Additional CETC Disbursement Detail for August Disbursements

In an effort to provide more granular detail of CETCs' monthly disbursement calculations, USAC is posting additional detail of August's disbursements. USAC anticipates launching a new, more granular, disbursement detail search tool modeled after the current Disbursement Data Search page in the near future.

A glossary of terms used in the table is also posted.

• Granular Breakdown August (PDF)
• Disbursement Detail Glossary (PDF)

March 2008 CETC Baseline for Interim Cap on CETC Support Corrected

On February 8, 2011, the FCC provided further guidance for interim cap adjustments in a letter, correcting errors in the information USAC had submitted to determine the baseline for the August 24, 2010 letter.

The letter also establishes payment plan guidelines for carriers from which recovery of USF support is required.

If any carriers have questions or inquiries concerning the CETC March 2008 support baseline adjustments, please send them to CETC Cap Questions.

Adjusted CETC March 2008 Baseline, LSS & ICLS True-Up Summary

USAC Launches its Payment Quality Assurance (PQA) Program

In August 2010, USAC rolled out its Payment Quality Assurance (PQA) Program. The PQA Program enables USAC to provide accurate, timely information about improper payments to the FCC, as required by the Improper Payments Information Act of 2002 (IPIA). Under this program, USAC assesses specific payments made to beneficiaries in all four USF programs (Schools and Libraries, High Cost, Low Income, and Rural Health Care)  to determine if these payments were made in accordance with program rules. Using results of these assessments, USAC calculates estimates of improper payment rates across entire USF programs and provides this information to the FCC.

For more information about the PQA Program and to obtain specific PQA document requirements, please click here. For a list of FAQs that provide information about the program, what to do if you are selected, and how/when to submit documents, click here.

Update your Form 498 with electronic banking information to ensure continued timely USF disbursements!

REMINDER! Beginning August 31, USAC will withhold support payments to any entity that has not provided electronic banking information.  If your company does not have electronic banking information on its FCC Form 498 for each of the programs in which it participates, you may not receive your USF disbursements!  Banking information must be received in advance of August 31^st, so make Form 498 updates using USAC's E-File System right away!

Note: E-File updates your information immediately, while paper forms take longer to process.  Forms mailed too close to August 31st may not be processed by the deadline. USAC suggests using E-File.
USAC encourages Service Providers who have provided banking information in the past to log onto E-file regularly to confirm that information is accurate and up to date.

On June 2, 2010 the FCC's Wireline Competition Bureau announced that all federal Universal Service Fund (USF) support payments must be made by electronic funds transfer starting August 31 (See Public Notice DA 10-270). If you have any questions, or need help logging in to E-File, please contact USAC Customer Operations at (888) 641-8722 or customersupport@usac.org.

High Cost and Low Income Trainings in Seattle, Chicago, and Orlando - - Register Today!

New Mailing Address For High Cost & Low Income Filings Effective October 1, 2009

Effective October 1, 2009, USAC will begin collecting all High Cost & Low Income forms at its Washington, DC mailing address. The High Cost and Low Income email addresses and fax numbers will remain the same.

ETCs (or their agents) must send High Cost Forms 507, 508, 509, 525, Local Switching Support forms, Interstate Access Support line count filings, CMT revenue filings, Low Income FCC Form 497, and any other information previously sent to USAC in New Jersey to the address below:

USAC
Customer Operations
2000 L Street NW, Suite 200
Washington, DC 20036

To avoid interruption in form processing, USAC recommends that ETCs file FCC Forms 497 and 525 online.

USAC will continue to receive High Cost and Low Income forms sent to USAC New Jersey until December 31, 2009. After that date, USAC will not process any High Cost or Low Income data mailed to the old address. For this reason, we strongly encourage you to change your records to indicate the new address or, if applicable, submit the Forms 497 and 525 online.

Guidance for CETCs Serving "Covered Locations"

On May 27, 2009, the FCC published DA 09-1157, "Small Entity Compliance Guide: Interim Cap on High-Cost Universal Service Support for Competitive Eligible Telecommunications Carriers." This document set forth how a CETC must file its line count data in order to comply with the covered locations exception to the interim cap on high cost support:

• Guidance for CETCs