The Universal Service Fund is a federal program that subsidizes phone service in rural areas and for low-income Americans and discounts Internet connections for schools, libraries and rural health care providers.

The FCC has been requesting comments from stakeholders for years on how to modernize the Universal Service Fund. Free Press and allied organizations submitted the following comments:

2009 Comments

Comments on the FCC's National Broadband Plan
Free Press filed comments with the FCC as part of the agency's national broadband plan to bring high-speed Internet to all Americans.

• Read the comments, or, read the press release. (June 2009)

2008 Comments

Comments on Reforming Intercarrier Compensation and the Universal Service High Cost Fund
Free Press submitted these comments regarding proposals for comprehensive reform of the rules governing Intercarrier Compensation and the Universal Service High Cost Fund.
(November 2008)

Comments on Reforming the Universal Service Fund
In these comments, consumer groups note the overall problems that currently exist with the fund, but do not propose a plan for reform before reviewing the comments of other stakeholders. (April 2008)

2008 Reply Comments

Reply Comments on Reforming the Universal Service Fund
These comments provide a detailed proposal for reforming the Universal Service Fund. Public interest organizations, led by Free Press, provide extensive justification for why the fund should subsidize next-generation broadband networks in areas that are currently unserved or underserved. (June 2008)

2006-2007 Comments

Comments on Reforming the Universal Service Fund
Consumer groups encourage the FCC and the federal board tasked with the Universal Service Fund’s oversight to continue the fund’s role in providing Internet access to rural America. (May 2006)

2007 Reply Comments

Reply Comments on Reforming the Universal Service Fund
In these comments, consumer groups rebut arguments from industry that the fund should not be used to provide broadband service to unserved and underserved areas. (July 2007)