Latest Universal Service Fund Stories

By Jeremy Pelofsky WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The U.S. Federal Communications Commission's inspector general, who fought for more resources to probe abuses in subsidized communications to schools and libraries, retired last week, according to a notice obtained by Reuters on Monday. Walker Feaster left the agency on January 3 after more than 11 years in the position and 38 years of government work, according to the internal FCC notice. An attempt to reach him for comment on Monday was not...

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - A U.S. Senate panel on Tuesday sent to the full Senate for a vote the nominations of Republican Tennessee state regulator Deborah Tate to serve on the Federal Communications Commission and Democrat Michael Copps to serve another term on the FCC. If confirmed by the Senate, Tate would fill a term that expires June 30, 2007, and Copps would be seated to a second five-year term which would expire June 30, 2010 on the commission that regulates the telecommunications...

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Two key U.S. senators said on Tuesday they would back Tennessee state regulator Deborah Tate to fill a Republican seat on the Federal Communications Commission, as well as a second term at the agency for Democrat Michael Copps. The Senate Commerce Committee plans to act soon on Tate's and Copps' nominations said panel chairman Ted Stevens, an Alaska Republican. "We are going to try and move these nominations out of the committee as rapidly as possible," he said...

By Jeremy Pelofsky WASHINGTON (Reuters) - U.S. House Energy and Commerce Committee staff on Thursday unveiled draft legislation aimed at overhauling U.S. telecommunications laws to address new technologies, such as Internet video and voice services. The House Energy and Commerce Committee lawmakers will likely discuss the draft measure over the next few weeks and likely try to hold hearings on it in October, a congressional aide said, declining further identification. The draft was...

By Jeremy Pelofsky WASHINGTON (Reuters) - U.S. House Energy and Commerce Committee staff on Thursday unveiled draft legislation aimed at overhauling U.S. telecommunications laws to address new technologies, such as Internet video and voice services. The House Energy and Commerce Committee lawmakers will likely discuss the draft measure over the next few weeks and likely try to hold hearings on it in October, a congressional aide said, declining further identification. The draft was...

By Jeremy Pelofsky WASHINGTON (Reuters) - U.S. communications regulators on Friday lifted regulations on high-speed Internet services offered by local telephone companies like Verizon Communications, in an effort to boost fast Web access. The Federal Communications Commission unanimously agreed to treat the service, known as digital subscriber line (DSL) broadband, as an "information service," which insulates it from many traditional telephone rules like requirements to lease network access...