Universal Service Fund (USF) payments would go toward providing b...
Universal Service Fund (USF) payments would go toward providing broadband services under a bill introduced Thurs. by Reps. Terry (R-Neb.) and Boucher (D-Va.). The bill would allow USF funds to go to pay for broadband services. “Reforming USF is…
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a significant step in closing the gap between rural Americans and urban Americans, allowing for all of America to compete in the global marketplace with both products and ideas,” Terry said in a statement. The bill probably won’t be moving soon, since House Commerce Committee Chmn. Barton (R-Tex.) has no plans to include a USF portion in the telecom bill headed for markup in the Telecom Subcommittee next week. But if the House passes the telecom bill, and action moves to the Senate, the Terry-Boucher measure could become important. The Senate bill is certain to include a USF piece, and when the bills go to conference, the House would need to be ready with a plan. Any provider of a service that uses telephone numbers, IP addresses or offers network connections to the public for a fee would have to contribute to the fund under the Terry-Boucher bill. Broadband would be declared a universal service, making explicit support for buildout of broadband lines. Within 5 years, recipients of funds would have to be offering high speed broadband service with a download receiving rate of a least one Mbps.