1、 https:/crsreports.congress.gov January 28, 2021Federal Universal Service Fund and Other Selected Federal Broadband Programs: A PrimerIntroduction Efforts to deploy voice telephone service throughout the United States began almost 100 years ago. Starting in the 1990s, these efforts shifted toward th
2、e deployment of broadband internet service to homes and businesses and the provision of infrastructure to support applications such as telehealth and distance learning. As a result of the Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic, Congress created and funded new programs to accelerate broadband d
3、eployment and adoption in minority communities, on Tribal lands, and among qualifying households. Enabling telehealth is one major focus of these programs. Federal Communications Commission The Universal Service Fund (USF) is intended to ensure that telecommunications services, including broadband,
4、are available and affordable throughout the country. Federal Communications Commission (FCC) programs supported by the USFthe High-Cost Program, the Connect America Fund, the Lifeline Program, the Rural Health Care Program, and the Schools and Libraries Programare funded by fees on telecommunication
