Reply Comments Filed on Future of USF

March 18, 2022

The national discussion on the future of USF continues, and Vantage Point continues to advocate for viable, accountable, sustainable solutions.

In reply comments filed March 17, 2022, Larry Thompson, PE, Jeff Smith, Doug Eidahl, JD, and Mikaela Burma, JD again reiterated that the job of meeting the universal service obligation does not have an expiration date. In eleven pages of comments, Vantage Point argued that the decision to sustain federal universal service support (USF) is as important as the current infrastructure funding efforts; and networks supported by USF must be scalable to support evolving customer usage patterns and ensure efficient use of current funding efforts.

Further, Vantage Point acknowledged that while there are different views on what the Act will accomplish, evolving support for operating expense support is essential over the long run. Vantage Point also highlighted other commenters that provided an effective road map to reform. Finally, Vantage Point discussed the important alliance of the federal-state partnership, especially with respect to ETC status; and that ETC designation continues to be an essential metric for equity, access, and deployment.

These reply comments were filed on the matter of WC Docket No. 21-476.