About USAC

12/12/2018 – Focus on Participant Experience

In 2018, USAC improved the E-rate Program's operational efficiency by refining EPC to process applications more quickly and adjust to large volumes. As we look toward 2019, we will build on those advances with a steady focus on strengthening the E-rate participant experience.

We will serve participants better by adding extra applicant and service provider support, transitioning our E-rate business process operations and implementing enhancements to create a better experience for the E-rate community. USAC has expanded our participant support teams to ensure a smooth and orderly transition process with minimal impacts on the E-rate community.

E-rate participants with open applications, invoices or post-commitment requests will receive additional information to help guide them through the transition. USAC is working hard to address as many open participant issues as we can before the end of the year, and we appreciate the E-rate community's patience as we analyze and work open cases.

Most participants will not notice any changes in their E-rate experience during the transition and will see customer service improvements when it is complete.

12/12/2018 – E-rate Productivity Center (EPC) Outage Due to System Maintenance: December 16-17

The E-rate Productivity Center (EPC) and the EPC training site will be unavailable from Sunday, December 16 at 7:00 p.m ET through Monday, December 17 at 1:00 a.m. ET for monthly system maintenance. During this time, users will be unable to log in to and use EPC. We apologize for any inconvenience.

12/11/2018 – NLAD December Monthly Maintenance Canceled

12/10/2018 – My Portal Outage Due to System Maintenance Wednesday, December 12

12/7/2018 – News Brief Issued

12/7/2018 – Newsletter for December 2018

FY2019 Filing Window Dates Announced!

The initial filing window period for FY2019 is February 1 – May 31, 2019. This means that you must submit your funding requests (FCC Forms 462 and/or 466) between February 1 and 11:59 p.m. ET May 31, 2019 for funding consideration. We highly encourage you to submit your funding requests as early as possible in the filing window period. You can begin the application process and submit all other application forms for FY2019 (FCC Forms 460, 461, or 465) before February 1.

If the total amount of qualifying funding requests received during the initial filing window period for FY2019 does not exceed available RHC Program funding, we will determine if there will be additional filing windows.

Update on FY2018

RHC has begun issuing decisions on FY2018 funding requests, and will continue to do so on a rolling basis. RHC will communicate any updates via the email addresses the applicant has submitted in My Portal. Due to demand for RHC Program funds, there will not be a second filing window period for FY2018. The RHC Program will not accept additional funding requests (FCC Forms 462 or 466) for FY2018. All qualifying single year funding requests with no upfront costs will be fully funded for FY2018 with no proration.

My Portal continues to accept Telecom Program FCC Form 467 (Connection Certification Form) and Healthcare Connect Fund (HCF) Program FCC Form 463 (Invoice and Request for Disbursement Form) for applicants approved for funding in FY2017. 

HCF Program Invoicing Deadline Approaching

Please keep in mind that 11:59 p.m. ET December 31, 2018 is the last day to submit the FCC Form 463 to USAC if you had a funding commitment end date of June 30, 2018. Don't know when your HCF Program invoicing deadline is? Use the look-up tool on our website! Download the Invoicing Deadline Spreadsheet.

Watch the latest HCF Program Invoicing Webinar! This webinar covered how to submit the FCC Form 463 for healthcare providers (HCPs) and service providers. Watch the webinar and download the slides here. Watch our step-by-step invoicing guide video series. These videos go over the submission process of the FCC Form 463, and we highly recommend viewing them if you are submitting your FCC Form 463 for the first time or just simply need a refresher in anticipation of an upcoming deadline: Individual HCPs, Consortia.

FCC Form 461 Rollover for FY2019

This year’s rollover functionality is a courtesy extended to HCF applicants who completed the Request for Services or FCC Form 461 process in FY2018 and would like to use the FY2018 approved FCC Form 461 in FY2019.

Those requesting the FY2018 FCC Form 461 rollover functionality must meet the following requirements:

• The FCC Form 461 must have been submitted for FY2018, and previously reviewed and approved by RHC in FY2018.
• The FY2018 FCC Form 461 and/or competitive bidding process must have complied with competitive bidding rules.

Applicants requesting the FCC Form 461 rollover understand that their FY2019 FCC Form 462 may be denied if the FY2018 FCC Form 461 and/or competitive bidding process is found to have been in violation of competitive bidding rules.

The rollover process will only be applied to the FCC Form 461, and not the FCC Form 462. Applicants must still submit a FY2019 FCC Form 462 if they wish to apply for HCF Program funding in FY2019.

How to submit your FCC Form 461 rollover request:

• Send email to: RHC-Assist@usac.org 
• Subject line of email: FCC Form 461 Rollover Request App #
• Include within the email body: HCP #, FCC Form 461 application #
• Once emailed, the rollover request may take 5-8 business days to review and process.
• If approved, your request will be confirmed via email from an RHC staff member.

Upcoming My Portal Updates for FY2017 Invoices (HCF Program)

A mid-December deployment will show true-up payments* in the “FCC Form 463” tab for HCPs and the “USAC Review” tab for service providers. For HCPs, true-up payments are indicated by an invoice number starting with “2017” with the date they were distributed in the “Last Edited” column. For service providers, the true-up invoice number begins with “2017” and in the “Vendor/Applicant Invoice Number” column, any true-up payments will read “True up + the original vendor invoice number.” For screenshots and a verbal explanation, please watch our FY2017 Invoicing Best Practices webinar.

*True-up payments were off- cycle payments issued when the FCC released their most recent RHC Program Order raising the cap for FY2017, which fully funded all previously pro-rated qualifying funding requests. The true-up payments covered the difference between payments already made and the adjusted amounts without the proration. True-up payments only applied to applicants who received a commitment for FY2017.

PQA Requests for Information Are Going Out

The 2018 Payment Quality Assurance (PQA) assessment program is underway. PQA is a program that assesses RHC Program payments made on invoices submitted during the past 12 months to verify that the payments were properly made – in other words, that all program rules were followed correctly when the payment was authorized and disbursed.

For disbursements made each month, a certain number of payments will be chosen, and applicants will be asked to provide specific documentation – for example, customer bills that support invoices submitted to USAC to verify that those payments were made correctly. It is important that you maintain proper documentation in order to be able to respond correctly and completely to PQA requests.

The email notifying applicants whose payments have been selected for PQA were sent in December from the domain name usac.i-sight.com. Please check your email and respond promptly if you receive an email request from USAC's PQA Program. Also check your spam folder or junk email folder to see if it contains an email from this domain. This will help expedite your review.

• Do not hesitate to contact your reviewer if you have questions. Contact information is provided in the email.
• Also, contact your PQA reviewer if you are unable to respond by the deadline. 

Winter Training Series Dates Announced!

We highly recommend attending our upcoming online training series, specifically designed to prepare applicants for the FY2019 filing window. These trainings are filled with resources, useful information, best practices, what to expect from the USAC review process and more! Attending these trainings is the best way to prepare for the FY2019 filing window.

• Request for Services Webinar: Wednesday December 12, 2018 at 2 p.m. ET. Get ready for the start of the FY2019 filing window period by joining our Request for Services Best Practices webinar. We will focus on the FCC Forms 461 and 465 process and participants will be able to ask questions: Register here.   
• Funding Request Webinar: Date January 16, 2019 at 2:00 p.m. ET Join us to prepare for FY2019. This webinar will focus on the FCC Forms 462 and 466: Register here.

Important Reminders

Program Eligibility Best Practices Webinar

On November 29, 2018, the RHC Program Team hosted an RHC Program Eligibility webinar. This webinar covered best practices for submitting the first form in the RHC Program process: the FCC Form 460 (for the HCF Program) and the FCC Form 465 (for the Telecom Program). The webinar recording and slides will be posted to our Online Learning Library soon!

Watch RHC 101

On September 26, 2018 the RHC Program Team hosted RHC 101: An Introduction to the RHC Program webinar. This webinar covered the basics of the program including eligibility requirements and how to get started. Were you unable to make it? The recording and slides are posted on our website here.

What to Do if You Receive an Information Request

Applicants must upload all required documentation with the submission of their FCC Forms 462 or 466. FCC Forms submitted with incomplete or missing documentation will not be reviewed, and RHC reviewers will reach out to all account holders (the primary and all secondary and tertiary account holders associated with that HCP) with a request for additional information (“Information Request”). Information Requests are sent to collect any missing documentation, address deficiencies, or to ask clarifying questions about the FCC Form. If you receive an Information Request, you must respond to it within 14 calendar days. Once you respond, the RHC reviewers will work with you, to the extent they can, to ensure that they have all the necessary documentation to complete their review. Failure to respond within the 14 calendar day timeframe will result in an automatic denial, so be sure to meet that deadline! 

LOA/TPAs Must Be Up to Date

In order to be considered eligible for funding in FY2018, Letters of Agency (LOA) and Third Party Authorizations (TPA) must be up to date through a minimum of FY2018. Be especially mindful if you are an HCP using a consultant, a consortium leader, or a consultant filing on behalf of a consortium leader. Before submitting a form, please check to ensure your authorization documents are up to date.

FCC Forms 462 and 466 submitted with expired LOAs or TPAs will result in applicants receiving Information Requests.

• Download a Sample TPA or Sample LOA

12/3/2018 – FUSF Reseller Certification Template Now Available

USAC has developed a template for wholesale carriers to obtain information from their resale customers regarding the status of their contributions to the federal Universal Service Fund (USF) on the revenue associated with the specific service(s) provided to resellers.

You can find the template on our Handouts and Reference page. 

This template is provided as a voluntary resource only.  Companies can develop their own template for documentation purposes related to revenue reported in Block 300 of the FCC Form 499-A. 

12/3/2018 – PQA Requests for Information Are Going Out

The 2018 Payment Quality Assurance (PQA) assessment program is underway. PQA is a program that assesses RHC Program payments made on invoices submitted during the past 12 months to verify that the payments were properly made – in other words, that all program rules were followed correctly when the payment was authorized and disbursed.

For disbursements made each month, a certain number of payments will be chosen, and applicants will be asked to provide specific documentation – for example, customer bills that support invoices submitted to USAC – to verify that those payments were made correctly. It is important that you maintain proper documentation in order to be able to respond correctly and completely to PQA requests.

The email request notifying applicants whose payments have been selected for PQA are being sent in December from the domain name usac.i-sight.com. Please check your email and respond promptly if you receive an email from USAC's PQA Program. Also check your spam folder or junk email folder to see if it contains an email from this domain. This will help expedite your review.

• Do not hesitate to contact your reviewer if you have questions. Contact information is provided in the email.
• Also, contact your PQA reviewer if you are unable to respond by the deadline.  

11/30/2018 – News Brief Issued

11/29/2018 – Legacy System Outage Due to System Maintenance - November 29

The Schools and Libraries (E-rate) Program legacy systems will be unavailable from 6:00-8:00 p.m. ET on Thursday, November 29 for system maintenance. During this time, users will be unable to file invoices and use some of the search tools. The BEAR training site will also be unavailable. We apologize for any inconvenience.

NOTE: The E-rate Productivity Center (EPC) will not be affected by this maintenance.

11/28/2018 – 2018 E-rate Service Provider Training - December 3-5

USAC’s annual service provider trainings will take place at USAC’s office located at 700 12th Street NW, Suite 900, Washington, DC 20005 on December 3-5, 2018. For those of you joining us at USAC next week, here are a few tips and reminders to help you prepare for the training.

December 3 and December 5 are identical full-day trainings designed for participants of all proficiency levels; attendees should be registered for only one of these two trainings. December 4 is a half-day afternoon training specifically for beginner participants who want the very basics of the program. Attendees must attend the session(s) for which they are confirmed as registered. To reiterate, training dates and times are:

• Monday, December 3: 9:00 a.m.- 4:30 p.m. (general session for all proficiency levels)
• Tuesday, December 4: 12:30 p.m.- 4:30 p.m. (beginner session covering program basics)
• Wednesday, December 5: 9:00 a.m.- 4:30 p.m. (repeat of general session for all proficiency levels)

Registration: Registration opens 30 minutes before the day’s training as noted above. Please bring a photo ID. The name on USAC’s registration records must match the name of the person who attends the training. We are at full capacity and will not be able to accommodate walk-in registrations.

Check-in Process:

1. Enter the 12th Street lobby at 700 12th St. NW, Washington, DC 20005.
2. Go to USAC’s registration desk in the lobby to check in and receive your name badge and training agenda. 
3. Then, go to the security desk in the lobby to receive your security pass.
4. A USAC representative by the elevators will guide you to the training event.

NOTE: If you are attending two days of training, you will need to check in with USAC and receive a security pass at the beginning of each day.

Download the Training Materials: Training materials are available on our website. We will be going paperless this year, and will not have printouts. Please plan accordingly.

Food: Attendees should make their own arrangements for meals. USAC will provide recommendations for nearby breakfast and lunch options within short walking distance, of which there are many.

We look forward to seeing you next week. For more information on our fall training events, please reference our 2018 Applicant & Service Provider Trainings page.

11/26/2018 – E-rate Productivity Center (EPC) *TRAINING SITE* Outage Due to System Maintenance: November 26

11/21/2018 – 498 ID Status Tool Outage

Due to system issues, the 498 ID Status Tool has not been updated since 11/13/18.

To inquire status, please contact USAC’s customer support team at 1-888-641-8744, option 4.

11/20/2018 – Updating Applicant Profiles - Webinar Recording Now Available

If you missed the Updating Applicant Profiles webinar on November 20, 2018, you can use this link to register and watch a recording.This webinar was designed to help applicants update their E-rate Productivity Center (EPC) profiles in preparation for the Funding Year 2019 application filing window. The presentation provides an introduction to entity profiles, including information about what profile data should be updated during the administrative window.

Recommended for: New applicants and applicants that want to review the basic elements of entity profiles and administrative window updates

E-rate Experience Level: Beginner

11/20/2018 – December Webinar - Registration is Now Open

Join USAC for the monthly E-rate Program webinar. In December, we will discuss how to prepare for the Funding Year (FY) 2019 application filing window.

This webinar is designed to help applicants and service providers prepare for the FY2019 application filing window.

Recommended for: Applicants and service providers

E-rate Experience Level: All levels

11/19/2018 – November 2018 Contributor Invoice Summary Now Available Online

The November 2018 invoice summary for contributors is now online and available for filers to view in E-File. 

Watch this quick video to learn how to access your online invoice summary

11/19/2018 – E-rate Client Service Bureau Closed: Thursday, November 22 and Friday, November 23

11/16/2018 – News Brief Issued

11/16/2018 – FCC Releases FY2019 Eligible Services List

11/16/2018 – Legacy System Outage Due to System Maintenance - November 16-17

The Schools and Libraries (E-rate) Program legacy systems will be unavailable from 9:00 p.m. ET on Friday, November 16 through 10:00 a.m. ET on Saturday, November 17 for system maintenance. During this time, users will be unable to file invoices and use some of the search tools. The BEAR training site will also be unavailable. NOTE: The E-rate Productivity Center (EPC) will not be affected by this outage. We apologize for any inconvenience.

11/15/2018 – Upcoming Scheduled System Maintenance, Nov. 16 & Nov. 27.

NLAD, National Verifier, and LCS Scheduled System Maintenance, November 16
 
The National Lifeline Accountability Database (NLAD), National Verifier, and the Lifeline Claims System (LCS) will be unavailable for use due to scheduled system maintenance starting Friday, November 16 at 10 p.m. until Saturday, November 17 at 2 a.m. ET.

NLAD, National Verifier, and LCS pre-production and production environments will not be available for use during this time.

Additional National Verifier Pre-Prod Scheduled System Maintenance, November 16

The National Verifier pre-production environment will be unavailable for use starting Friday, November 16 at 3 p.m. until 5 p.m. ET.

The National Verifier's pre-production environment will not be available for use during this time.

Users of NLAD’s National Verifier workflow will not be able to enroll, transfer, or update subscriber information in NLAD’s pre-production environment. NLAD UI and API users can continue to access reports and perform de-enrollments during this time.

After this outage, users will be able to test the collection of latitude and longitude coordinates to resolve AMS failures in the pre-production environment. On Tuesday, December 4, National Verifier users will see this change in the production environment and must provide latitude and longitude coordinates to resolve AMS failures for online applications.

National Verifier Scheduled System Maintenance, November 27

The National Verifier will be unavailable due to scheduled system maintenance starting Tuesday, November 27 at 8 p.m. until 10 p.m. ET. Certain functionality in NLAD will also be impacted.

The National Verifier’s pre-production and production environments will not be available for use during this time.

Users of NLAD’s National Verifier workflow will not be able to enroll, transfer, or update subscriber information in NLAD’s pre-production and production environments. NLAD UI and API users can continue to access reports and perform de-enrollments during this time.

11/14/2018 – Register for the RHC Program Winter Training Series!

Over the next few months, the RHC Program will host a series of webinars in preparation for FY2019. These comprehensive webinars will cover the application process from start to finish and include eligibility, request for services, and funding request best practices. Whether you are a new applicant or just need a refresher on the forms, these webinars are the best way to prepare for the upcoming funding year!

November 29 2:00 p.m. ET – RHC Program Eligibility Best Practices Webinar – Register here!

December 12 2:00 p.m. ET – RHC Program Request for Services Best Practices Webinar – Register here!

January 16 2:00 p.m. ET -- RHC Program Funding Request Best Practices Webinar – Register here!

After the discussion of the agenda items, RHC Program staff will accept questions from the audience. Participants are encouraged to submit questions in advance using the webinar registration form.

Can't attend the live webinars? All webinar recordings will be made available on our website in the Online Learning Library.

11/14/2018 – E-rate Productivity Center (EPC) Outage Due to System Maintenance: November 18-19

The E-rate Productivity Center (EPC) and the EPC training site will be unavailable from Sunday, November 18 at 7:00 p.m ET through Monday, November 19 at 1:00 a.m. ET for monthly system maintenance. During this time, users will be unable to log in to and use EPC. 

We apologize for any inconvenience.

11/9/2018 – News Brief Issued

11/9/2018 – My Portal Outage Due to System Maintenance Thursday, November 29

11/9/2018 – Scheduled System Maintenance Wednesday, November 14

11/9/2018 – E-rate Productivity Center (EPC) Outage Due to System Maintenance: November 9-10

The E-rate Productivity Center (EPC) will be unavailable from Friday, November 9 at 8:00 p.m ET through Saturday, November 10 at 2:00 a.m. ET for system maintenance. During this time, users will be unable to log in to and use EPC. We apologize for any inconvenience.

11/2/2018 – News Brief Issued

11/1/2018 – Newsletter for November 2018

No Additional Filing Window Periods for FY2018

Due to demand for RHC Program funds, there will not be a second filing window period for FY2018. The RHC Program will not accept additional funding requests (FCC Forms 462 or 466) for FY2018. All qualifying single year funding requests with no upfront costs will be fully funded for FY2018 with no proration. Please keep in mind that FY2018 funding requests are still in review and commitment decisions have not yet been released. RHC will communicate any updates via the email addresses the applicant has submitted in My Portal.

My Portal continues to accept Telecom Program FCC Form 467 (Connection Certification Form) and Healthcare Connect Fund (HCF) Program FCC Form 463 (Invoice and Request for Disbursement Form) for applicants approved for funding in FY2017. 

HCF Program Invoicing Deadline Approaching

Please keep in mind that 11:59 p.m. ET December 31, 2018 is the last day to submit the FCC Form 463 to USAC if you had a funding commitment end date of June 30, 2018.

Don't know when your HCF Program invoicing deadline is? Use the look-up tool on our website! Download the Invoicing Deadline Spreadsheet.

Register for the Invoicing Best Practices Webinar on November 15! This webinar will cover how to submit the FCC Form 463 for healthcare providers (HCPs) and service providers. It contains helpful tips, best practices, what to expect from the USAC review process, and more!

Watch our step-by-step invoicing guide video series. These videos go over the submission process of the FCC Form 463, and we highly recommend viewing them if you are submitting your FCC Form 463 for the first time or just simply need a refresher in anticipation of an upcoming deadline: Individual HCPs, Consortia

Winter Training Series Dates Announced!

?We highly recommend attending our upcoming online training series, specifically designed to prepare applicants for the FY2019 filing window. These trainings are filled with resources, useful information, best practices, what to expect from the USAC review process and more! Attending these trainings is the best way to prepare for the FY2019 filing window.

• Eligibility Webinar: Thursday November 29, 2018 at 2 p.m. ET. Ready to apply to the RHC Program? Join our Eligibility Best Practices webinar to learn how to submit the first form in the application process, the FCC Form 460 or 465. Register here.
• Request for Services Webinar: Wednesday December 12, 2018 at 2 p.m. ET. Get ready for the start of the FY2019 filing window period by joining our Request for Services Best Practices webinar. We will focus on the FCC Forms 461 and 465 process and participants will be able to ask questions: Register here.   

RHC Program Funding Cap Order

On June 25, 2018, the FCC issued an Order that adopted rules to: (1) increase the annual RHC Program funding cap to $571 million and apply it to FY2017; (2) annually adjust the RHC Program funding cap for inflation, beginning with FY2018; and (3) establish a process to carry-forward unused funds from past funding years for use in future funding years. The rules became effective upon publication of the Order in the Federal Register on June 29, 2018.

Watch the 2018 RHC Program Funding Cap Order Information Webinar and download the FAQ Sheet.

What this means for FY2017: Due to the increase in the RHC Program funding cap for FY2017, all previously approved FY2017 funding requests will receive 100% of their approved funding amount. The proration that was previously applied to FY2017 funding commitments has been removed, and revised Funding Commitment Letters (FCLs) have been issued via email. If you have not received your revised FY2017 FCL or have questions about it, please contact RHC-Assist@usac.org.

Please log in to My Portal and make sure you are up to date with your FY2017 invoices. If you have questions about the invoicing process, please look at our program invoicing pages for additional information: HCF Invoicing Page and Telecom Invoicing Page.

What this means for FY2018: As noted in the FCC’s 2018 RHC Program Funding Cap Order, the RHC Program funding cap for FY2018 will be $581 million, adjusted for inflation. As a reminder, the FY2018 filing window closed on Friday, June 29, 2018. Applicants are currently unable to submit funding requests for FY2018.

Revised FY2017 HCP Support Schedules (HSS) Distributed

HCPs and service providers in the Telecom Program were emailed revised FY2017 HCP Support Schedules, which now reflect the 100% support amount (no proration).

Access Your Revised FY2017 FCL in My Portal

The Revised FY2017 Funding Commitment Letters (FCLs) you received via email are now also available in My Portal. Download the How to Find Your FCL in My Portal Tip Sheet for more information on accessing your FCL.

Important Reminders for FY2018

Watch RHC 101

On September 26, the RHC Program Team hosted RHC 101: An Introduction to the RHC Program webinar. This webinar covered the basics of the program including eligibility requirements and how to get started. Were you unable to make it? The recording and slides are posted on our website here.

What to Do if You Receive an Information Request

Applicants must upload all required documentation with the submission of their FCC Forms 462 or 466. FCC Forms submitted with incomplete or missing documentation will not be reviewed, and RHC reviewers will reach out to all account holders (the primary and all secondary and tertiary account holders associated with that HCP) with a request for additional information (“Information Request”). Information Requests are sent to collect any missing documentation, address deficiencies, or to ask clarifying questions about the FCC Form. If you receive an Information Request, you must respond to it within 14 calendar days. Once you respond, the RHC reviewers will work with you, to the extent they can, to ensure that they have all the necessary documentation to complete their review. Failure to respond within the 14 calendar day timeframe will result in an automatic denial, so be sure to meet that deadline! 

LOA/TPAs Must Be Up to Date

In order to be considered eligible for funding in FY2018, Letters of Agency (LOA) and Third Party Authorizations (TPA) must be up to date through a minimum of FY2018. Be especially mindful if you are an HCP using a consultant, a consortium leader, or a consultant filing on behalf of a consortium leader. Before submitting a form, please check to ensure your authorization documents are up to date.

FCC Forms 462 and 466 submitted with expired LOAs or TPAs will result in applicants receiving Information Requests.

• Download a Sample TPA or Sample LOA

11/1/2018 – Register for the HCF Program Invoicing Webinar November 15!

10/29/2018 – Lifeline Program Newsletter - October 2018

The October 2018 issue of Lifeline Program News is now available. Sign up to receive the newsletter by email in the Subscription Center.

October headlines:

• Only Enter Test Data in NLAD Pre-Production Environment
• Documentation Reminder for TPIV Dispute Resolution Error Code T18  
• FCC and USAC Announce National Verifier Full Launch Date for Initial Launch States
  
• National Verifier Live in Five Additional States and One Territory 
• Keep Companies Near Me Tool Up-to-Date 
• Minimum Service Standards Increase December 1 
• Webinar on December 12: FCC Form 555 

10/29/2018 – Scheduled System Maintenance Tuesday, October 30

10/26/2018 – News Brief Issued

10/26/2018 – NLAD, LCS and National Verifier Service Fully Restored

Service to the National Lifeline Accountability Database (NLAD) and the Lifeline Claims System (LCS) has been fully restored. Access to all features and functionalities, including reports is working as usual.

Users should no longer experience issues performing eligibility verifications in the National Verifier service provider portal.

10/25/2018 – 2018 Fall Webinars - Registration is Now Open

Join USAC for our live training webinarsthis fall. Our upcoming webinars will provide guidance on basic E-rate Productivity Center(EPC) navigation for new applicants, how to update an applicant profile, and how all program participants can prepare for the upcoming application filing window.   

October Webinar: EPC 101 for Applicants – October 25, 2018 at 3:00 p.m. EDT  
This webinar is designed to help new applicants become familiar with EPC. Click here to register.  

November Webinar: Updating Applicant Profiles - November 20, 2018 at 3:00 p.m. ET    
This webinar is designed to help applicants update their EPC profiles in preparation for the Funding Year (FY) 2019 application filing window. Click here to register.        

December Webinar: Preparing for FY2019 - December 12, 2018 at 3:00 p.m. ET    
This webinar is designed to help applicants and service providers prepare for the FY2019 application filing window. Click here to register.

10/25/2018 – Scheduled System Maintenance Friday, October 26

10/24/2018 – E-rate Productivity Center (EPC) *TRAINING SITE* Outage Due to System Maintenance: October 25

10/19/2018 – News Brief Issued

10/18/2018 – Legacy System Outage Due to System Maintenance - October 19-20

The Schools and Libraries (E-rate) Program legacy systems will be unavailable from 8:00 p.m. EDT on Friday, October 19 through 2:00 a.m. EDT on Saturday, October 20 for system maintenance. During this time, users will be unable to file invoices and use some of the search tools. The BEAR training site will also be unavailable. NOTE: The E-rate Productivity Center (EPC) will not be affected by this outage. We apologize for any inconvenience.

10/18/2018 – My Portal Outage Due to System Maintenance Monday, October 22

10/17/2018 – E-rate Productivity Center (EPC) Outage Due to System Maintenance: October 21-22

The E-rate Productivity Center (EPC) and the EPC training site will be unavailable from Sunday, October 21 at 7:00 p.m EDT through Monday, October 22 at 1:00 a.m. EDT for monthly system maintenance. During this time, users will be unable to log in to and use EPC. 

We apologize for any inconvenience.

10/17/2018 – Scheduled System Maintenance Friday, October 19

10/12/2018 – News Brief Issued

10/12/2018 – E-rate Productivity Center (EPC) *TRAINING SITE* Outage Due to System Maintenance: October 15

10/11/2018 – 2018 E-rate Program Training Begins Next Week

USAC’s annual fall training starts on Monday, October 15, 2018 at USAC’s office located at 700 12th Street NW, Suite 900, Washington, DC 20005. For those of you joining us at USAC next week, here are a few tips and reminders to help you prepare for the training.

Registration: Please bring your registration confirmation with you along with a photo ID. We are at full capacity and will not be able to accommodate walk-in registrations. The name on the registration must match the name of the person who attends the training.

There is a three-step check-in process in the building lobby:

1. Go to the security desk in the lobby to receive your security pass.
2. After you receive your security pass, go to USAC’s registration desk in the lobby to check in and receive your name badge and training agenda.
3. Find a USAC representative by the elevators to guide you to the training event.

NOTE: If you are attending both days of training, you will need to request a security pass and check in at the beginning of each day.

Download the Training Materials: Training materials are available on our website. We will be going paperless this year, and will not have printouts. Please plan accordingly.

Food: Attendees should make their own arrangements for meals. USAC will provide recommendations for nearby breakfast and lunch options within walking distance.

We look forward to seeing you next week. For information on other fall training events, please reference our 2018 Applicant & Service Provider Trainings page.

10/11/2018 – FCC and USAC Announce Second National Verifier Launch

Today, the FCC and USAC announced the launch of the National Verifier in five additional states and one territory beginning Monday, October 15:

• Guam
• Hawaii
• Idaho
• New Hampshire
• North Dakota
• South Dakota

At that time, service providers in the states and territory can begin using the National Verifier to determine subscriber eligibility. During the soft launch period, service providers can continue using their legacy eligibility checking procedures if they choose.

About the National Verifier

The National Verifier shifts the responsibility for determining a consumer's Lifeline eligibility from phone and internet service providers to the program's administrator, the Universal Service Administrative Company. The National Verifier will establish whether a consumer is eligible by electronically querying state and federal data sources, and if necessary, manually reviewing supporting documents. An overview of the National Verifier can be found on USAC's website.

Service providers who do business in any of the states or territory listed in this bulletin who did not receive an email about National Verifier training schedule for Launch 2 should email LifelineProgram@usac.org to be added to the National Verifier Launch 2 training list (this is different from the initial launch states training list).

10/10/2018 – October Webinar - Registration is Now Open

Join USAC for the monthly E-rate Program webinar. In October, we will discuss the E-rate Productivity Center (EPC).

This webinar is designed to help new applicants become familiar with the E-rate Productivity Center (EPC). EPC is the account and application management portal for the E-rate Program. Program participants use this tool to manage program processes, receive notifications and to contact customer service. In this webinar, you will learn about basic navigation in EPC, including logging in for the first time.

10/8/2018 – Connect America Fund Map Now Available

10/5/2018 – News Brief Issued

10/4/2018 – Newsletter for October 2018

Revised FY2017 HCP Support Schedules (HSS) Distributed

HCPs and service providers in the Telecom Program were emailed revised FY2017 HCP Support Schedules, which now reflect the 100% support amount (no proration).

Access Your Revised FY2017 FCL in My Portal

The Revised FY2017 Funding Commitment Letters (FCLs) you received via email are now also available in My Portal. Download the How to Find Your FCL in My Portal Tip Sheet for more information on accessing your FCL

RHC Program Funding Cap Order

On June 25, 2018, the FCC issued an Order that adopted rules to: (1) increase the annual RHC Program funding cap to $571 million and apply it to FY2017; (2) annually adjust the RHC Program funding cap for inflation, beginning with FY2018; and (3) establish a process to carry-forward unused funds from past funding years for use in future funding years. The rules became effective upon publication of the Order in the Federal Register on June 29, 2018.

Watch the 2018 RHC Program Funding Cap Order Information Webinar and download the FAQ Sheet.

What this means for FY2017: Due to the increase in the RHC Program funding cap for FY2017, all previously approved FY2017 funding requests will receive 100% of their approved funding amount. The proration that was previously applied to FY2017 funding commitments has been removed, and revised Funding Commitment Letters (FCLs) have been issued via email. If you have not received your revised FY2017 FCL or have questions about it, please contact RHC-Assist@usac.org.

Please log in to My Portal and make sure you are up to date with your FY2017 invoices. If you have questions about the invoicing process, please look at our program invoicing pages for additional information: HCF Invoicing Page and Telecom Invoicing Page.

What this means for FY2018: As noted in the FCC’s 2018 RHC Program Funding Cap Order, the RHC Program funding cap for FY2018 will be $581 million, adjusted for inflation. As a reminder, the FY2018 filing window closed on Friday, June 29, 2018. Applicants are currently unable to submit funding requests for FY2018.

Important Reminders for FY2018

Upcoming Invoicing Training

The HCF Program invoicing deadline for FY2017 commitments ending on June 30, 2018 is December 31, 2018. The RHC Program Team will be hosting a webinar covering the invoicing process and best practices on November 15, 2018. Register today!

Watch RHC 101

On September 26, the RHC Program Team hosted RHC 101: An Introduction to the RHC Program webinar. This webinar covered the basics of the program including eligibility requirements and how to get started. Were you unable to make it? The recording and slides are posted on our website here.

Appeal Decisions

USAC is no longer sending appeal decisions via postal mail. If you have appealed a decision made by USAC, you will receive your appeal decision via email. Applicants seeking FCC review of a decision issued by USAC must follow the FCC’s regular appeal procedures.  

New Extended RHC Help Desk Hours!

As of August 1^st, the RHC Help Desk hours were extended from 8:00 a.m. ET – 5:00 p.m. ET to 8:00 a.m. ET – 8:00 p.m. ET. We hope these longer operational hours will help meet the needs of our stakeholders on both coasts, and, in an effort to provide more one-on-one guidance, we are increasing the number of dedicated staff responding to phone calls and emails. Our goal with this expansion is to deliver thorough, helpful answers and guidance to you, faster.

What to Do if You Receive an Information Request

Applicants must upload all required documentation with the submission of their FCC Forms 462 or 466. FCC Forms submitted with incomplete or missing documentation will not be reviewed, and RHC reviewers will reach out to all account holders (the primary and all secondary and tertiary account holders associated with that HCP) with a request for additional information (“Information Request”). Information Requests are sent to collect any missing documentation, address deficiencies, or to ask clarifying questions about the FCC Form. If you receive an Information Request, you must respond to it within 14 calendar days. Once you respond, the RHC reviewers will work with you, to the extent they can, to ensure that they have all the necessary documentation to complete their review. Failure to respond within the 14 calendar day timeframe will result in an automatic denial, so be sure to meet that deadline! 

LOA/TPAs Must Be Up to Date

In order to be considered eligible for funding in FY2018, Letters of Agency (LOA) and Third Party Authorizations (TPA) must be up to date through a minimum of FY2018. Be especially mindful if you are an HCP using a consultant, a consortium leader, or a consultant filing on behalf of a consortium leader. Before submitting a form, please check to ensure your authorization documents are up to date.

FCC Forms 462 and 466 submitted with expired LOAs or TPAs will result in applicants receiving Information Requests.

• Download a Sample TPA or Sample LOA

10/2/2018 – 4Q2018 498/499 Spotlight Newsletter

10/2/2018 – November 2018 FCC Form 499-Q due November 1, 2018

The November 2018 FCC Form 499-Q (quarterly Telecommunications Reporting Worksheet) projects the 2019 1^st quarter revenue of a contributor.  The form must be certified and submitted to USAC by Thursday, November 1, 2018.

Filers that do not have a direct universal service obligation (de minimis) are not required to file the FCC Form 499-Q however USAC recommends that de minimis filers notify USAC via email ("Form499@usac.org)" of its de minimis status each quarter. 

The data reported on this form is used to calculate the FCC universal service contribution factor and circularity factor, as well as to calculate the filer's monthly universal service contribution obligation. 

Watch this video to learn how to review reported revenue data prior to submitting to USAC to ensure accurate invoices are generated.

Filer can make changes to the November 2018 FCC Form 499-Q until December 17, 2018. 

After that date, no revisions to the November 2018 Form 499-Q will be accepted.

10/1/2018 – New Invoice Deadline Extension Tool Now Available in EPC

In last week's SL News Brief, we noted that we were working on a new invoice deadline extension tool in the E-rate Productivity Center (EPC).

The new EPC invoice extension deadline tool is now available. Applicants, consultants, and service providers will be able to request invoice deadline extensions for their Funding Request Numbers (FRNs) for Funding Year (FY) 2016 and forward by using the new tool.

As a reminder, program participants will use the existing legacy tool (the tool that applicants and service providers can access through the online BEAR Form) to request invoice deadline extensions for FRNs from FY2015 and previous funding years.

Visit the Invoice Deadline Extensions page for more information.

9/28/2018 – News Brief Issued

9/27/2018 – Lifeline Program Newsletter - September 2018

The September 2018 issue of Lifeline Program News is now available. Sign up to receive the newsletter by email in the Subscription Center.

September headlines:

• Check NLAD Prior to Snapshot Date
• Universal Forms Submission Guidance
• National Verifier Update
• Minimum Service Standards Increase
• Did You Know? NLAD Changes
• October Lifeline Program Webinar

9/25/2018 – My Portal Outage Due to System Maintenance Friday, September 28

9/25/2018 – Invoice Deadline Extension Tool Update

In last week's SL News Brief, we noted that we were working on a new invoice deadline extension tool in the E-rate Productivity Center (EPC). The new EPC tool will be used to request invoice deadline extensions for Funding Request Numbers (FRNs) for funding years after Funding Year (FY) 2015. Over the weekend, we removed the legacy tool option for submitting extension requests for post-FY2015 FRNs.

The existing legacy tool (the tool accessed through the online BEAR Form) can be used to request invoice deadline extensions for FRNs from FY2015 and previous funding years. 

The new EPC tool will be available October 1.You can submit an invoice deadline extension request by opening a customer service case in EPC this week, but we suggest that you wait for the new EPC tool. (We will not be able to process those requests until the new EPC tool becomes available.)

9/21/2018 – News Brief Issued

9/19/2018 – E-rate Productivity Center (EPC) Outage Due to System Maintenance: September 23-24

The E-rate Productivity Center (EPC) and the EPC training site will be unavailable from Sunday, September 23 at 7:00 p.m EDT through Monday, September 24 at 1:00 a.m. EDT for monthly system maintenance. During this time, users will be unable to log in to and use EPC. 

We apologize for any inconvenience.

9/17/2018 – Customer Service Operations Back to Normal

9/14/2018 – News Brief Issued

9/14/2018 – *UPDATE* Hurricane Florence Impact on Customer Service

Now that Hurricane Florence has made landfall, our call centers are feeling the effects of the weather event. If you try contacting the E-rate Client Service Bureau, the Rural Health Care Support Center, or the High Cost Support Center today, or the Lifeline Support Center over the next couple of days, you might experience longer than normal wait times. We are working as quickly as possible to answer your calls. We appreciate your patience.

***

As the storm moves inland, we are experiencing longer than normal wait times that may continue in the coming days. We appreciate your patience.

9/14/2018 – *UPDATE* Hurricane Florence Impact on Customer Service

Now that Hurricane Florence has made landfall, our call centers are feeling the effects of the weather event. If you try contacting the Lifeline Support Center over the next couple of days, you might experience longer than normal wait times. We are working as quickly as possible to answer your calls. We appreciate your patience.

***

USAC’s customer service operations are located in the projected path of Hurricane Florence. In the coming days, we anticipate service disruptions to USAC’s phone and email support including the E-rate Client Service Bureau, the Rural Health Care Support Center and the High Cost Support Center.

USAC is monitoring the storm and working to meet your customer service needs while ensuring the safety of our team. As the storm moves inland, we are experiencing longer than normal wait times that may continue in the coming days. We appreciate your patience.

9/14/2018 – *UPDATE* Hurricane Florence Impact on Customer Service

***

USAC’s customer service operations are located in the projected path of Hurricane Florence. In the coming days, we anticipate service disruptions to USAC’s phone and email support including the E-rate Client Service Bureau, the Rural Health Care Support Center and the High Cost Support Center. USAC is monitoring the storm and working to meet your customer service needs while ensuring the safety of our team.

As the storm moves inland, we are experiencing longer than normal wait times that may continue in the coming days. We appreciate your patience.

9/14/2018 – FCC Form 481 Non-confidential Data Now Available

USAC has published non-confidential FCC Form 481 data filed in July by carriers participating in the High Cost program. This data can be found on the tools page of the High Cost website.

Beginning with the 2018 filing year, USAC is providing public access to most FCC Form 481 data filed annually by carriers that receive High Cost support. Eligible telecommunications carriers (ETCs) that participate in the High Cost program must file FCC Form 481 with USAC by July 1 every year. This form collects financial and operations information used to validate carrier support.  

The public data file contains a separate tab for each section of Form 481 being published, with individual lines in each section displayed by column. Cells that are blacked out in the data file indicate the exclusion of certain information subject to protective order or not routinely available for inspection, consistent with 47 C.F.R. § 0.457(d), as well as data subject to a carrier request for confidential treatment. We may make this information public, in accordance with any FCC review of confidentiality requests, in a subsequent publication of the data.

In addition, narrative attachments to the Form 481 filings, and detailed information filed by Alaska Plan participants about newly available back-haul capacity, are currently excluded from public release.

9/13/2018 – FCC Announces 4th Quarter 2018 Contribution Factor Increase to 20.1 Percent

9/13/2018 – FCC Announces 4th Quarter 2018 Contribution Factor Increase to 20.1 Percent

9/12/2018 – New HUBB Features Now Available

USAC has updated the High Cost Universal Broadband (HUBB) portal to allow certain revisions to broadband deployment data already certified in the system. Carriers can now edit the following information in the HUBB:        

• Address, city and state  
• Speed tier  
• Multi-dwelling units (MDU)

In addition, carriers that have certified “no locations to upload” may now undo that certification and file new locations with the system while the filing window is open.    Other HUBB changes include an updated Manage Uploads page and an updated Milestone Certification page, as well as a new Notifications page to serve as a central location for HUBB announcements.  

These system updates are intended to help carriers more easily navigate the HUBB to file broadband deployment data with USAC and more easily track the status of their filings. The changes reflect the input of carriers that use the system, including feedback gathered during ongoing user testing.

9/12/2018 – Hurricane Florence Potential Impact on Customer Service Operations

9/11/2018 – NLAD 4.8.0 Production Release

9/7/2018 – 2018 E-rate Training - Register Today!

The Schools and Libraries Program will hold training sessions for E-rate Program participants this fall. During the training you'll have the opportunity to ask questions and hear directly from members of the USAC Schools and Libraries team on key topics important to successful participation in the program. 

REGISTER HERE 

USAC will be conducting in-person E-rate training sessions at the following locations:

Applicant Trainings

• October 15/16 – Washington, DC
• October 18/19 – Washington, DC
• October 22/23 – Palatine, IL (Chicago area)
• November 1/2 – Sacramento, CA
• November 13/14 – Omaha, NE
• November 28/29 – Atlanta,GA

Service Provider Trainings

• December 3 – Washington, DC
• December 4/5 – Washington, DC

9/7/2018 – News Brief Issued

9/6/2018 – Newsletter for September 2018

8/31/2018 – News Brief Issued

8/31/2018 – FY2017 Annual Report for HCF & Pilot Program Consortia Due September 30

Per Healthcare Connect Fund (HCF) Program rules, all consortia receiving Rural Health Care (RHC) Program funding are required to submit an annual report to USAC using an Excel template (available for download on the USAC website) to supplement information collected in RHC Program application forms. The reports for funding year (FY) 2017 (July 1, 2017 - June 30, 2018) are due September 30, 2018.

Who Needs to Submit the Annual report?
HCF Program consortia must submit an annual report for each funding year in which the consortium received HCF support and for the life of a supported facility for which the consortium received large upfront payments.

Pilot Program consortia must submit an annual report for each year in which the consortium receives Pilot support.

How to Submit the Annual Report
HCF consortia annual report instructions:

1. Open the annual report template hyperlinked under “Excel template” on the HCF consortia annual report page.
2. Review the telehealth applications in column A of the “Telehealth Services” tab. Select “Yes” using the dropdown in column B for each telehealth application for which the consortium received funding in FY2017.
3. Save the template with the consortium name and HCP number in the file name to your computer.
4. Email the completed template to RHC-assist@usac.org by September 30, 2018.

Pilot Program consortia annual report instructions:

1. Open the annual report template hyperlinked under “Excel template” on the Pilot Program consortia annual report page.
2. Review the telehealth applications in column A of the “Telehealth Services” tab. Select “Yes” using the dropdown in column B for each telehealth application for which the consortium received funding in FY2017.
3. If the Pilot Program consortium bid for services in FY2016, the consortium must complete both the “Telehealth Services” tab and “Competitive Bidding Information” tab. To complete the “Competitive weight, and the evaluation criteria using the dropdown in column F.
4. Save the template with the consortium name and HCP number in the file name to your computer.
5. Email the completed template to RHC-assist@usac.org by September 30, 2018.

Failure to submit the required annual report(s) by the deadline may result in the denial of program funding.

8/30/2018 – Estimated de minimis Threshold for Calendar Year 2018 Published

For calendar year 2018, filers that report less than $62,655.75 of combined interstate and international revenues on Line 423, columns (d) and (e) of the 2018 FCC Form 499-A will likely be considered de minimis for calendar year 2018.

This threshold is an estimate based on the FCC's estimated factor for calendar year 2018.

Read more about how filer's qualify for de minimis status here.

8/30/2018 – E-rate Productivity Center (EPC) *TRAINING SITE* Outage Due to System Maintenance: August 30

8/29/2018 – Lifeline Program Newsletter - August 2018

The August 2018 issue of Lifeline Program News is now available. Sign up to receive the newsletter by email in the Subscription Center. 

August Headlines:

• USAC-Elected Recertification Elections Close August 31
• Minimum Service Standards Increase December 1
• National Verifier: August Announcements
• Did You Know? New Address Resolution Code Added in NLAD
• Did You Know? Upcoming Changes to NLAD Reports
• Webinar on September 12: Lifeline 101

8/27/2018 – My Portal Outage Due to System Maintenance Wednesday, August 29

8/27/2018 – USAC Elected Recertification Election Form Available Until August 31

8/27/2018 – NLAD 4.6.0 Pre-Production Release

8/24/2018 – News Brief Issued

8/23/2018 – Systems Down For Maintenance Starting Friday, August 24 at 9PM ET

All High Cost systems will be unavailable from Friday, August 24 at 9PM ET to Saturday, August 25 at 9AM for monthly system maintenance. This includes HUBB, MF II Challenge Process Portal and the state access tools for HUBB and 481 data.  During this time, users will be unable to log in to and use the HUBB. We apologize for any inconvenience.

8/22/2018 – September Webinar - Registration is Now Open

Join USAC for the monthly E-rate Program webinar. In September, we will discuss the invoicing process.

This webinar is designed to help E-rate Program applicants and service providers understand the invoicing process. In this webinar, you will learn more about filing FCC Forms 472 (BEAR), FCC Forms 474 (SPI), electronic invoicing for service providers, invoice deadlines and more.

8/22/2018 – Legacy System Outage Due to System Maintenance - August 24-25

The Schools and Libraries (E-rate) Program legacy systems will be unavailable from 9:00 p.m. EDT on Friday, August 24 through 10:00 a.m. EDT on Saturday, August 25 for system maintenance. During this time, users will be unable to file invoices and use some of the search tools. The BEAR training site will also be unavailable. NOTE: The E-rate Productivity Center (EPC) may be affected by this outage. EPC users may experience related system slowness or intermittent outages during this maintenance window. We apologize for any inconvenience.

8/22/2018 – E-File Outage Due to System Maintenance: August 24-25

USAC's E-File system will be unavailable for all users from 9:00 p.m. EDT on Friday, August 24 through 10:00 a.m. EDT on Saturday, August 25 for system maintenance. During this time the E-file login page will be unavailable and users will be unable to file, certify, and search for FCC Forms 498 or 499. All online FCC forms for contributors, service providers, and eligible telecommunications carriers will not be accessible. NOTE: The E-rate Productivity Center (EPC) may be affected by this outage. EPC users may experience related system slowness or intermittent outages during this maintenance window. We apologize for any inconvenience.

8/22/2018 – E-rate Productivity Center (EPC) Outage Due to System Maintenance: August 26-27

The E-rate Productivity Center (EPC) and the EPC training site will be unavailable from Sunday, August 26 at 7:00 p.m EDT through Monday, August 27 at 1:00 a.m. EDT for monthly system maintenance. During this time, users will be unable to log in to and use EPC. 

We apologize for any inconvenience.

8/21/2018 – Legacy System Outage Due to System Maintenance - August 21

The Schools and Libraries (E-rate) Program legacy systems will be unavailable from 6:00-8:00 p.m. EDT on Tuesday, August 21 for system maintenance. During this time, users will be unable to file invoices and use some of the search tools. The BEAR training site will also be unavailable. We apologize for any inconvenience.

NOTE: The E-rate Productivity Center (EPC) will not be affected by this maintenance.

8/17/2018 – News Brief Issued

8/15/2018 – My Portal System Update Regarding Draft Forms

RHC will be updating My Portal with FY2017 Funding Cap information during August. Once the system updates are complete, applicants will see updated commitment information for FY2017 funding request numbers (FRNs), as well as the non-prorated amounts when submitting the FCC Form 463 (HCF Program Invoice and Disbursement Form) and both the FCC Form 467 (Telecom Program Connection and Certification Form) and Telecom Program Invoice. 

This update will temporarily impact the submission of FY2017 FCC Form 463, FCC Form 467, and the Telecom Program Invoice. FCC Forms 463, 467, and Telecom Program Invoices will not be accepted between August 22nd and September 4th. Please make sure to submit these forms prior to August 22nd, or after September 4th. 

Applicants should also refrain from creating any FY2017 FCC Forms 463, FCC Forms 467, and Telecom Program Invoice drafts during this time, as they will no longer be valid after system updates are made.

FY2017 applicants can begin submitting FCC Form 463, FCC Form 467, and Telecom Program Invoice again on September 5th.

More Information about Invoicing

• Invoicing FAQs (HCF Program)
• Individual HCPs Invoicing Video Series (HCF Program)
• Consortia Invoicing Video Series (HCF Program)
• November 2017 Invoicing Best Practices Webinar Recording, Slides, and Webinar Summary (HCF Program)
• Submitting Invoices for Service Providers (Telecom Program