Over 106,000 rural homes and small businesses in 43 states will get access to improved broadband service, thanks to recent FCC reforms to the Universal Service Fund.
The news means “many more rural residents will have access to high-speed broadband service that will enable them to fully participate in the digital economy —entrepreneurship, telemedicine, precision agriculture, online education, and more,” said FCC Chairman Ajit Pai. “This is yet another example of how the FCC is working hard to close the digital divide.”
The Commission reformed its USF rules last December. Since then, a total of 186 companies participating in the FCC’s Alternative Connect America Cost Model (A-CAM) program have accepted $65.7 million in additional annual support over the next decade. In return, these carriers have committed to deploying 25/3 Mbps service to 106,365 homes and small businesses that would have otherwise only received slower 10/1 Mbps service.
The boost represents a 31.8 percent increase in the number of locations that will have faster service available through the A-CAM program. Carriers must deploy 25/3 Mbps service to 40 percent of locations by the end of 2022, and increase deployment by 10 percent annually, until buildout is complete at the end of 2028.
The chart here details the impact of the additional funding by state.
April 30, 2019
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