A Farewell to . . . Rate Floors?
In a recent news release, FCC Chairman Ajit Pai announced that the Commission will vote on eliminating rate floors at its upcoming April meeting. These floors were frozen by the…
Pai Addresses Waste, Fraud and Abuse in Lifeline Program
In recent testimony before the U.S. Senate Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs, FCC Chairman Ajit Pai confirmed what many of us already knew, or at least suspected: That…
Budget Mechanism Strikes Again
NECA has just filed its proposed 2018 Modification of the Average Schedule Universal Service High Cost Loop Support Formula, which increases interstate USF settlements for some of the nation’s smallest…
Has the FCC Abandoned Universal Service?
The concept of universal telephone service at reasonable rates has been around since the early 20th century, and codified into law in 1934. As early as 1913, the U.S. government…
The Small Company Coalition – A Strong Voice for RLECs
From its motto, “We Built It, We Maintain It. We Value It,” to its ongoing Campaign to Reduce Regulatory Burden, the Small Company Coalition is a strong advocacy group for…
Average Schedules – No Controversy Now
Once used by thousands of companies, and at the center of more than a few industry battles, the interstate average schedules have settled into a kind of quiet anonymity. There…
