I understand the concept of the FUSF...to pay for poor people who can't get phones or DSL. But this is just robbery. I don't pay for it on my T1 line, but I got nailed for it on my Frame over DSL to the tune of over $200 for my setup fees and monthly service for the lines.
Bah!
What is the Federal Universal Service Fund?
In May of 1997, the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) adopted rules that mandated that telecommunications carriers pay into a federal program called the Universal Service Fund (USF). This fund helps provide affordable telecommunications services for low-income customers and customers in rural areas. It also provides discounts on Internet access for eligible schools, libraries and rural health care providers. The USF is collected from telecommunications carriers and administered by the Universal Service Administration Corporation. They are responsible for disbursing the funds according to eligibility criteria established by the FCC.
There are four components to the Federal Universal Service Fund. They are:
Low-Income. This program provides telephone service discounts to consumers with qualifying low-incomes.
High-Cost. This program provides financial support to companies that provide telecommunications services in areas of America where the cost of providing service is high.
Schools and Libraries. This program helps to ensure that the nation's classrooms and libraries receive access to the vast array of educational resources that are accessible through the telecommunications network.
Rural Health Care. This program helps to link health care providers located in rural areas to urban medical centers so that patients living in rural America will have access to the same advanced diagnostic and other medical services that are enjoyed in urban communities.
In the past, only long distance companies paid fees to support the Federal Universal Service Fund. In 1996, Congress passed a law that expanded the types of companies contributing to Universal Service. Currently, all telecommunications companies that provide service between states, including long distance companies, local telephone companies, wireless telephone companies, paging companies, and payphone providers, are required to contribute to the Federal Universal Service Fund. Telecommunications companies must pay a specific percentage of their interstate and international revenues into the Universal Service Fund.
Bah!
What is the Federal Universal Service Fund?
In May of 1997, the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) adopted rules that mandated that telecommunications carriers pay into a federal program called the Universal Service Fund (USF). This fund helps provide affordable telecommunications services for low-income customers and customers in rural areas. It also provides discounts on Internet access for eligible schools, libraries and rural health care providers. The USF is collected from telecommunications carriers and administered by the Universal Service Administration Corporation. They are responsible for disbursing the funds according to eligibility criteria established by the FCC.
There are four components to the Federal Universal Service Fund. They are:
Low-Income. This program provides telephone service discounts to consumers with qualifying low-incomes.
High-Cost. This program provides financial support to companies that provide telecommunications services in areas of America where the cost of providing service is high.
Schools and Libraries. This program helps to ensure that the nation's classrooms and libraries receive access to the vast array of educational resources that are accessible through the telecommunications network.
Rural Health Care. This program helps to link health care providers located in rural areas to urban medical centers so that patients living in rural America will have access to the same advanced diagnostic and other medical services that are enjoyed in urban communities.
In the past, only long distance companies paid fees to support the Federal Universal Service Fund. In 1996, Congress passed a law that expanded the types of companies contributing to Universal Service. Currently, all telecommunications companies that provide service between states, including long distance companies, local telephone companies, wireless telephone companies, paging companies, and payphone providers, are required to contribute to the Federal Universal Service Fund. Telecommunications companies must pay a specific percentage of their interstate and international revenues into the Universal Service Fund.
