertainty, would better reflect evolving uses of services, would be straightforward to administer, and would be more equitable and nondiscriminatory for residential and business consumers than the current system. Moreover, the Federal Communications Commission could make this change under its existing authority without requiring new legislation,” the letter states. 

Stating that “the perfect should not be the enemy of the better,” the Call to Action letter makes it clear how dire the situation is for families who depend on affordable connectivity and encourages the FCC to take those reasonable and productive steps it can right now to address these concerns. “Unfortunately, this universal service system is in danger of collapse because the mechanism that funds it has not been updated since it was adopted nearly 25 years ago. As a result, the USF fee has spiraled from about 7% in 2001 to over 30% in 2021 and could exceed 40% in the coming years. The existing system is also inequitable and discriminatory because some consumers pay a disproportionate amount compared to others, even when using similar services,” the letter reads. 

The 332 entities signing onto the USForward Call to Action letter to modernize the USF contribution methodology and sustain the USF for the future include: 

Public Interest Organizations

  • California Emerging Technology Fund, Concord, CA
  • California IT in Education (CITE), Sacramento, CA
  • Communication Workers of America, Washington, DC
  • Gigabit Libraries Network, Sausalito, CA
  • National Digital Inclusion Alliance, Columbus, OH
  • Public Knowledge, Washington, DC
  • Schools, Health & Libraries Broadband (SHLB) Coalition, Washington, DC

Residential and Business Consumer Organizations
  • 2600Hz, San Francisco, CA
  • Ad Hoc Telecom Users Committee
  • Telecom Training Corporation, Nashville, TN

Trade Associations
  • Alaska Telecom Association, Anchorage, AK
  • Albany Mutual Telephone Association, Albany, MN 
  • American Library Association, Chicago, IL
  • Association of TeleServices International (ATSI), Saint Paul, MN
  • Broadband Association of North Dakota, Mandan, ND
  • Chamber of Progress, Washington, DC
  • Cloud Communications Alliance, Delray Beach, FL
  • Colorado Hospital Association, Greenwood Village, CO
  • Colorado Telecommunications Association, Denver, CO
  • Communications Coalition of Kansas, Topeka, KS
  • CoSN, the Consortium for School Networking, Washington, DC
  • Iowa Communications Alliance, West Des Moines, IA
  • INCOMPAS, Washington, DC
  • Indiana Rural Broadband Association, Rochester, IN
  • Information Technology Industry Council (ITI), Washington, DC
  • Kentucky Telecom Association, Frankfort, KY
  • Minnesota Telecom Alliance, St. Paul, MN
  • Montana Telecom Association, Helena, MT
  • NTCA – The Rural Broadband Association, Arlington, VA
  • Rural Wireless Association, Washington, DC
  • South Carolina Telephone and Broadband Association, Columbia, SC
  • South Dakota Telecommunication Association, Pierre, SD 
  • Telecommunications Association of Maine, New Gloucester, ME
  • Tennessee Broadband Association, McMinnville, TN
  • Texas Telephone Association, Austin, TX
  • Urban Libraries Council, Washington, DC
  • Utah Library Association, Salt Lake City, UT
  • Utah Rural Telecom Association, Salt Lake City, UT
  • Voice on the Net Coalition, Washington, DC
  • Wisconsin State Telecommunications Association, Madison, WI
  • WTA – Advocates for Rural Broadband, Washington, DC

Anchor Institutions (Schools, Libraries, Healthcare Providers, etc.)
  • Alaska State Library, Juneau, AK
  • Asbury Park Free Public Library, Asbury Park, NJ
  • Asotin County Library, Clarkston, WA
  • Chief Officers of State Library Agencies (COSLA), Lexington, KY
  • Connections Telehealth Consortium, Bangor, ME
  • Fresno Unified School District, Fresno, CA
  • Friday Institute for Educational Innovation, Raleigh, NC
  • High Desert Education Service District, Redmond, OR
  • Imperial County Office of Education, El Centro, CA
  • Kansas City Public Library, Kansas City, MO
  • New England Telehealth Consortium, Bangor, ME
  • San Jose State University School of Information, San Jose, CA
  • Steamboat Springs School District, Steamboat Springs, CO
  • Utah State Library Division, Salt Lake City, UT
  • Washington State Library, Olympia, WA
  • Westchester Library System, Elmsford, NY

Broadband Service Providers
  • 3 Rivers Communications, Fairfield, MT
  • Alaska Telephone Company, Bettles Telephone, Inc. and North Country Telephone, Inc., Wasilla, AK
  • Alenco Communications, Inc., Joshua, TX
  • Alliance Communications, Garretson, SD
  • Allstream Business US, LLC, Vancouver, WA
  • Amery Telcom, Amery, WI
  • Arctic Slope Telephone Association Cooperative, Inc. , Anchorage, AK
  • ATC Communications, Albion, ID
  • Baca Valley Telephone Co., Inc., Des Moines, NM
  • Ballard Rural Telephone Cooperative Corporation, Inc., La Center, KY
  • BBT, Alpine, TX
  • Beehive Telephone Co., Inc., Nevada, Lake Point, UT
  • BEK Communications Cooperative, Steele, ND
  • Ben Lomand Connect, McMinnville, TN
  • Benkelman Telephone Company, Wauneta Telephone Company, Hartman Telephone Exchanges, Inc., Benkelman, Nebraska
  • Benton Cooperative Tel Co, Rice, MN
  • Beresford Municipal Telephone Company, Beresford, SD
  • Bloomingdale Communications, Inc., Bloomingdale, MI
  • Blue Valley Tele-Communications, Inc., Home, KS
  • BPS Telephone, Bernie, MO
  • Bulloch County Rural Telephone Cooperative, Inc., Statesboro, GA
  • Cap Rock Telephone Cooperative, Inc., Spur, TX
  • Cascade Communications Company, Cascade, IA
  • Central Arkansas Telephone Cooperative, Inc., Bismarck, AR
  • Central Oklahoma Telephone Co., L.L.C., Davenport, OK
  • Chequamegon Communications Cooperative dba. Norvado, Cable, WI
  • Cheyenne River Sioux Tribe Telephone Authority, Eagle Butte, SD
  • Christensen Communications Company, Madelia, MN
  • Citizens Mutual Telephone Cooperative, Bloomfield, IA
  • Citizens Telephone Cooperative, Inc. DBA: Citizens Connected, New Auburn, WI
  • Citizens Telephone Corporation, Warren, IN
  • City of Ketchikan, KPU Telecommunications, Ketchikan, AK
  • Clay County Rural Telephone Cooperative/Endeavor Communications, Indiana
  • Clear Lake Independent Telephone Company, Clear Lake, IA
  • Coleman County Telephone Cooperative Inc., Santa Anna, TX
  • Colorado Valley Telephone Cooperative, Inc., La Grange, TX
  • Community Telephone Company, Windthorst, TX
  • Consolidated Companies, Lincoln, NE
  • Consolidated Telcom, Dickinson, ND
  • Cooperative Telephone Company, Victor, IA
  • Copper Valley Telecom & Copper Valley Wireless, Valdez, AK
  • Craigville Telephone Company, Inc., Craigville, IN
  • CTC, Brainerd, MN
  • Cunningham Telephone Company, Inc., Glen Elder, KS
  • Custer Telephone Cooperative Inc., Challis, ID
  • Danville Mutual Telephone Company, Danville, IA
  • Diller Telephone Company, Diller, NE
  • Direct Communications/Star Telephone, Rockland, ID
  • DTC Communications, Alexandria, TN
  • Dumont Telephone Company, Dumont, IA
  • East Buchanan Telephone Cooperative, Winthrop, IA
  • Ellington Telephone Co, Ellington, MO
  • Emily Cooperative Telephone Company, Emily, MN
  • F&B Communications, Wheatland, IA
  • Farmers Independent Telephone Company, Grantsburg, WI
  • Farmers Mutual Communications, Moulton IA
  • Farmers Mutual Telephone Company, Fruitland, ID
  • Farmers Telecommunications, Rainsville, AL
  • Farmers Telephone Cooperative, Inc., Kingstree, SC
  • Federated Telephone Cooperative, Chokio, MN
  • Fenton Cooperative Telephone Company, Fenton, IA
  • Filer Mutual Telephone Company, DBA TruLeap Technologies, Filer, ID
  • Five Area Telephone , Muleshoe, TX
  • Foothills Rural Telephone Cooperative Corp Inc, Staffordsville, KY
  • Garden Valley Technologies, Erskine, MN
  • GBT-Golden Belt Telephone Association Inc., Rush Center, KS
  • Geetingsville Telephone Company, Inc., Geetingsville, IN
  • Glenwood Telephone Membership Corporation, Blue Hill, NE
  • Golden West Telecommunications, Wall, SD
  • Gorham Telephone Company, Gorham, KS
  • Granite State Communications, Weare, NH
  • Granite Telecommunications, LLC, Quincy, MA
  • Great Plains Communications, Blair, NE
  • Green Hills Communications, Breckenridge, MO
  • GRM Networks, Princeton, MO 
  • H&B Communications, Holyrood, KS
  • Hardy Telecommunications, Inc., Lost River, WV
  • Harrisonville Telephone Company, Waterloo, IL
  • Hart Telephone Company, Hartwell, GA
  • Heart of Iowa Communications Cooperative, Union, IA
  • Hemingford Coop Telephone Co., Hemingford, NE
  • Hill Country Telephone Cooperative, Inc. (HCTC), Ingram, TX
  • Home Telephone Co., Saint Jacob, IL
  • Hubbard Cooperative Telephone Association, Colo, IA
  • Huxley Communications Cooperative, Huxley, IA
  • Interactive Services Network, Inc DBA IPFone, North Miami, FL
  • InterBel Telephone Cooperative, Eureka, MT
  • Interstate Telecommunications Cooperative, Inc., Clear Lake, SD
  • ITS Telecommunications Systems, Inc., Indiantown, FL
  • Kalida Telephone Co., Kaalida, OH
  • Kalona Cooperative Technology Company, Kalona, IA
  • KanOkla Networks, Caldwell, KS
  • KanREN, Inc., Lawrence, KS
  • Kennebec Telephone Co., Inc., Kennebec, SD
  • Kerman Telephone Co / Foresthill Telephone Co. (dba Sebastian), Kerman, CA
  • Kingdom Telephone Company, Auxvasse, MO
  • KMTelecom, Kasson, MN
  • Lakeland Communications, Milltown, WI
  • La Ward Telephone Exchange, Inc., La Ward, TX
  • Lehigh Valley Coop Telephone Association, Lehigh, IA
  • Lennon Telephone Company, Lennon, MI
  • LightStream, Buffalo, IN
  • Lincoln Telephone Company, Inc., Lincoln, MT
  • Link Oregon, Portland, OR
  • Logic Networks, Tampa, FL
  • Lone Rock Cooperative Telephone Company, Lone Rock, IA
  • Loretto Telecom, Loretto, TN
  • Lost Nation-Elwood Telephone Company, Lost Nation, IA
  • LTC Connect, Auburn, KY
  • Lumos/NorthState, Waynesboro, VA
  • Lynxx Networks , Camp Douglas, WI
  • Madison Telephone, LLC, Madison, KS
  • Mainstay Communications , Henderson, NE 
  • Marne & Elk Horn Telephone Company, Elk Horn, IA
  • Matanuska Telecom Association, Inc., Palmer, AK
  • McDonough Telephone Cooperative, Colchester, IL
  • MCNC, Research Triangle Park, NC
  • Midstate Communications, Kimball, SD
  • Minburn Communications, Woodward, IA
  • Missouricom, Seneca Telephone, Ozark Telephone, Goodman Telephone, ARK-O Holdings, New Florence, MO and Seneca, MO
  • Mobile Citizen, Boulder, CO
  • Monon Telephone Company Inc., Monon, IN
  • Mosaic Technologies, Cameron, WI 
  • NCC, Ray, ND
  • NC Telehealth Network Association, Concord, NC
  • Nelson Communications Cooperative, Durand, WI
  • NEMR Telecom, Green City, MO
  • New Lisbon Telephone Company and Pennsylvania Telephone Company, New Lisbon, IN
  • Newport Telephone Company, Inc., Newport, NY
  • NineStar Connect, Greenfield, IN
  • Nortex Communications, Muenster, TX
  • North Central Telephone Cooperative, Inc., Lafayette, TN 
  • North Texas Telephone Company , Byers, TX
  • Nsight Telservices, Green Bay, WI
  • Oklatel Communications, Dustin, OK
  • Oneida Telephone Exchange, Oneida, IL 
  • Oran Mutual Telephone Co, Oran, IA
  • Oregon Telephone Corporation, Mt Vernon, OR
  • OTZ Telephone Cooperative, Kotzebue, AK
  • Palmer Mutual Telephone Company, Palmer, IA
  • Palmetto Rural Telephone Cooperative, Inc., Walterboro, SC
  • Panora Communications Cooperative, Panora, IA
  • Park Region, Underwood, MN
  • Paul Bunyan Communications, Bemidji, MN
  • PC Telcom, Holyoke, CO
  • Penasco Valley Telephone Cooperative, Inc., Artesia, NM
  • Peoples Rural Telephone Cooperative, McKee, KY
  • Perry-Spencer Rural Telephone Cooperative d/b/a PSC, St. Meinrad, IN
  • Piedmont Rural Telephone Cooperative, Laurens, SC
  • Pine Belt Telephone & Wireless, Arlington, AL
  • Pineland Telephone Cooperative, Inc., Metter, GA
  • Pioneer Communications, Ulysses, KS
  • Pioneer Telephone Company, LaCrosse, WA
  • Pioneer Telephone Cooperative dba Pioneer Connect, Philomath, OR
  • Plainview Telephone Company, Plainview, NE
  • Planters Rural Telephone Cooperative, Newington, GA
  • Poka Lambro Telephone Cooperative, Wilson, TX
  • Polar Communications Mutual Aid Corp, Park River, ND
  • Ponderosa Telephone; Table Top Telephone, O'Neals, CA; Ajo, AZ
  • Prairie Grove Telephone Company, Prairie Grove, AK
  • Premier Communications, Sioux Center, IA
  • PTCI, Guymon, OK
  • Rainbow Communications, Everest, KS
  • Randolph Telephone Membership Corporation, Asheboro, NC
  • Range, Forsyth, MT
  • RC Technologies, New Effington, SD
  • Readlyn Telephone Company (dba RTC Communications), Readlyn, IA
  • Ridgeville Telephone Company, Ridgeville Corners, OH
  • River Valley Telecommunications Coop, Graettinger, IA
  • Rochester Telephone Company, Rochester, IN
  • Roggen Telephone Cooperative Company, Roggen, CO
  • Runestone Telecom Association, Hoffman, MN
  • S&T Telephone Association, Brewster, KS
  • Sacred Wind Communications, Inc, Yatahey, NM
  • Sandhill Telephone Cooperative, Jefferson, SC
  • Santa Rosa Telephone Cooperative, Vernon, TX
  • Santel Communications Cooperative, Woonsocket, SD
  • SCTC, Stayton, OR
  • SEI Communications, Dillsboro, IN
  • Shawnee Communications, Equality, IL
  • Siskiyou Telephone Company, Etna, CA
  • SkyLine Membership Corporation, West Jefferson, NC
  • Solarus, Wisconsin Rapids, WI
  • South Central Telephone Association, Inc (KS & OK), Medicine Lodge, KS
  • South Plains Telephone Cooperative, Inc, Lubbock, TX
  • South Slope Cooperative Communications Company, North Liberty, IA
  • Southeast Nebraska Communications, Inc., Falls City, NE
  • Southern Montana Telephone, Wisdom, MT
  • Southwest Texas Communications, Rocksprings, TX
  • Springport Telephone Company, Springport, MI
  • SRT Communications, Inc., Minot, ND
  • STRATA Networks, Roosevelt, UT
  • Sun Corridor Network, Tucson, AZ
  • TDS Telecom, Madison, WI
  • Telephone Service Company, Wapakoneta, OH
  • Templeton Telephone Company, Templeton, IA
  • Texoma Communications, LLC dba TekWav, Sherman, TX
  • Thacker-Grigsby Communications, Hindman, KY
  • Three River Telco, Lynch, NE
  • Tohono O'odham Utility Authority, Sells, AZ
  • Totelcom Communications LLC, De Leon, TX
  • Triangle Communications, Havre, MT
  • Tri-County Communications Cooperative, Inc., Strum, WI
  • Trilogy 5G, Inc., Irving, TX
  • TrioTel Communications, Inc., Salem, SD
  • Twin Lakes Telephone Cooperative, Gainesboro, TN
  • Twin Valley Telephone & Southern Kansas Telephone, Miltonvale, KS
  • United Communications, Langdon, ND
  • UniTel, Inc., Unity, ME
  • Upsala Cooperative Telephone Assn., Upsala, MN
  • USConnect, Bedford, NH
  • Valley Telephone Cooperative, Inc., Raymondville, TX
  • Valley Telephone Cooperative, Inc., Willcox, AZ
  • Venture Communications Cooperative, Highmore, SD
  • Viola Home Telephone Company, Viola, IL
  • Voqal, Boulder, CO
  • Wabash Communications CO-OP, Louisville, IL
  • Wahkiakum West Telephone Co., Rosburg, WA
  • Waitsfield and Champlain Valley Telecom, Waitsfield, VT
  • WANRack, Overland Park, KS
  • Webster-Calhoun Cooperative Telephone Association, Gowrie, IA
  • Wellman Cooperative Telephone Association, Wellman, IA
  • West Carolina Rural Telephone Cooperative, Abbeville, SC
  • West Central Telephone Association , Sebeka MN
  • West Wisconsin Telcom, Co-op, Inc., Downsville, WI
  • Western Iowa Networks, Breda, IA
  • Western Iowa Telecommunications, Lawton, IA
  • Wes-Tex Telephone Cooperative, Inc., Stanton, TX
  • Wheat State Technologies, Udall, KS
  • Wiggins Telephone Association,d/b/a Blue Lightning, Wiggins, CO
  • Wilkes Communications / RiverStreet Networks, Wilkesboro, NC
  • Wittenberg Telephone Company, Wittenberg, WI
  • WTC, Wamego, KS
  • YK Communications, Ganado, TX

Others
  • ADS Advanced Data Services, Inc., Mount Pleasant, TX
  • AdTec, Centerville, Indiana
  • Arizona Department of Education, Phoenix, AZ
  • Alianza, Pleasant Grove, UT
  • Bandwidth Inc., Raleigh, NC
  • Channelford Associates Inc, Westlake Village, CA
  • Autry, Hall & Cook, LLP, Atlanta, GA
  • Digital Wish, Milton, DE
  • BluIP, Inc., Las Vegas, NV
  • BT Americas, United Kingdom
  • Educational Professional Services, Pine Grove, LA
  • Epic Communications, Solon, OH
  • E-Rate Central, Westbury, NY
  • E-Rate Online LLC, Orange, CT
  • Espy Services, Inc., Bedford, IN
  • CRW Consulting, Tulsa, OK
  • E-rate Services, LLC, Sanford, NC
  • Healthcare Funding Connection, Prospect, KY
  • Educational Professional Services, Pine Grove, LA
  • Infinity Communications & Consulting Inc., Bakersfield, CA
  • E-Rate and Educational Services, LLC., Rapid City, SD
  • Janice Meyers Educational Consulting, LLC, Mount Pleasant, SC
  • Kellogg & Sovereign Consulting, San Antonio, TX
  • EveryLibrary Institute NFP, Berwyn, IL
  • Funds For Learning, Edmond, OK
  • HealthConnect Networks, Bangor, ME
  • Heartland Consulting, Mitchell, SD
  • Heberly & Associates, Havre, MT
  • Los Angeles County Office of Education, Los Angeles, CA
  • Lucky Thirteen Design and Consulting, LLC, Berkeley, CA
  • Mattey Consulting LLC, Bethesda, MD
  • SpectraCorp Technologies Group Inc, Dallas, TX
  • State Educational Technology Directors Association (SETDA), Glen Burnie, MD
  • TCA, Inc. - Telcom Consulting Associates, Colorado Springs, CO
  • Telcom Insurance Group, Wichita, KS
  • Telconnections, Inc., Little Rock, AR
  • TelNet Worldwide, Clinton Township, MI
  • Utah Broadband Center, Governor's Office of Economic Opportunity, Salt Lake City, Utah
  • Van Hoet & Company, Chartered, Olathe, KS
  • VST Services, LP, Trophy Club, TX
  • Western New York Rural Area Health Education Center (WNY R-AHEC), Warsaw, NY