[ NNSquad ] Re: FCC changing USF (from nnsquad Digest, Vol 5, Issue 37)

[Rollie Cole <rolliecole@gmail.com>]

In a stark illustration of "unintended consequences," even the threat that the USF may change is actually hindering the spread of broadband in rural Indiana. Our telecoms, unlike those reputed to be using USF for gold-plating or paying high dividends or salaries, are using them to pay off loans from the US Rural Utilities Service (RUS) to overbuild their territories with fiber to the home (FTTH). But with the future of the USF uncertain, these same utilities are putting further deployment (via further loans) on hold at least until the issue is settled, and depending on the exact changes, may find they can no longer leverage USF payments as they did before.

Just as it is "an ill wind that blows nobody good," it is a rare wind that does not have undesirable unintended consequences, often relating to the very goal of the change.

Rollie Cole

On Mon, Feb 7, 2011 at 10:26 PM, <nnsquad-request@nnsquad.org> wrote:

Message: 5
Date: Mon, 7 Feb 2011 16:31:27 -0800
From: Lauren Weinstein <lauren@vortex.com>
Subject: [ NNSquad ]  FCC Chair: Use Rural Phone Service Fund for
       Broadband
To: nnsquad@nnsquad.org
Message-ID: <20110208003127.GA17923@vortex.com">20110208003127.GA17923@vortex.com>
Content-Type: text/plain; charset=us-ascii


FCC Chair: Use Rural Phone Service Fund for Broadband

http://bit.ly/gUj25J  (L.A. Times)

--Lauren--
NNSquad Moderator

-- 
Rollie Cole
5315 Washington Blvd
Indianapolis, IN 46220-3062
317-426-8679