Audio bridging service providers must contribute to the Universal...
Audio bridging service providers must contribute to the Universal Service Fund, the FCC said Monday, partially denying an InterCall appeal of a Universal Service Administrative Co. ruling. The commission rejected InterCall’s claim that audio bridging providers need not support…
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the fund since they aren’t telecommunications service providers. “The audio bridging services InterCall provides are equivalent to teleconferencing services and are ’telecommunications'” under the 1996 Telecom Act, the FCC said. The FCC told USAC to enforce contribution by audio bridging companies starting with the Form 499-Q due Nov. 1. The requirement won’t apply retroactively, the FCC said, reversing USAC. “It was unclear to InterCall and the industry that stand-alone audio bridging providers have a direct USF contribution obligation,” the commission said. InterCall didn’t respond right away to a request for comment.