FCC Lists 13 RLEC Areas With Potential 100% Competitive Overlap, Possible USF Phaseout
The FCC listed 13 rural telco study areas that could have USF support phased out because they're subject to complete competitive overlap. Comments are due Sept. 11, replies Oct. 10 "on whether the competitors in the study areas codes (SACs)…
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listed are in fact offering voice and broadband to 100 percent of locations in the relevant census blocks meeting the requirements in 47 CFR § 54.319(a)," said a Wireline Bureau public notice Friday in docket 10-90. The PN provided examples of the most persuasive types of information competitors can offer and described ways the review process was simplified. Following comments and analysis, the bureau said it would publish a final list of rate-of-return study areas subject to total overlap. High-cost USF support in those areas will be frozen at the amount disbursed in the prior year, "and the phase-down in support will commence," to two-thirds of the frozen baseline amount in the first year, and to one-third in the second year, it said.