What is a universal service program?
What is a universal service program?
Universal service is the principle that all Americans should have access to communications services. Universal service is also the name of a fund and the category of FCC programs and policies to implement this principle.
Is USAC a government agency?
USAC is not a federal government agency or department or a government controlled corporation as that term is defined in sections 9101-02 of Title 31 of the United States Code.
Is USAC part of the FCC?
USAC administers the Universal Service Fund under the direction of the Federal Communications Commission (FCC).
How does erate funding work?
The Schools and Libraries (E-rate) Program provides discounts to assist eligible schools and libraries to obtain affordable internet access and telecommunications services. The E-rate Program supports connectivity, which is the conduit or pipeline for communications using telecommunications services or the internet.
What is meant by universal service in telecommunications?
License of Telecom Services. Universal Service can be defined as the provision of affordable basic telecommunication services to all citizens especially in the economically non-feasible regions.
Who pays into Universal Service Fund?
Universal service is paid for by contributions from telecommunications carriers, including wireline and wireless companies, and interconnected Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) providers, including cable companies that provide voice service, based on an assessment of their interstate and international end-user …
Is Universal Service Administrative Company Legit?
As an independent not-for-profit designated by the FCC, USAC administers the Universal Service Fund (USF). The USF is almost $10 billion and is available annually thanks to the companies and institutions that make universal service possible.
Is USAC a nonprofit?
USAC is an independent, not-for-profit corporation designated by the FCC as the administrator of the universal service fund.
Who pays the Universal Service Fund?
How much is the universal service fee?
Here we go again: 33.4 percent. Believe it or not, that is the amount the Federal Communications Commission is slated to begin collecting off your phone bill in April of 2021.
Do private schools get erate?
In general, elementary schools, secondary schools, private schools, and religious schools are all eligible to receive discounts as long as they have an endowment less than $50 million and are not-for-profit.
Who is eligible for erate?
Eligible participants include public and most non-profit K-12 schools as well as all public and many private libraries. Program participants must carry out a competitive bidding process to select the most cost-effective companies to provide the goods and/or services requested.
What defines a school for purposes of universal service support?
For purposes of universal service support, schools must meet the statutory definition of elementary and secondary schools found in the No Child Left Behind Act of 2001 (20 U.S.C. Section 7801 (18) and (38)):
What types of libraries are eligible for discounted library services?
Only libraries whose budgets are completely separate from any schools, including but not limited to, elementary and secondary schools, colleges and universities shall be eligible to receive discounted services.
Is my elementary school library eligible to receive library services?
For example, an elementary school library is only eligible to receive discounted services if its budget is completely separate from the elementary school. If its budget is not completely separate from the elementary school, the elementary school library is not eligible for support independent from the school with which it is associated.
How does a school or library become a USAC vendor?
An eligible school or library identifies services it needs and submits a request for competitive bids to the Universal Service Administrative Company. USAC posts these requests on its website for vendors’ consideration.
