Connect America Fund (CAF)

Broadband has gone from being a luxury to a necessity for full participation in our economy and society – for all Americans. For that reason, the FCC has adopted comprehensive reforms of its Universal Service Fund (USF) and Intercarrier Compensation (ICC) systems to accelerate broadband build-out to the approximately 23 million Americans (as of December 31, 2013) who lack access to infrastructure capable of providing 10/1 Mbps fixed broadband. This reform will expand the benefits of high-speed Internet to millions of consumers in every part of the country by transforming the existing USF into a new Connect America Fund focused on broadband.

Consumers everywhere – both urban and rural – will benefit. Reform will not only drive economic growth in rural America, but will expand the online marketplace nationwide, creating jobs and businesses opportunities across the country.

Contents

• Major Connect America Releases
• Eligible Telecommunications Carrier Issues
• Reports and Data
• Data Collections
• Blogs
• Press Releases

Major Connect America Releases

In the USF/ICC Transformation Order, the Commission comprehensively reformed and modernized the universal service and intercarrier compensation systems to maintain voice service and extend broadband-capable infrastructure.

• December 2014 Connect America Order (adopted 12/11/14)
• April 2014 Connect America Order (adopted 4/23/14)

  April 2014 Reconsideration Order

  • Dismissal of Petitions of Reconsideration of April 2014 Connect America Order (12/22/14)

USF/ICC Transformation Clarification Orders, Guidance, and Erratum

• USF/ICC Transformation Order (adopted 10/27/11) PDF|DOC

  USF/ICC Transformation Reconsideration Orders

  • USF/ICC Seventh Order on Reconsideration (adopted 4/23/14)
  • USF/ICC Sixth Order on Reconsideration, including HCLS Benchmarks (2/27/13)
  • USF/ICC Fifth Order on Reconsideration (11/16/12)
  • USF/ICC Fourth Order on Reconsideration (7/18/12)
  • USF/ICC Third Order on Reconsideration (5/14/12)
  • USF/ICC Second Order on Reconsideration (4/25/12)
  • Sua Sponte Order on Reconsideration (12/23/11)
  • Clarifying Aspects of USF/ICC Order V (3/27/13)
  • ONAP, WTB, and WCB Issue Further Guidance on Tribal Engagement (7/19/12)
  • Clarifying Aspects of USF/ICC Order IV (7/18/12)
  • Clarifying Aspects of USF/ICC Order III (6/5/12)
  • Clarifying Aspects of USF/ICC Order II (2/27/12)
  • Erratum (2/6/12)
  • Clarifying Aspects of USF/ICC Order I (2/3/12)

Eligible Telecommunications Carrier Issues

• Updated FCC Form 481 Protective Order (6/17/15)
• ETC Annual Reporting Requirements Small Entity Compliance Guide (5/13/15)
• BARConnects ETC Petition Comment Public Notice (4/28/15)
• 2015 Voice and Broadband Reasonable Comparability Benchmarks (4/16/15)
• Default Comment Cycle Public Notice (1/29/15)
• WCB Reminds Parties of Requirements for Requests for Review of Decisions by USAC (11/17/14)
• 2015 Illustrative Reasonable Comparability Benchmarks for Broadband (10/29/14)
• Methodology for Measuring Speed and Latency Public Notice (10/16/14)
• 2014 Five-Year Plan Deadline Public Notice (5/1/14)
• 2014 Reasonable Comparability Benchmark for Voice (3/20/14)
• Annual Report and Annual Use Certifications Deadline Public Notice (8/6/13)
• Clarification of Reporting Requirements for Eligible Telecommunications Carriers (5/16/13)
• Reporting Rules for ETCs – Clarified (3/5/13)

Reports and Data

• CAF Progress Portal
• Universal Service Implementation Report (3/18/14)
• Federal-State Joint Board Monitoring Reports
• Responses to House Energy and Commerce Committee Requests for Data on Universal Service
• NECA and USAC Data
• Regulatory Type at the Holding Company Level by Study Area (2010)
  • See whether the incumbent carrier is classified as Price Cap or Rate of Return for each study area

Data Collections

Urban Rate Survey

• Urban Rate Survey Data Web Page

Study Area Boundaries

• Study Area Boundaries Collection Web Page

Blogs

• Notes from the Sandbox- The Rural Broadband Experiment Auction Results (12/24/14)
• Closing the Digital Divide in Rural America (11/20/14)
• Learning from the Rural Broadband Experiments (10/29/14)
• Access to the Underserved: Keeping Up with the Times (6/20/14)
• New Approaches to Broadband—Wireline, Licensed, and Unlicensed (4/2/14)
• Notes from the Sandbox: The Rural Broadband Experiment (3/11/14)
• Duplication Alert: Broadband Pilot Projects (3/6/14)
• Early Progress in Efforts to Learn About the Impact of Technology Transitions (3/3/14)
• Mapping Progress: Connect America Fund’s Broadband Expansion (12/18/13)
• How We’re Investing Smart To Expand Rural Broadband (5/16/13)
• Setting the Right Incentives for Investment in Rural Broadband (5/16/13)
• FCC Launches Connect America Fund (4/25/12)
• A Model for Connecting Rural America to Broadband (4/22/12)
• Data the Way You Want It – New GIS Data Formats for Mobility Fund Phase I (3/8/12)
• Expanding Broadband and Protecting Voice Service in Rural America (2/8/12)
• Understanding Maps at the Federal Communications Commission (2/3/12)
• Connect America Fund: Putting Consumers First (10/2/11)

Press Releases

• FCC Increases Rural Broadband Speeds Under Connect America Fund (12/11/14)
• Connect America Fund to Expand Broadband to Nearly 1 Million Rural Americans (12/5/13)
• Rural Broadband Experiments Draw Interest From Almost 200 Applicants (11/12/14)
• FCC Launches Rural Broadband Expansion Experiments (7/11/14)
• Statement of Commissioner Mignon L. Clyburn on Tenth Circuit USF/ICC Decision (5/23/14)
• FCC Takes Major Strides Toward Further Expansion of Rural Broadband (4/23/14)
• FCC Announces March 19 Rural Broadband Workshop (2/27/14)
• FCC Oks Voluntary Experiments Testing Impact of Technology Transitions (1/30/13)
• Connect America Fund to Expand Broadband to Nearly 400,00 Rural Homes and Businesses in 41 States (12/5/13)
• FCC Map Shows Areas Targeted for 2nd Round of Broadband Expansion (9/5/13)
• Connect America Fund Expands Broadband to Up to 600K Homes, Businesses (8/21/13)
• FCC Releases New, Interactive Connect America Fund Support Map (7/26/12)
• FCC Kicks-Off Connect America Fund (7/25/12)
• FCC Offers First Connect America Fund Support for Rural Broadband (4/25/12)
• FCC Releases Connect America Fund Order (11/18/11)
• FCC Creates Connect America Fund to Expand Broadband, Create Jobs (10/27/11)
• Genachowski Unveils ‘Connect America Fund’ (10/6/11)