RESOURCES
The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) launched a proposed rulemaking in 2011 to reform the federal Universal Service Fund (USF) and intercarrier compensation (ICC), which is the system of charges that telecommunications providers bill one another for carrying and terminating traffic on their networks. USF and ICC revenues comprise between 50% and as much as 75% or more of rural high cost telecom provider revenues. The ability of rural telecom providers to continue to invest in advanced, broadband telecommunications infrastructure—upon which Americans increasingly rely for commercial, health care, education, emergency, entertainment and other services—is at risk if the proposed rules substantially diminish investment prospects for rural telecom providers. The four major national rural telecommunications industry associations in Washington, DC—The National Exchange Carriers Association (NECA), National Telecommunications Cooperatives Association (NTCA), The Organization for the Preservation and Advancement of Small Telecommunications Companies (OPASTCO), and the Western Telecommunications Alliance (WTA)--have created jointly a resource page with material related to the FCC’s For more information on these major FCC initiatives, go to www.saveruralbroadband.org
Statewide Associations
Industry Organizations
Federal Agencies
State Agencies
Montana Telecommunications Association
208 North Montana Avenue, Suite 105
Helena, Montana 59601
Telephone: 406-442-4316
Fax: 406-442-8243 |
