FCC Report Tracks Trends Related to Universal Service

The Federal-State Joint Board on Universal Service released its USF Monitoring Report. The report contains information designed to monitor the impact of various universal service support mechanisms and the methods used to finance them, based on data filed by the telephone industry with the FCC through October 2010. A monitoring program was established in the mid 1980's, at the recommendation of the Separations Joint Board, to track trends related to universal service and related matters. Since then, Joint Board staff prepared Monitoring Reports at least once a year a compendium of statistical data on subscribership and penetration, loop costs, separations factors, universal service fund payments, etc. The report is the only FCC document that includes information on every incumbent local telephone company in the nation.