April 17, 2018
Background: The FCC today opened a rulemaking to consider preventing Universal Service support funds from being used to buy equipment or services from companies deemed to pose a threat to U.S. national security.
The following statement can be attributed to USTelecom President and CEO Jonathan Spalter:
“The FCC’s forward-thinking approach to evaluating how to protect and promote our country’s connected future—and the emphasis the agency places on its stewardship of the Universal Service Fund (USF)—underpins the Commission’s proposal to confront nation-state actions that threaten the confidentiality, integrity and availability of our nation’s network infrastructure. USTelecom has long been engaged with various government entities, including the FCC, on this inquiry. Any effective solution will require close partnership with all parts of the broader technology sector, as well as government agencies that have the necessary deep expertise and experience to evaluate national security risks associated with particular vendors, equipment and services.”