In a recent meeting with FCC staff, NTCA expressed serious concerns over the impacts of the resurgent budget control mechanism on rural LECs receiving cost based Connect America Loop Support and/or High Cost Loop Support.
While the exact results of the budget control mechanism will not be identified and announced until this May, and made effective until July 1, NTCA expects them to significantly reduce USF support to several hundred deserving small, rural LECs.
To avoid financial harm to some of the smallest ILECs in the country, NTCA requested a waiver of the budget control mechanism.
ICORE thoroughly supports NTCA’s position and urges the FCC to grant this waiver. Universal Service Fund support is vital in the provision of broadband services to the many rural, isolated, agrarian and poorer areas of our country.
Our thanks go to NTCA for continually helping ILECs bring advanced services to the neediest parts of our country.
