Universal Service Fund

Proposed reforms to a major federal broadband subsidy program are still taking shape on Capitol Hill. Lawmakers are aiming to circulate a discussion draft of legislation that would modernize the $8.5 billion-per-year Universal Service Fund. Meanwhile, the Federal Communications Commission, which manages the fund, is asking for input on whether it should make changes to the nonprofit it delegated accounting and administrative duties to.

The Federal Communications Commission’s Wireline Competition Bureau and the Office of the Managing Director seek comment on potential reforms to the operations and management of the Universal Service Administrative Company, which administers the FCC’s Universal Service Fund. Given the passage of time since the FCC last conducted a wide-ranging review of USAC and its relevant processes, we seek comment on strengthening USAC’s internal processes and improving its management structure to increase efficiency in the administration of USF programs. As part of our ongoing commitment to ensure that

The Federal Communications Commission has denied waiver requests from Mediacom Wireless of Florida LLC (and a related entity in Georgia) and Consolidated Communications related to the Rural Digital Opportunity Fund auction. The FCC said that it did not find good cause to grant either RDOF waiver.

Mercury Wireless Indiana and Mercury Broadband request a limited waiver of the Federal Communications Commission’s Rural Digital Opportunity Fund’s (“RDOF”) service milestone and non-compliance rules in Indiana, Michigan, and Ohio. Consistent with Wireline Competition Bureau precedent, Mercury requests limited relief similar to that provided to other carriers that have relinquished some, but not all, of their RDOF-funded support.

The Federal Communications Commission's Wireline Competition Bureau (Bureau) denied Mediacom Wireless of Florida LLC and Mediacom Wireless of Georgia LLC’s (collectively, Mediacom) request for waiver of the Rural Digital Opportunity Fund (RDOF) requirement to certify that they offered service to 40% of the Connect America Cost Model (CAM)-estimated number of locations by December 31, 2025 and/or an extension of the service milestone until June 30, 2026 to complete deployment to 40% of the required number of locations.

Federal Communications Commission Chairman Brendan Carr announced that the items below are tentatively on the agenda for the April Open Commission Meeting scheduled for Thursday, April 30, 2026:

More than 400,000 Arizonans have lost their SNAP benefits since July—the largest decline in the nation by a wide margin—as an underfunded state agency administered changes called for in President Donald Trump’s so-called One Big Beautiful Bill Act. The drop represents nearly 47 percent of the state’s participants in the program better known as food stamps and includes about 180,000 children, according to the Arizona Department of Economic Security, which administers the program.

Many in the telecommunications industry were relieved when the Supreme Court ruled in favor of upholding the Universal Service Fund in June 2025.

The House Subcommittee on Communications & Technology held a hearing recently on the Telecom Act of 1996—30 Years Later.

The Federal Communications Commission seeks to ensure that Lifeline services are used to benefit and support eligible low-income Americans, that the program's funding is protected from waste, fraud, and abuse, and that service providers are in compliance with FCC rules. The FCC also seeks to update and streamline Lifeline and related rules. Comments are due on or before May 4, 2026 and reply comments are due on or before June 2, 2026.