High Cost
Funding Type
Grant
Grantor Agency
Universal Service Administrative Co.
Grant Range
# of Awards Available
Programmatic Area
Broadband
Programmatic Area
Education
Deadline
2027-03-02
Match Required?
Eligible Entities
State utility commissions must certify that carriers under their jurisdiction are eligible to receive High Cost support in their states and use all support only to provide, maintain, and upgrade the facilities for which the support was intended. Carriers that self-certify (i.e., ETCs not subject to state jurisdiction) must certify that they use all High Cost support only to provide, maintain, and upgrade the facilities for which the support was intended.
The FCC designates unserved or underserved rural communities – places where the market alone cannot support the substantial cost of deploying network infrastructure and providing connectivity – as areas eligible for support.
Focus Area
The program distributes billions of dollars in funding annually to carriers to deliver voice and broadband service—both fixed and mobile—in rural areas where the market alone cannot support the substantial cost of deploying network infrastructure and providing connectivity. Carriers that receive funding must provide service at rates reasonably comparable to those available in urban areas.
Contact
hcquestions@usac.org
Link to Opportunity
https://www.usac.org/high-cost/
Application Platform
https://www.usac.org/high-cost/get-started/
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