Broadband has gone from being a luxury to a necessity for full participation in our economy and society – for all Americans. For that reason, the FCC has adopted comprehensive reforms of its Universal Service Fund (USF) and Intercarrier Compensation (ICC) systems to accelerate broadband build-out to the 18 million Americans living in rural areas who currently have no access to robust broadband infrastructure. This reform will expand the benefits of high-speed Internet to millions of consumers in every part of the country by transforming the existing USF into a new Connect America Fund (CAF) focused on broadband.

Consumers everywhere – both urban and rural – will benefit. Reform will not only drive economic growth in rural America, but will expand the online marketplace nationwide, creating jobs and businesses opportunities across the country.

Contents

• Read the Connect America Fund News Release [pdf]
• Read the Connect America Fund Order [pdf]
• Consumer Benefits by the Numbers
• View the Current Availability Map
• Read the Executive Summary
• Related Material
• Price Cap Resources
• Rate-of-Return Resources

Consumer Benefits by the Numbers

• Americans living in unserved rural areas who will receive access to broadband over the next decade: 18 million
• Consumers who will get mobile broadband coverage where they live, work, and travel: millions
• Jobs created related to new deployment in rural areas over five years: 500,000
• Annual economic benefits in rural areas from new deployment: $700 million
• Annual increase in economic growth, creating jobs: $50 billion
• Benefit to cost ratio for consumers: $3 to $1
• Percentage of FORTUNE 500 companies that post job openings online only – and require online applications: over 80 percent
• Graduation rates for students with broadband at home compared to similar students with no broadband access: 6% to 8% higher

Current Availability Map

Executive Summary

• Connect America Fund & Intercarrier Compensation Reform Order and FNPRM (PDF)

Related Material

• Access to CAF Cost Models Announced
• Comment Sought on Potential Data for CAF Phase One Support
• Mobility Fund Phase I Auction Scheduled For 9/27/2012
• Bureaus Release Erratum to USF/ICC Order
• Order Clarifying Aspects of USF/ICC Transformation Order
• Commission Modifies Two Aspects of USF/ICC Order On Its Own motion
• Connect America Fund Cost Models Requested
• October Commission Meeting event page
• Press release (PDF)
• Genachowski Statement (PDF)
• Copps Statement (PDF)
• McDowell Statement (PDF)
• Clyburn Statement (PDF)
• Chairman Genachowski’s speech on Universal Service Fund and Intercarrier Compensation reform
• Blog post: Connect America Fund: Putting Consumers First
• Universal Service Fund encyclopedia entry