FCC

USAC Audits Are ‘Kafkaesque,’ Industry Tells FCC

Providers say the audit process costs more to defend than it recovers - and want the FCC to fix it.

Georgina Mackie

Georgina Mackie

— 3 min read
USAC Audits Are ‘Kafkaesque,’ Industry Tells FCC
Photo of the Universal Service Administrative Company's building in Metro Center from Georgetown University.

WASHINGTON, May 19, 2026 – Industry groups urged the Federal Communications Commission to overhaul the nation's universal service fund auditing system, arguing reviews have become slow, inconsistent and disproportionately burdensome.

The comments came Friday in response to a broad FCC inquiry into possible reforms to the Universal Service Administrative Company's operations, governance and oversight framework. 

The dominant theme was audits, designed to assess compliance with FCC rules and safeguard the Universal Service Fund, are dysfunctional. Providers described multi-year reviews, contradictory findings and response deadlines measured in days, even as audits themselves dragged on for years.

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FCC USAC WTA USTelecom Lifeline CTIA WISPA Elevate Carol Mattey Summit Ridge Group Funds for Learning NRECA The Broadband Rural Health Group NTCA

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