Publication Type: Statement
Date: 6/21/2006CONTACT: Rob Stoddard/Brian Dietz, 202-775-3629
“We have long advocated that providers of IP voice service make contributions to support the Universal Service Fund and cable companies do so today for both their traditional circuit-switched and IP voice services. Today's decision codifies this longstanding practice. We appreciate the flexibility the Commission has provided for companies to conduct traffic studies to determine the amount of their revenues subject to USF assessment, and are pleased that the Commission started a rulemaking proceeding to further examine these issues. We recognize that today’s action is an interim step and look forward to the adoption of a long-term numbers-based contribution mechanism for USF.”
NCTA is the principal trade association for the U.S. cable industry, representing cable operators serving more than 90 percent of the nation's cable television households and more than 200 cable program networks. The cable industry is the nation’s largest broadband provider of high-speed Internet access after investing $100 billion over ten years to build a two-way interactive network with fiber optic technology. Cable companies also provide state-of-the-art digital telephone service to millions of American consumers.