Maine PUC Weighs Changes to Schools and Libraries Fund Contribution
Telecom officials raised no major objections at a Maine Public Utilities Commission hearing Tuesday on a proposal to revamp contributions to the Maine Telecom Education Access Fund, Maine's E-rate fund. The PUC is deciding how to implement this year's state…
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law changing MTEAF contributions to a voice connections-based mechanism from one based on intrastate revenue. Contributions were capped at 0.7 percent of intrastate retail voice revenue, but declining revenue over the past five years necessitated changes, said a notice last month in docket 2017-00283. Under the law, the PUC now will assess 21 cents maximum per line or number, with the actual amount determined by the commission. The PUC proposed that voice providers report quarterly a count of active phone lines, customers or numbers -- up to 25 lines or numbers per customer billing account -- and multiply that by the contribution factor to get the amount they must remit. At Tuesday's hearing, a Telecommunications Association of Maine official asked that the rule not be implemented until July at earliest, and a FairPoint Communications official suggested a minor edit clarifying application to VoIP providers. Written comments are due Dec. 15. A later proceeding will decide the exact amount of the contribution factor, said Maine PUC telecom staffer Rich Kania. Some other state commissions may soon adopt connections-based contribution for their state USFs, amid objections from CTIA (see 1712010055).