Rural Carriers: Operating Expense Support From Universal Service Necessary
The carriers say their legacy USF support has dwindled as the FCC phased out legacy programs in favor of competitive auctions.
WASHINGTON, Sept. 5, 2025 – Rural wireless carriers reiterated their call last week for the Federal Communications Commission to subsidize their operational costs through its Universal Service Fund. They also took their concerns to Congress on Wednesday.
“As the wireless industry has matured and roaming revenue has decreased as part of the business plan to serve rural areas, support for operational expenses through USF is critically needed,” the Competitive Carriers Association wrote in a Wednesday letter to the House Committee on Small Business.
The carriers say their legacy USF support has dwindled as the FCC phased out legacy programs in favor of competitive auctions and is no longer sufficient to prevent them from losing money providing essential connectivity in rural areas.
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