20180118CTIA Position Paper.pdf

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Jonuory 31, 201 8
ldoho Public Utilities Commission
P.O. Box 83720
Boise, lD 83720-0074
Re:Cose No. GNR-T-17-05
In fhe Motter of the 2017 Review of the ldoho UniversolService
Fund
Deor Modom or Sir:
ln the obove-referenced docket, the ldoho Public Utilities Commission
("Commission") hos sought comment on how to oddress o number of foctors
offecting the "continued viobility" of the ldoho UniversolService Fund ("lUSF").r
These foctors include the growing populority of wireless ond voice over lnternet
protocol services with ldoho consumers relotive to wireline seryices, wireline
corriers' increosing bundling of residentiol telephone service with other seryices,
ond the Federol Communicotions Commission's reform of the intercorrier
compensotion regime.2
CTIA3 supports the generol gool of universol service ond oppreciotes the
difficulty of the issues roised in this proceeding. As the Commission notes, the
ldoho Code specifies thot the IUSF is funded through o surchorge on "locol
I ln the Motter of the 2017 Review of the ldoho UniversolService Fund, Cose No. GNR-T-
17-05, Notice of Public Workshops, Order No. 33951 (Dec. 2l ,2017) ot 2.
z ld. ot 1-2.
3 CTIA - The Wireless Associotleno 1"CTIA") (www.ctio.org) represents the U.S. wireless
communicotions industry ond the componies throughout the mobile ecosystem thot
enoble Americons to leod o 21't-century connected life. The ossociotion's members
include wireless corriers, device monufocturers, suppliers os well os opps ond content
componies. CTIA vigorously odvocotes of oll levels of government for policies thot foster
continued wireless innovotion ond investment. The ossociotion olso coordinotes the
industry's voluntory best proctices, hosts educotionol events thot promote the wireless
industry, ond co-produces the industry's leoding wireless trodeshow. CTIA wos founded
in 1984.
1400 l6th Street, NW Suite 600 Woshington, DC 20036 www.ciio.org
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exchonge service ond MTS ond WATS type services."4 As o result of this stotutory
provision, the Commission hos very little lotitude to modify the IUSF contribution
mechonism. Moreover, even if the Commission hod greoter flexibility to modify
the IUSF funding mechonism, it is unlikely to find consensus on o different
contribution scheme given widely differing industry views on how to fund
universol service progroms equitobly. Similor proceedings in other stotes hove
borne this out.
As o result, to the extent thot the Commission seeks o legislotive solution to
funding the IUSF, CTIA urges the Commission look to its western neighbor, the
Stote of Wqshington, for o prudent, duroble solution for universol service funding
ln Woshington, the stote universol service fund is supported by toxpoyer funds
exclusively.s The use of generol revenues to fund universolservice is more
oppropriote given the generol benefit of such progroms,6 ond olso more
economicolly efficient becouse the effort to extend the ovoilobility of
communicotions services does not suppress demond for those some services.z
CTIA commends the Commission for its ongoing commitment to universol service,
ond stonds reody to work with the Commission to identify equitoble ond
economicolly efficient solutions to the problems focing the IUSF.
Sincerely,
Benjomin J.
Director of Stote Regulotory Affoirs
a ldoho Code S 62-610(2).
5 Rev. Code Wosh. SS 80.35.650(2);80.360.090.
6 CTIA Response to House of Representotives White Poper on UniversolService Policy
(2014) of I -4, https://www.ctio.orq/docs/defoult-source/Leqislotive-Activitv/ctio-usf-
response-to-house-white-poper-09 I 9 I 4.pdf ?sfvrsn=0.
z See, e.9., Robert W. Crondoll ond Leonord Wovermon, WHo Pnvs ron UNrvensRl Srnvrcr?
WHeu TrLepHoNr Sussrores Brcour TnRNspnnrut, Brookings lnst. Press (2000) of 169.