USF funds many things including eRate and Lifeline. If you object to USF, perhaps you object to how the money is raised (fee on interstate phone revenue) or perhaps you object to some of the things being funded. It does seem like it has a life of its own and nobody is accountable for saying Lifeline should get this much money or high cost fund should get this much money or rural healthcare should get this much money, etc. But nobody is accountable for anything any more anyway, so what are you going to do?
From: AF <[email protected]> On Behalf Of [email protected] Sent: Wednesday, May 20, 2026 4:42 PM To: AnimalFarm Microwave Users Group <[email protected]> Subject: Re: [AFMUG] USF not a tax! IMO should die asap Technically it is not and was never a tax. It is a user fee that replaced the old AT&T interstate line haul sharing that went away with divestiture. When AT&T quit sharing a portion of the toll with the small independent telcos NECA and later USF stepped into that gap and allow them to get the revenue recovery that the law specifies by tariff. If someone doesn't want to pay USF, then avoid using the PSTN. Has been quite the gravy train for ILECS for a very long time. _____ From: AF <[email protected] <mailto:[email protected]> > on behalf of Dan P via AF <[email protected] <mailto:[email protected]> > Sent: Wednesday, May 20, 2026 12:16 PM To: AnimalFarm Microwave Users Group <[email protected] <mailto:[email protected]> > Cc: Dan P <[email protected] <mailto:[email protected]> > Subject: [AFMUG] USF not a tax! IMO should die asap And I am sure we all know this isn't a one off deal. I always love how its pushed as "not a tax" https://www.propublica.org/article/alaska-telecom-subsidies-roger-shoffstall
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