Rural associations launch USF protection drive

A group of four associations representing rural telcos today officially launched a drive to keep Universal Service in the public eye during the coming rewrite of the Telecommunications Act.

The group includes the Independent Telephone & Telecommunications Alliance (ITTA), the National Telecommunications Cooperative Association (NTCA), the Organization for the Promotion and Advancement of Small Telecommunications Companies (OPASTCO) and the Western Telecommunications Alliance (WTA). The same group of associations announced the formation of a grassroots campaign at this summer’s OPASTCO show, noting that the USF needs to be preserved in some form.

During a press conference today, members from several of the associations talked about the impact of Universal Service funding on their various communities.

Bob Williams, owner of Oregon Farmers Mutual Telephone in Oregon, Mo., said that not only does the company rely on USF, but it’s also a key component in the quality of life for his small town.

“In my little town in Missouri, we don’t have a hospital, and we don’t have a doctor,” he said. “We have a clinic operated by a nurse practitioner. That clinic is connected to a hospital with a T1 line, which is partially funded by Universal Service. Without Universal Service, we probably wouldn’t have healthcare at all in Oregon, Mo.”

As part of the campaign, the groups also commissioned a survey to poll users on their feeling about Universal Service. The results showed that voters, by a three-to-one margin, believe Congress should keep USF in place.