MARK PRYOR
AIIKANSAS
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'United ~mtc.s ~Enate
WASHINGTON, DC 20510
April 19, 2012
255 DIRKSE" SE....n OFfICE BUILDING
WASHI"GTON, DC 20510
(2021 224-2353
500 PJ!ESlOEf(T CuNTON AvtNU[
501"1'( 401
LITTu ROCK.. Aft 12201
(501) 324-6336
TOLL FREE {Bn} 259-9602
hnp:bpryor.seMIII.gov
The Honorable Julius Genachowski
Chainnan
Federal Communications Commission
445 12~ Street, S.W.
Washington, D.C. 20554
Dear Chairman Genachowski:
We write to you regarding the Commission's efforts to reform the Universal Service Fund.
While we recognize and applaud the Commission for working to modernize and streamline this
program, we are concerned that some of the reforms proposed in the Commission's Order and
Further Notice of Proposed RuJemaking adopted on October 27,2011, could potentially have a
negative impact on the advancement of broadband access in Arkansas.
The Universal Service Fund has been critical to expanding broadband access to many parts of
Arkansas and rural areas across the country that would otherwise be unserved. Today, farmers in
the Mississippi Delta are able to check the weather and market reports on their smart phones;
veterans in small towns have access to essential health care services through tele-health enabled
clinics; and small businesses across the state have grown their businesses because they are
connected to the global market.
For the Universal Service Fund to continue on this record of success, and for us to reach our
mutual goal of universal broadband access, any changes to the Universal Service Fund must be
balanced, ensure regulatory certainty, provide predictable support, and encourage further public
and private investment in rural areas. Unfortunately, we have heard from many small service
providers in our state that they lack the necessary information to determine the full impact of the
reforms proposed by the Commission on their future business and investment plans. Moreover,
they are concerned that given this lack of data, the Commission is moving too fast in its
implementation. In addition, we have already heard from rural lenders and service providers that
no meaningful broadband access will be deployed in 2012 due to the regulatory uncertainty
caused by the Order and Further otice of Proposed Rulemaking. Therefore, we respectfully
request that the Commission delay implementation until this information is made available so
that rural providers can fully understand the impact of the refonn and plan accordingly.
Finally, we request and encourage you to send a representative from the Wireline Bureau to
Arkansas before the proposed reforms are fmalized. As you know from your visit to Arkansas in
November 2009, it is important to see first-hand the unique needs and challenges that rural areas
like Arkansas face and communicate with the people that will be directly impacted by the
Commission's proposed reforms.
0520
We look fOIVIard to your prompt response.
M~~/6!2-
Senator Mark Pryor '
Sincerely,