FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

April 17, 2008

Telecommunications Industry Association (TIA) Urges FCC Updates to Universal Service Fund

Separate Fund to Provide Universal Access to Broadband Services

Washington, D.C. - The Telecommunications Industry Association (TIA), the leader in advocacy, standards development, business development and intelligence for the information and communications technology (ICT) industry, announced today it vigorously supports pending FCC proposals that call for updates to the Universal Service Fund (USF), including the establishment of a separate funding mechanism for broadband services. TIA believes these changes will facilitate widespread build-out of broadband networks throughout the United States and ensure that consumers in underserved and unserved areas can also benefit from next-generation products and services.

As part of its comments, TIA urges the Commission to create a separate technology- and competitively-neutral broadband fund that will grow as funds are transitioned from support for narrowband services. Additionally, TIA argues that these funds should be supported via reverse auctions or other neutral market-based funding mechanisms that will be more equitable than current processes.

The goals of Universal Service, mandated by the Telecommunications Act of 1996, are to increase the accessibility and affordability of advanced telecommunications service throughout the United States. The USF subsidizes the provisioning of such services to all consumers, including those in low income, rural, insular and high cost areas, at rates that are reasonably comparable to those charged in urban areas.

"Transitioning the Universal Service Fund to include broadband support is of great importance to our members," stated TIA President Grant Seiffert. "The deployment of high-capacity broadband networks impact investment in and deployment of next-generation networks, applications and devices across the United States and is one of TIA's broadband deployment goals."

For more information about TIA's government affairs initiatives, please contact Danielle Coffey at dcoffey@tiaonline.org. For information about TIA, please contact Taly Walsh at twalsh@tiaonline.org.

 

About TIA
Celebrating its 20^th Anniversary, the Telecommunications Industry Association (TIA) represents the global information and communications technology (ICT) industries through standards development, advocacy, business opportunities, market intelligence and world-wide environmental regulatory compliance. Thousands of companies and individuals work through TIA to enhance the business environment for telecommunications, broadband, mobile wireless, information technology, networks, cable, satellite, unified communications, emergency communications and the greening of technology. TIA is accredited by the American National Standards Institute (ANSI).

TIA's Board of Directors includes senior-level executives from ACS, ADC, ADTRAN, Alcatel-Lucent, Anda Networks, Arraycomm, AttivaCorp, Avaya, Bechtel Communications, Inc., Cam Communications, Cisco Systems, Corning Incorporated, Ericsson, Inc., Graybar, Henkels & McCoy, Intel Corporation, LGE, Microsoft, Motorola, Nokia Siemens Networks, Nortel, OneChip Photonics Inc., OnSite Systems, Panasonic Computer Solutions Co., Research In Motion, Sumitomo Electric Lightwave Corporation, Telcordia Technologies, Tellabs, Tyco Electronics, Ulticom, Inc., Westell Technologies, Inc. and Zebra Technologies Corporation. Advisors to the Board include FAL Associates, ILS Technology and Orca Systems.

TIA membership enhances the ability of companies to prepare for the future of communications. TIA brings people and businesses together by helping the industry overcome technical and political barriers to communications. Visit www.tiaonline.org for details.

 

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