Rate-of-Return Resources

RATE-OF-RETURN CARRIER RESOURCES

These resources have been compiled for Eligible Telecommunications Carriers designated as a rate-of-return carrier related to the implementation of CAF.

Visit the Connect America Home Page to view releases applicable to all recipients of Connect America support.

Contents

• General Releases
• Alternative Connect America Cost Model
• CAF BLS and Alaska Plan Challenge Processes
• Enhanced A-CAM
• Maps
• Waiver Orders
• Benchmarks

General Releases 

• Rate-of-Return Reform Clarification Order (6/16/16)
• WCB Releases FCC Form 477 Data Updates for Rate-of-Return Carrier Study Areas (4/14/16)
• WCB Announces Results of 2016 Urban Rate Survey for Fixed Voice and Broadband Services and Required Minimum Usage Allowance (4/5/16)
• FCC Webinar on Rate-of-Return Reform Order (4/4/16)
  • Staff Presentation
  • The audio recording is available on USAC’s website
  • Rate-of-Return Reform Order FAQs (as of 4/27/16)
• Rate-of-Return Reform Order (3/30/16)
• WCB Makes Final Determination on Rate-of-Return Carrier Study Area Subject to 100 Percent Overlap (12/14/15)
• FCC Reminds ETCs of High-Cost Support Requirements (10/19/15)
• WCB Adopts Methodology Used to Determine Rate-of-Return Carrier Study Areas Subject to 100 Percent Overlap and Publishes Preliminary List (7/29/15)
• Updated FCC Form 481 Protective Order (6/17/15)
• December 2014 Connect America Order (adopted 12/11/14)
• April 2014 Connect America Order (adopted 4/23/14)
• Options to Promote Voice and Broadband-Capable Networks in Rate-of-Return Areas Public Notice (5/16/13)

CAF BLS and Alaska Plan Challenge Processes

• WCB Announces Data for CAF BLS and Alaska Plan Competitive Overlap Challenge Processes
• CAF BLS and Alaska Plan Challenge Process Study Areas with Census Blocks
• CAF BLS and Alaska Plan Challenge Process Study Areas

Enhanced A-CAM

• Enhanced A-CAM NPRM (5/20/2022)
• Enhanced A-CAM Order (7/24/2023)
• Enhanced A-CAM Implementation Order (8/30/2023)
• Public Notice Announcing Enhanced A-CAM Offers (8/30/2023)
• Public Notice Announcing Corrected Enhanced A-CAM Offers (9/19/2023)
• Public Notice Announcing Preliminary List of Accepted Enhanced A-CAM Offers (10/4/2023)
• Updated List of Accepted Enhanced A-CAM Offers with Study Area Codes (10/13/2023)
• Public Notice Authorizing Enhanced A-CAM (10/30/2023)
• Enhanced A-CAM Election Letters, by State (11/1/2023)
• Public Notice Announcing Guidance Regarding Enhanced A-CAM Locations  (1/25/2024) 
• Enhanced A-CAM Interim Eligible Locations file (1/25/2024)  
• Enhanced A-CAM Locations Update Public Notice (5/3/2024) 
• West Virginia Locations Waiver  (5/3/2024)
• Updated Interim Eligible Locations List Public Notice (7/17/24)
• Updated Interim Eligible Locations File (10/25/24)
• Interim Eligible Locations (11/5/24)

Alternative Connect America Cost Model

The Commission has adopted a cost model to facilitate the provision of Connect America support to rate-of-return carriers that voluntarily elect to transition to model-based support.

Alternative Connect America Cost Model Offer of Support

• WCB Releases Minor Corrections to Model Support Amounts Offered to Rate-of-Return Carriers (8/15/16)
  • A-CAM Version 2.3.1 Results: Offer by Carrier
  • List of Census Blocks Funded by A-CAM Version 2.3.1
    • Guide to Working with the Census Block List
  • Map of Areas Funded by A-CAM Version 2.3.1
• WCB Announces Model Support Amounts Offered to Rate-of-Return Carriers (7/29/16)

Alternative Connect America Cost Model Resources

• ACAM Challenge Process Resolution Order (7/25/16)
• A-CAM Study Area Map
  • A-CAM Service Area Development Process Documentation
• Alternative Connect America Cost Model Overview (4/1/15)
• Access to A-CAM
• A-CAM Methodology (5/11/18)
• Visit the Price Cap Carrier Resources Page for More Information on the Connect America Cost Model.
• Third Supplemental Protective Order (12/11/12)

Alternative Connect America Cost Model Public Notices and Illustrative Results

• WCB Releases A-CAM Version 2.2 and Commences Competitive Coverage Challenge Process (4/7/16)
  • A-CAM Version 2.2 Illustrative Results
• WCB Releases Additional Illustrative Results for A-CAM Version 2.1 for Potential Use in Rate-of-Return (2/17/16)
  • A-CAM Version 2.1 Additional Illustrative Results
• WCB Releases A-CAM Version 2.1 and Illustrative Results for Potential Use in Rate-of-Return (12/17/15)
  • A-CAM Version 2.1 Updated Illustrative Results
  • A-CAM Version 2.1 Plant Mix Submissions Table
  • Rate-of-Return Carrier Deployment Percentages by Technology (from FCC Form 477)
• WCB Releases A-CAM Version 2.0 and Illustrative Results for Potential Use in Rate-of-Return (10/8/15)
  • A-CAM Version 2.0 Updated Illustrative Results
  • A-CAM Version 2.0 SAC Change
• WCB Releases A-CAM Version 1.1 and Illustrative Results for Potential Use in Rate-Of-Return Areas (8/31/15)
  • A-CAM Version 1.1 Updated Illustrative Results
• WCB Publishes Rural, Suburban, and Urban Census Block Groups in the Alternative Connect America Cost Model (8/24/15)
  • WCB Posting List of Census Block Groups as Rural, Suburban and Urban in A-CAM
• WCB Announces Upcoming Modifications to the Alternative Connect America Cost Model (7/29/15)
• WCB Publishes Map of Study Areas for Use in A-CAM (4/10/15)
  • WCB Revises A-CAM Study Area Map (5/5/15)
• WCB Releases Updated Alternative Connect America Cost Model Illustrative Results (3/16/15)
  • A-CAM Version 1.0.1 Updated Illustrative Results
• WCB Releases Alternative Connect America Cost Model Version 1.0.1 and Illustrative Results for Potential Use in Rate-Of-Return Areas (3/6/15)
• CAM Version 4.2 and A-CAM Version 1 (12/22/14)

Maps

• A-CAM Study Area Map
• Total USF High-Cost Distributions in Rate-of-Return Study Areas (2010)
• Total Per Line USF High-Cost Distributions in Rate-of-Return Study Areas (2010)

Waiver Orders

In the USF/ICC Transformation Order, the Commission instituted a waiver process to allow any carrier negatively affected by universal service reforms to file a petition for waiver. When considering waiver petitions, the Commission will evaluate the impact of reforms on the continued operation of voice and broadband services, and the effect on consumer rates.

• Adak Eagle Enterprises/Windy City Cellular Order (5/7/15)
• Kennebec Telephone Company Order (8/25/14)
• Adak Eagle Enterprises /Windy City Cellular Order (8/21/14)
• Silver Star Telephone Company High-Cost Loop Support Waiver Request (12/20/13)
• South Central Waiver Order (7/29/13)
• Adak Eagle Enterprises/Windy City Cellular Waiver Order (7/15/13)
• Sandwich Isles Waiver Order (5/10/13)
• Three Texas High-Cost Waiver Petitions Dismissed (4/30/13)
• Accipiter Waiver Order (1/30/13)
• Cordova Wireless Communications Waiver Order (1/14/13)
• Adak Eagle Waiver Order (12/20/12)
• Allband Waiver Order (7/25/12)

Benchmarks

In April 2014, the Commission eliminated the High-Cost Loop Support (HCLS) benchmarking rule. The HCLS benchmarking rule placed overall limits on capital and operating expenses eligible for HCLS reimbursement, and redistributed freed up HCLS to carriers that stayed within these limits.

• 2014 HCLS Benchmarks Public Notice  (1/15/14)
• 2014 Rate-of-Return Benchmarks Order  (7/26/13)
• Updated 2013 HCLS Benchmarks Public Notice (3/26/13)
• USF/ICC Transformation Sixth Recon. Order (2/27/13)
• 2013 HCLS Benchmarks Public Notice (1/29/13)
• HCLS Benchmarks Implementation Order (4/25/12)
• HCLS Benchmarks Implementation Order Regression Code, Data, and Other Supporting Materials
• Modeling Limits on Reimbursable Operating and Capital Costs: FNPRM Appendix H Data
• Costs Per Loop for Five Study Areas 
• Supplemental Costs Per Loop Data
• Coefficients for Table 1 of Appendix H (revised Jan 10. 2012) 
• Universal Service High-Cost Program Disbursements
  • Wireline Competition Bureau staff analysis of 2010 high-cost program disbursements, using Universal Service Administrative Company high-cost data disbursement search tool