UScellular Fires Back at Allegations It Misuses USF Funds
Calls RWA allegations ‘baseless and unsupported.'
WASHINGTON, June 30, 2025 – United States Cellular Corporation filed a reply comment with the Federal Communications Commission, disputing the allegation made by the Rural Wireless Association that it misuses federal dollars from the Universal Service Fund.
On June 5, RWA filed comments with the FCC in response to a public notice that UScellular was seeking to relinquish its Eligible Telecommunications Carrier Designations in New Hampshire, North Carolina, Tennessee, and Virginia.
In those comments, RWA stated that it “agree[d] that UScellular should relinquish its ETC designations if it exits the wireless business as planned and should cease to get USF support” but argued that “UScellular’s receipt of USF should cease effective May 28, 2024, the date of the announcement of the transaction with T-Mobile, rather than upon the consummation of the transaction with T-Mobile” because there are “concerns that UScellular has been receiving USF support that runs afoul of the Commission’s rules, potentially dating back to January 1, 2021.”
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RWA based their assertions in part on statements from T-Mobile and UScellular which it claimed “implied that some of UScellular’s cell sites, which are supported by USF, will be decommissioned” and thus “suggests that UScellular may have ceased meaningful investment in these cell sites, despite continuing to receive USF support to maintain and expand service in rural areas.”
UScellular called the RWA allegations “baseless and unsupported” in its June 20 comments, arguing that the group “provides no supporting evidence or an affidavit of a person with first-hand knowledge of any of its expressed ‘concerns.’”
It further claimed that “RWA claims to be concerned about unexplained ‘recent actions’ but does not describe any such actions related to UScellular’s 5G investments” and that as a result “RWA reveal[ed] that its motive has nothing to do with lawful use of 5G Fund support or the public interest.
UScellular, led by CEO Laurent C. Therivel, concluded its comments by stating that “RWA’s allegations are inaccurate and irrelevant” and that the FCC should grant UScellular’s Relinquishment Petition.
