The proportion of long distance revenue carriers must contribute ...
The proportion of long distance revenue carriers must contribute to the Universal Service Fund in the second quarter of 2008 increased to 11.3 percent from 10.2 percent in Q1, the FCC said Friday. To get the “contribution factor,” the…
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agency divides projected carrier revenue by expected USF subsidies for the quarter. Of an estimated $1.91 billion in Q2 subsidies, about $1.15 billion is for the rural high-cost program, $532.53 million for the E-rate program, $208.08 million for low-income support and $61.18 million for the rural health-care program. Rural wireless carriers are to blame for the “hike” in phone bill USF fees, said Tom Tauke, Verizon public affairs, policy and communications vice president. He urged the FCC to vote for an interim cap. “Consumers will thank the FCC when three commissioners finally call a halt to funding windfalls for some companies from the Universal Service Fund,” he said. A wireless source shot back: “If you really want to do something about controlling fund growth, then a good place to look would be to change the rules that allow the incumbent’s support to grow even after the incumbent wireline carrier loses customers.”