The order is intended to improve the accessibility and affordability of broadband services and foster greater accountability with respect to taxpayer-funded subsidies.
With several phases of the USF/ICC Transformation Order in effect and others due to come on line later in 2012, providers are under pressure to respond quickly.
The changes outlined in the order will affect a wide swath of business functions, from strategy and operations to the core business model itself. The order will have major implications for the telecommunications sector, chief among them:
- Market-driven changes may punish inefficient operators
- Near-term revenue streams may be negatively impacted
- Oversight requirements may stress current process and control environment
- Carriers with outdated technologies may need to upgrade