Flexible Use of Competitive ETC Support

The Federal Communications Commission gave certain carriers flexibility to focus Universal Service Funds on hard-hit areas in response to the COVID-19 pandemic. Specifically, the waiver order allows competitive eligible telecommunications carriers (ETCs) to use their high-cost legacy support in the service areas of any affiliated ETC in order to respond to the unprecedented challenges posed by COVID-19. FCC rules require all legacy high-cost support to be used in a particular service area. This order finds that it is in the public interest to waive this requirement for a limited period of time to allow competitive ETCs receiving legacy high-cost support to maximize their ability to make real-time, efficient decisions about the use of their support, and direct that funding to the areas where it is most needed. The order waives the requirement that all legacy high-cost support must be used in a given area until June 30, 2020, at which time the FCC will evaluate whether an extension is warranted. The waiver order does not affect any of the other obligations of high-cost recipients.