USAC to Update RHC Rates Database

The Wireline Competition Bureau (WCB) directed the Universal Service Administrative Company (USAC) on December 23, 2020, to update its urban and rural rates database (RHC Database) for the Rural Health Care Telecommunications Program for all funding requests committed since its July 1, 2020, launch.

The Bureau had previously directed USAC to include data from both the E-Rate and Rural Health Care Programs from the three most recent available funding years to identify the median rates when establishing the RHC Database. The Commission had also allowed program stakeholders to identify additional rates for possible inclusion in the database by September 30, 2020. As a result, the RHC Database currently reflects available E-Rate and Rural Health Care Program data for the last three funding years as of September 30, 2020.

In the letter to USAC, the Bureau directed USAC to add to the RHC Database any rates not already in the database that are associated with funding commitments made in the E-Rate and Rural Health Care Programs from the launch of the Telecom Program Rates Database through the December 23, date of the letter. Such rates would include commitments made in both programs for FY 2020, even though not all commitments have been made for that funding year.