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 18 million Americans living in rural areas who currently have no access to robust broadband infrastructure. 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 (CAF) 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

• Read the Executive Summary to the USF/ICC Transformation Order
• FCC Releases
• Rate of Return Carrier Resources
• Price Cap Carrier Resources
• Mobility Fund I Resources (Auction 901)
• Maps
• Blogs
• Commission Meeting Adopting Reform
• Consumer Benefits by the Numbers
• Annual Universal Service Monitoring Report

Other Resources

• Universal Service Administrative Company (USAC)
• Federal-State Joint Board on Universal Service Contact List (PDF)

FCC Releases

General Actions

• FCC Releases New, Interactive Map Illustrating States Set to Receive 'Connect America Fund' Support to Bring 400,000 Americans High-Speed Broadband. (7/26/12)
• FCC Kicks-Off Connect America Fund (7/25/12)
• USF/ICC Transformation Order
• Sua Sponte Order on Reconsideration
• USF/ICC Second Order on Reconsideration (4/25/12)
• USF/ICC Third Order on Reconsideration (5/14/12)
• USF/ICC Fourth Order on Reconsideration (7/18/12)
• Erratum
• Clarifying Aspects of USF/ICC Order I (2/3/12)
• Clarifying Aspects of USF/ICC Order II (2/27/12)
• Clarifying Aspects of USF/ICC Order III (6/5/12)
• Clarifying Aspects of USF/ICC Order IV (7/18/12)
• ONAP, WTB, and WCB Issue Further Guidance on Tribal Engagement
• Urban Rates Survey Public Notice (7/26/12)

Connect America Fund

• Access to CAF II Models

Connect America Fund – Mobility Fund I

• Auction Announced and Comment Requested
• How to become an ETC

Maps

• Broadband Availability Across the US
• Mobility Fund Phase 1 Potentially Eligible Areas
• Regulatory Type at the Holding Company Level by Study Area
• Connect America Phase I

Blogs

• FCC Launches Connect America Fund(4/25/12)
• 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)

Consumer Benefits by the Numbers

• Americans living in unserved rural areas who will receive access to broadband over the next decade: 18 million
• Consumers who will get mobile broadband coverage where they live, work, and travel: millions
• Jobs created related to new deployment in rural areas over five years: 500,000
• Annual economic benefits in rural areas from new deployment: $700 million
• Annual increase in economic growth, creating jobs: $50 billion
• Benefit to cost ratio for consumers: $3 to $1
• Percentage of FORTUNE 500 companies that post job openings online only – and require online applications: over 80 percent
• Graduation rates for students with broadband at home compared to similar students with no broadband access: 6% to 8% higher