Smith Bagley asked the FCC to order the Universal Service...
Smith Bagley asked the FCC to order the Universal Service Administrative Co. to provide uncapped high-cost support to competitive eligible telecommunications carriers serving tribal lands. In a request filed July 6 and posted docket 08-71 Monday, it sought a declaratory…
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ruling that the interstate access support (IAS) paid to incumbent local exchange carriers be reduced to reflect line losses. Smith Bagley said the commission included an exception of tribal and Alaska Native regions when it enacted a cap on high-cost support. USAC has said the exception applies only to the statewide cap on CETC high-cost support, not to the nationwide cap on IAS. The company said the cap costs it $900,000 per year and has caused it to delay construction on three new cell sites. It also said USAC isn’t reducing IAS payments properly. Price cap ILEC lines decreased by 22 percent since Q1 2008, but payments fell only 7 percent, it said. Reducing support would be in line with the commission’s goals to control the size of the fund and make available new support for broadband, the company said.