FCC asks court to uphold constitutionality of nationwide rural phone and internet subsidies
This post was originally posted here. By Kalvis Golde on Nov 12, 2024 at 12:07 pm The Petitions of the Week column highlights some of...
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Why Now?
A FIGHT FOR CONNECTIVITY IN EVERY COMMUNITY IS HERE!
The concept of universal service in the United States was established in legislation with the Communications Act of 1934. The idea behind universal service is that all Americans should have access to a baseline level of telecommunications service.
The Universal Service Fund is a $8 billion decades-old mechanism created by Congress in 1996 to support vital communications investments where the marketplace falls short: connecting schools and libraries to high-speed internet, helping rural hospitals adopt telemedicine, ensuring low-income households have essential communications services, and investing in broadband in communities that need it most. As law requires, telecommunications carriers contribute a portion of their revenues to the Universal Service Fund.
The Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals recently held that the current administration of the Universal Service Fund is unconstitutional. This March 2025, this case will be heard by the Supreme Court. This decision breaks with rulings by the Sixth and Eleventh Circuits.
Connectivity is at the heart of access in our country as Senator John Thune from South Dakota has said, "The fact is schools in remote areas are simply more expensive to reach with service than their counterparts in more populated areas, which are typically located much closer to network infrastructure. This has always been the underlying issue at hand with universal service".
A bipartisan solution must be led by Congress to ensure the long term solvency of the fund and the ability to continue to KEEP OUR COMMUNITIES CONNECTED.
A Broad Movement With One Message
A broad movement, including rural communities, school districts, nonprofits, businesses, tech companies, and public service organizations, united to protect and ensure the continuation of universal service funds. We advocate for affordable and reliable telecommunications access for all, emphasizing its role in bridging the digital divide, fostering economic growth, and connecting communities.
What's at risk?
54,367,186 students would loss connectivity in schools and libraries
16,080 health care providers would be disconnected
7,596,720 high need subscribers would lose discounted phone and/or internet service.
In 2023, carriers nationwide received $4,263,186,064 to connect households in the most rural communities.
Every community in this country would lose connectivity.
Explore The Issue
What would a loss of connectivity mean for my school district? (Coming soon)
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WHAT A LOSS OF CONNECTIVITY WOULD MEAN.
The decision “could lead to cutting off broadband access for tens of millions of students, educators, and library patrons."
EDLINQ
“This decision is misguided and wrong. It upends decades of bipartisan support for FCC programs that help communications reach the most rural and least-connected households in our country, as well as hospitals, schools, and libraries nationwide.”
Jessica Rosenworcel
Chairwoman
Federal Communications
Commission
"54 million students across this country would be disconnected from access to the internet, to technology and to their economic opportunity to participate in the knowledge economy."
Erin Mote
InnovateEDU
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