The potential elimination of Universal Service Fund support could lead to a significant increase in broadband rates for rural Americans, which would directly impact access and affordability.
Rural broadband providers have primarily relied on Universal Service Fund support, which has been critical to maintaining services and investing in network improvements across wide-ranging rural areas.
Study participants emphasized that without the USF, existing rural networks may not sustain themselves financially, resulting in worse broadband access and higher costs for consumers.
The loss of Universal Service Fund could create ripple effects affecting not just rural broadband providers, but also capital markets and broader implications for the federal budget.
[
Collection
]
[
|
...
]