NTCA Urges FCC to Review High-Cost USF Budget, Apply Any Excess Funds to RLEC 'Shortfall'
NTCA asked the FCC to begin a "comprehensive' high-cost USF budget review by year-end as contemplated since a 2011 overhaul, and to collect the current budget amount near term. If such collection exceeds current USF demand, the FCC should "use…
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the additional sum to mitigate the shortfalls in support that are being applied only to smaller rural carriers," the RLEC group said. The requests came in a filing Wednesday in docket 10-90 on discussions with aides to Chairman Ajit Pai and Commissioner Jessica Rosenworcel. NTCA asked the FCC "to use any high-cost USF reserves that have not already been expressly allocated pursuant to Commission order to fill the budget shortfall." Once a budgetary review is completed, "the Commission can then make informed, updated judgments about the 'right size' of the high-cost USF budget," it said.