Consumer Groups See Universal Service as Central Goal and Tool in National Broadband Plan

CFA and CU argue that the Federal Communications Commission should focus its national broadband plan on the achievement of the central goal of the Communications Act - universal service. Attention should be focused on activating the policy tool it has to directly promote progress toward that goal. The CFA and CU are concerned that the broad and scatter shot nature of the FCC's proceeding will carry the Commission into a morass of regulation and litigation that will slow progress down, when there is a clear need and clear authority to implement universal service policies that can have an immediate impact on solving the problem. They argue that the FCC must get back to basics and define broadband as Title II service eligible for universal service support as the means to ensure that all people of the United States have adequate facilities at charges that are just, reasonable, affordable and nondiscriminatory. The Commission should adopt an experiential approach to defining broadband, with any technology capable of supporting the range of activities in which broadband users engage being eligible for
support with universal service funds.