Rather than moving immediately to subsidize advanced services as ...
Rather than moving immediately to subsidize advanced services as part of universal service program, FCC ought to form task force to determine “how and when” such services should be added, group of telecom experts will recommend in report to…
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be issued today (April 5). Some 50 people, assembled by Consumer Energy Council of America (CECA), spent 6 months studying ways to improve universal service. Group decided that program was “vital to the social wellbeing of all Americans” and should be continued, but it stopped short of recommending expansion without more study. Instead it said Technology Task Force (TTF) should be formed to advise FCC and Federal-State Joint Board on Universal Service. Task force would be composed of “broad balance of stakeholders” to offer variety of viewpoints and would monitor development of advanced services on more continuous basis than is done now, CECA group recommended. Group, which is chaired by former White House and FCC official Kathleen Wallman, also recommended: (1) “Model state programs” for distributing low income support. (2) Better ways of publicizing low income support programs. (3) Streamlined process for gaining certification as eligible telecom carrier (ETC). State and federal regulators could work together to improve ETC process, CECA group said, using input from states that already have made improvements. (4) Program, coordinated by Universal Service Fund, to encourage deployment of advanced services through efforts of federal, state and local govts.