FCC's Clyburn Addresses USF, ICC Reform at Rural Assembly

Federal Communications Commission member Mignon Clyburn spoke to the National Rural Assembly in St Paul (MN), focusing her address on broadband and the FCC's efforts to expand broadband access to unserved and underserved areas, including rural and low-income communities.

She noted the FCC's efforts to restructure the current Universal Service Fund and intercarrier compensation (ICC) mechanisms in a way that recognizes the range of diverse issues within rural America. "As we undergo USF and ICC reform, we must hold those companies accountable to serve those areas for which they receive funds. This is where you all have a great opportunity to help us figure out what is working and what isn't so that we can learn from our investments, and from each other, to inform future policy and programmatic decisions. Your efforts in keeping us informed about how companies and various projects are performing at the local level are invaluable to shaping new approaches at the Commission. Organizations such as the ones represented here today can play a critical role in educating us about what is and is not working," Commissioner Clyburn said.

"The challenges before us are not easy, but we all stand to benefit from confronting these hurdles together. Ubiquitous broadband service that every person can use to improve his or her life is a noble goal. I thank you for your commitment to help me in this effort. I believe that once our nation is fully connected to high-speed broadband and with everyone educated to use it, it will be well worth the hard work."