Universal Service Fund/Intercarrier Compensation Reform Workshop
The workshop was held 10:00 a.m. - 6:00 p.m. (CDT) on Wednesday, May 18, 2011 in Omaha, Nebraska. A forum providing Nebraska residents and businesses an opportunity to comment on the need for broadband in their communities was featured in the FCC’s final workshop on reforming the Universal Service Fund (USF) and intercarrier compensation (ICC) system. The workshop was a key input into the Commission’s deliberations on critical reforms to modernize a program that helped achieve universal phone service in the last century to support 21st Century broadband.
The public forum was the final session of a field workshop at the University of Nebraska at Omaha. The remainder of the day focused on how states and the federal government can work together on reforms to increase broadband availability and encourage deployment of advanced Internet Protocol networks.
Universal service has been central to the Federal Communications Commission’s mission since the Communications Act of 1934 created the agency and committed our nation to making vital communications services accessible to all Americans. The FCC’s Universal Service Fund has helped connect virtually every American to telephone service. The FCC is now focused on modernizing the program into a Connect America Fund capable of efficiently connecting every American to broadband. The agency is also reforming the related Intercarrier Compensation regimen, a relic of the voice communications era, to increase investment in advanced networks.
- WHAT: Workshop on Defining the Federal/State Partnership in a Broadband World
- WHERE: Thompson Center, University of Nebraska at Omaha, 6705 Dodge St., Omaha, NE 68186
- WHEN: Wednesday, May 18, 10:00 a.m. - 6:00 p.m. CDT
- WHO: FCC Chairman, Commissioners, and staff; state public utility commissioners and staff; outside panelists
- EMAIL ADDRESS FOR QUESTIONS TO THE WORKSHOP MODERATOR: USFICCReform@fcc.gov
- TWITTER QUESTIONS: tweet @fcc or use #FCClive; email to livequestions@fcc.gov
Panelist Statements:
- Kathleen Abernathy
Frontier Communications, Inc. - Peter Bluhm
Rolka, Loube, Saltzer Associates - Tom Conry
Farmers Mutual Cooperative Telephone Company - Wendy Fast
Consolidated Telephone Company - Doug Garrett
Cox Communications, Inc. - Kevin Hess
TDS Telecommunications Corp. - Hank Hultquist
AT&T - Johnie Johnson
Nex-Tech Wireless - Jim Kohler
State of Alaska - Edward Krachmer
Windstream - Jeff Lanning
CenturyLink - Rich Morris
Sprint - Teri Ohta
T-Mobile - Ken Pfister
Great Plains Communications - Lisa Scalpone
WildBlue Communications, Inc.
Related Materials
- Commissioner McDowell's Video Remarks
- Workshop Program
- Chairman Genachowski to Participate in Workshop
- Commissioners Copps and Clyburn to Participate in Workshop
- Agenda and Panelists
- Public Notice