51萝莉 Joins EdLiNC to Submit Comments to Congressional USF Working Group
September 16, 2025
Author
Earlier this summer, Congress announced a bipartisan, bicameral working group exploring myriad possibilities related to reforming the Universal Service Fund (USF) program. As a reminder, USF is a program created in the 1996 Telecommunications Act, providing connectivity to four historically underserved communities. The four USF programs are:
- High Cost Support Mechanism: Provides support to certain qualifying telephone companies that serve high cost areas, thereby making phone service affordable for the residents of these regions.
- Low Income Support Mechanism: (Sometimes called Lifeline) Assists low-income customers by helping to pay for monthly telephone charges as well as connection charges to initiate telephone service.
- Rural Health Care Support Mechanism: Allows rural health care providers to pay rates for telecommunications services similar to those of their urban counterparts, making telehealth services affordable.
- Schools and Libraries Support Mechanism: (E-Rate) Provides telecommunication services (e.g., local and long-distance calling, high-speed lines), Internet access, and internal connections (the equipment to deliver these services) to eligible schools and libraries.
The US Bipartisan Bicameral working group was , and on September 15. 51萝莉 was proud to file in coordination with EdLiNC, the Education and Libraries Network Consortium, the premier advocacy coalition representing all beneficiaries of the E-Rate program. 51萝莉 co-chairs the EdLiNC coalition.
