Universal Service Items of Interest on Today's Daily Digest

418-0484

There is a new Form 498 pending review and approval at OMB that will collect financial institution information from each recipient of universal service funds (all mechanisms, HC, LI, E-Rate and RHC). Once the form is approved, then the FCC will issue a new public notice announcing the effective date of the electronic payment requirement. After the effective date, if a recipient of universal service payments fails to provide financial institution information sufficient to enable payment through electronic funds transfer, the Universal Service Administrative Company (USAC) will not make universal service payments to that entity.

This has significant implications for applicants that rely on the BEAR process, to receive their E-rate discounts. They will have to make sure that their service providers have submitted the electronic remittance information required on the new form 498 in order to insure that the service provider can receive electronic payments. Many of the very large companies that participate in universal service already receive electronic payments but there may be some mom and pop phone companies and other non-telecom (priority 2) vendors that may not receive electronic payments. We should ask USAC for some information so we can do outreach to the E-rate vendors in our respective states.

For those of you that also are involved with the Rural Health Care Pilot Program:

Released: 09/28/2009. REMINDER TO RURAL HEALTH CARE PILOT PROGRAM PARTICIPANTS OF FILING REQUIREMENTS AND DUE DATES FOR QUARTERLY REPORTS.

(DA No. 09-2124). (Dkt No 02-60 ). WCB . Contact: Erica Myers at

(202) 418-7400, email: Erica.Myers@fcc.gov, TTY: (202) 418-0484 http://hraunfoss.fcc.gov/edocs_public/attachmatch/DA-09-2124A1.doc

http://hraunfoss.fcc.gov/edocs_public/attachmatch/DA-09-2124A1.pdf

http://hraunfoss.fcc.gov/edocs_public/attachmatch/DA-09-2124A1.txt

Fascinating New Process re Public Notice of USAC Request for Policy Guidance – regarding High Cost Fund (not E-rate) – but is this hopefully a sign of the new transparency efforts by the new FCC Chairman?

Released: 09/28/2009. COMMENT SOUGHT ON REQUEST FOR UNIVERSAL SERVICE FUND POLICY GUIDANCE REQUESTED BY THE UNIVERSAL SERVICE ADMINISTRATIVE COMPANY. (DA No. 09-2117). (Dkt No 06-122 96-45 05-337 ). Comments Due:

10/28/2009. Reply Comments Due: 11/12/2009. WCB . Contact: Cindy Spiers at (202) 418-7400, TTY: (202) 418-0484 http://hraunfoss.fcc.gov/edocs_public/attachmatch/DA-09-2117A1.doc

http://hraunfoss.fcc.gov/edocs_public/attachmatch/DA-09-2117A1.pdf

http://hraunfoss.fcc.gov/edocs_public/attachmatch/DA-09-2117A1.txt

USAC Board Nominations Sought:

Released: 09/28/2009. THE WIRELINE COMPETITION BUREAU SEEKS NOMINATIONS FOR SIX BOARD MEMBER POSITIONS ON THE UNIVERSAL SERVICE ADMINISTRATIVE COMPANY BOARD OF DIRECTORS. (DA No. 09-2127). (Dkt No

97-21 96-45 ) Nominations Due By: November 1, 2009. WCB . Contact:

Jamie Susskind at (202) 418-7400, TTY: (202) 418-0484 http://hraunfoss.fcc.gov/edocs_public/attachmatch/DA-09-2127A1.doc

http://hraunfoss.fcc.gov/edocs_public/attachmatch/DA-09-2127A1.pdf

http://hraunfoss.fcc.gov/edocs_public/attachmatch/DA-09-2127A1.txt

· Representative for incumbent local exchange carriers (incumbent LECs) (other than Bell Operating

Companies) with annual operating revenues in excess of $40 million (position currently held by D.

Michael Anderson).

· Representative for state telecommunication regulators (position currently held by Anne C. Boyle).

· Representative for interexchange carriers with more than $3 billion in annual operating revenues2

(position currently held by Rex Knowles).

· Representative for information service providers (position currently held by David P. McClure).

· Representative for rural health care providers that are eligible to receive discounts (position currently

held by Jay H. Sanders, M.D.).

· Representative for schools that are eligible to receive discounts (position currently held by Phyllis

Simon).

There is an open Schools and Libraries seat – currently held by Phyllis Simon.

There are other items on the daily digest pertaining to the High Cost Mechanism that I did not include in this email. Consult the Daily Digest if you’re interested.

http://www.fcc.gov/Daily_Releases/Daily_Digest/2009/dd090929.html