Alaska USF Still Needed, RCA Told
It might be safest to let Alaska USF die, said Regulatory Commission of Alaska (RCA) Common Carrier Specialist David Parrish at virtual technical conference Friday. Alaska’s public advocate and telecom industry officials disagreed. AUSF, set to sunset mid-2023, "has been…
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really hobbling along for years," said Parrish: If the commission wants to continue the fund, RCA staff thinks the “only equitable solution” is its proposal to target AUSF support to areas where voice remains the primary form of telecom (see 2203140056), especially because much federal infrastructure money is coming and since pursuing state USF reform could increase the likelihood the RCA is sued, Parrish said. Just because it’s easiest to let AUSF die “doesn't mean it's the right thing to do,” responded Alaska Chief Assistant Attorney General Jeff Waller of the Regulatory Affairs & Public Advocacy division. The Matanuska Telephone Association also disagreed with killing AUSF. "This is not the time for AUSF to go away," said MTA counsel Dean Thompson of Kemppel Huffman. "What do you do about access charges?" It would leave "a big hole of lawfully recovered rate recovery,” he said. MTA had submitted an alternative proposal to switch to connections-based contribution. Alaska Communications sees a remaining need for AUSF, said Manager-Regulatory Affairs Lisa Phillips. GCI Senior Director-Regulatory Affairs Juliana Wayman cautioned the RCA that coming federal funding will do nothing for ongoing operating costs.