The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) has voted unanimously to transform the Universal Service Fund (USF) and intercarrier compensation system (ICC) into a new Connect America Fund. The Connect America Fund will have a budget of US$4.5 billion to accelerate broadband build-out to Americans living in rural areas who currently have no access to broadband infrastructure. The FCC estimates that 18 million Americans living in unserved rural areas will receive access to broadband over the next decade.
A National Broadband Plan was mandated by the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act. The plan was released in March 2010. Some of the broad goals of the plan over the next decade include
- Move the US broadband adoption rate from 65 percent to more than 90 per cent
- Make affordable broadband available to rural communities, schools, libraries, and vulnerable populations by transitioning existing Universal Service Fund support from voice to IP
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