CenturyLink, FairPoint, Frontier Ask FCC for Interim Voice Support in Highest-Cost Areas
Three telcos urged the FCC to provide interim USF support for voice service in extremely rural, high-cost areas not yet covered by Connect America Fund Phase II support. CenturyLink, FairPoint and Frontier Communications said they understand the commission is considering…
Sign up for a free preview to unlock the rest of this article
Timely, relevant coverage of court proceedings and agency rulings involving tariffs, classification, valuation, origin and antidumping and countervailing duties. Each day, Trade Law Daily subscribers receive a daily headline email, in-depth PDF edition and access to all relevant documents via our trade law source document library and website.
including the areas in a planned reverse auction of CAF II broadband/voice subsidy support, but for now a number of price-cap telcos are responsible for maintaining voice service without support. "Our specific request is that the Commission continue to fund voice services in the highest cost, remote areas where carriers have accepted CAF II support but where there are remaining rural customers that are not covered by CAF II support," they said in a letter to all five commissioners Tuesday in docket 10-90. "Voice access is critical to our customers in these areas for personal, professional and public safety reasons. Therefore, voice service funding should be maintained while these areas await the Commission’s actions to implement a workable broadband deployment solution."