Erate Consultant Houston

On February 8, 1996 President Clinton signed the Telecommunications Act of 1996. This law represents the first comprehensive revision of the USA's communications laws in more than 60 years. The universal service section of this law, Section 254, will help schools and libraries obtain access to state of the art services and technologies at discounted rates. The FCC, through its decision-making-process, shapes the policy that will bring about this increase in access to technology. An up-to-date list of links to universal service related Commission documents is maintained on the FCC's Universal Service Home Page. Additional information is also available in the FCC document Frequently Asked Questions on Universal Service and the Snowe-Rockefeller Amendment.
The "universal service" system was originally designed to make local telephone service available to all Americans at reasonable rates. In many cases, universal service policies have required that rates for certain telecommunications services be set above the cost of providing those services to generate a subsidy that could be used to reduce the rates for local service provided to residential customers. Many other federal and state programs are presently used to ensure universal service.
The Telecommunications Act of 1996 calls for a revision of the universal service system. The revision must expand boththe base of companies that contribute to offset communications service rates and the category of customers who benefit from discounts. Schools, libraries, and health care providers as well as residential and rural customers will be the primary universal service beneficiaries.
The new law requires that the FCC and the states base the revision of the universal service system on seven principles,including the principle that elementary and secondary schools, libraries, and health care providers should have access to advanced telecommunications services.
The Snowe-Rockefeller-Exon-Kerrey AmendmentIn addition to the seven broad principles, a provision of the Telecommunications Act of 1996 that was sponsored by Senators Olympia Snowe, Jay Rockefeller, James Exon, and Bob Kerrey, directly addresses schools' and libraries' access to communications services. This provision specifies that, upon request, individual telecommunications carriers must provide service to schools and libraries at "affordable" rates. The amount of the associated discount is to be reimbursed by the newly established universal service system that is required by the 1996 Act.
FCC Timeline on Universal ServiceThe FCC has issued numerous documents pertaining to the universal service proceeding. A complete list of links to these documents are maintained on the FCC's Universal Service Home Page.
On March 8, 1996 the FCC adopted a Notice of Proposed Rulemaking. [ News Release Text Version WordPerfect Version ]. Comments on this proposal were received April 12, 1996, reply comments on May 7, 1996. In addition, two Public Notices were released. The first, dated July 3, 1996, asked 72 questions [Text Version WordPerfect Version ]. The second, dated July 10, 1996, sought comment regarding proxy cost models [Text Version WordPerfect Version ]. Responses were due August 2nd and 9th, respectively. These documents asked questions such as what types of communications services should be made available to schools at discounted rates, and how to determine an appropriate level of discount.
The public responses to the FCC's questions on universal service were reviewed by a Joint Board composed of federal and state communications commissioners and a utility consumer advocate. This board was formed, as required by the Act, to issue recommendations to the FCC concerning universal service policy generally, including those aspects related to education. The Joint Board issued its Recommendations on November 7, 1996. On November 18, 1996 the FCC issued an additional Public Notice containing questions related to the Board's recommendations. Comments were received by December 16, 1996, and reply comments by January 10, 1997.
On May 8, 1997 the Commission released the major Report and Order implementing the Telecom Act's Universal Service Provisions [ News Release Order ]. An up-to-date list of links to universal service related Commission documents that have been released since this order was released is maintained on the FCC's Universal Service Home Page.