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Monday, October 25
9:30 a.m. – 10:15 a.m.
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Moderator
Lindsay Stern
Attorney and Policy Advisor
INCOMPAS
Speakers
Sheba Chacko
Chief Regulatory Counsel
BT
Greg Guice
Director of Government Affairs
Public Knowledge
Carol Mattey
Principal
Mattey Consulting LLC
For 25 years, the FCC’s Universal Service Fund (USF) has ensured that all Americans have access to voice and broadband services at affordable rates and that schools and libraries would be connected to broadband. The USF funding mechanism is under significant duress. Revenues subject to USF assessment have declined by nearly 43% in the last decade, while the contribution factor has increased from less than 13% in 2010 to a historic high of 33.4% in Q2 2021. Assuming this trend continues, the contribution factor could approach 40% or more in the coming years.
Reforming the current funding system is needed to stabilize USF and is long overdue, considering the FCC has had USF reform pending at the agency for over two decades. During this panel discussion, hear from INCOMPAS members and policy experts on the importance of USF, the need to reform the current framework, what the FCC process for reform would look like and Congress’ oversight role.