WASHINGTON-Wireless carriers are now required to contribute 28.5 percent-up from 15 percent-of their revenues to the universal-service fund due to action taken on Friday by the Federal Communications Commission.
The Cellular Telecommunications & Internet Association did not complain about the increase but warned that the entire universal-service subsidy system, which uses mostly long-distance revenues to pay for rural telephony and health care, and computers in schools and libraries, needs to be radically changed perhaps by assessing a charge on local revenues.
In addition to increasing the wireless safe-harbor, the FCC also sought comment on three long-term funding proposals, one of which would finance the USF by assessing a charge for working telephone numbers.
