MARY L. LANDRIEU 
LOUISIANA 
tinitcd ~tatcs ~cnatc 
The Honorable Tom Wheeler 
Chairman 
WASHINGTON, DC 20510-1804 
February 25,2014 
Federal Communications Commission 
Room 8-C445 
Washington, DC 20554 
Dear Chairman Wheeler: 
I am writing regarding an issue that I first raised with Chairman Julius 
Genachowski in 2011 , namely, the efforts of the Federal Communications Commission 
(FCC) to reform the Universal Service Fund (USF) and Inter-carrier compensation (ICC) 
system. Like you, I support modernizing these programs, including making them more 
accountable and more focused on high-speed Internet to meet the goal of providing 
affordable and comparable communications service to all Americans. However, I am still 
concerned that reform rules outlined in the Transformation Order may hamper investment 
in unserved rural communities in Louisiana. Many lingering questions remain, including 
issues related to the waiver process and the elimination of the Safety Net Additive. 
With this in mind, I was pleased to learn of your remarks on December 12, 2013 
before the House Subcommittee on Communications and Technology. At that time, you 
indicated you were instructing the FCC's Wireline Competition Bureau to discontinue 
using the quantile regression analysis (QRA) as a tool in distributing USF support to 
communications carriers in rural areas. These remarks track with comments submitted 
to the FCC over the years on this issue and with S. 1858, legislation introduced in the 
Senate in mid-December. I look forward to working with the FCC to expeditiously find 
more reasonable solutions that instead of discouraging investment will provide 
appropriate incentives for providers to invest in new broadband networks. 
As you well know, there continues to be a need for advanced communications 
services in unserved rural areas of our country. I realize that this is due in part to many 
factors, including the increased cost of deploying technology to these areas, but would 
like, where possible, to assist companies looking to build out services in rural areas. 
Over the last three decades, communications carriers in rural areas have invested millions 
of dollars in communications networks supported not only by universal service, but also 
by private investment and Federal telecommunications and broadband incentive 
programs. In making these reforms, the FCC must protect existing investments, provide 
predictable support systems for small rural carriers and other providers, and promote 
broadband adoption in unserved rural areas. 
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February 25, 2014 
In closing, I note that the Telecommunications Act of 1996 mandates that Federal 
and State governments must work to advance the availability of advanced 
telecommunications services to all consumers, including those in rural areas, at rates 
which are comparable to rates charged in urban areas. The USF was established by the 
FCC to attain these goals promised by the Act. While I strongly support your effort to 
achieve broadband availability nationwide, USF and ICC reform must not jeopardize 
current investments or discourage futme investments from the private sector or Federal 
incentive programs. 
Thank you for your consideration of thi s request. I look forward to working with 
you to provide opportunities fo r providers, including small rural carriers, to continue 
service to rural areas throughout our country. 
Sincerely, 
Mary L. Landrieu 
United States Senator 
Cc: The Honorable Mignon Clyburn, Commissioner 
The Honorable Jessica Rosenworcel, Commissioner 
The Honorable Ajit Pai , Commiss ioner 
The Honorable Michael O ' Rielly, Commissioner