| abstract
| - In the telecommunications context, universal service refers to the practice of providing a baseline level of telecommunications services to every resident of a country. The goal of universal service was codified in the United States in the Telecommunications Act of 1996. According to this act, the goals are:
* to promote the availability of quality services at just, reasonable, and affordable rates
* to increase access to advanced telecommunications services throughout the Nation
* to advance the availability of such services to all consumers, including those in low income, rural, insular, and high cost areas at rates that are reasonably comparable to those charged in urban areas
- Since its creation in 1934 the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) has been tasked with This mandate led to the development of what has come to be known as the universal service concept. The concept is based on the premise that communications services are so fundamental to modern life that national policies should ensure that all citizens have reasonable and affordable access to those services. The universal service concept, as originally designed, called for the establishment of policies to ensure that telecommunications services are available to all Americans, including those in rural, insular and high cost areas, by ensuring that rates remain affordable. Over the years this concept fostered the development of various FCC policies and programs to meet this goal. The FCC offers universal service support through a number of direct mechanisms that target both providers of and subscribers to telecommunications services. The development of the federal universal service high cost fund is an example of provider-targeted support. Under the high cost fund, eligible telecommunications carriers, usually those serving rural, insular and high cost areas, are able to obtain funds to help offset the higher than average costs of providing telephone service. This mechanism has been particularly important to rural America where the lack of subscriber density leads to significant costs. FCC universal service policies have also been expanded to target individual users. Such federal programs include two income-based programs, Link Up and Lifeline, established in the mid-1980s to assist economically needy individuals. The Link Up program assists low-income subscribers with paying the costs associated with the initiation of telephone service and the Lifeline program assists low-income subscribers with paying the recurring monthly service charges. Funding to assist carriers providing service to individuals with speech and/or hearing disabilities is also provided through the Telecommunications Relay Service Fund. Effective January 1, 1998, schools, libraries, and rural health care providers also qualified for universal service support.
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