Rule 1.01 indicates that pursuant to Act 77 of 1997 and Act 385 of 2007, the Commission has the authority and responsibility to assess a universal service fee upon all providers of telecommunications services, as defined by the rules of the Commission to support State universal service objectives, within the state of Arkansas.  Every telecommunications provider that operates or provides retail telecommunications services within Arkansas shall contribute, on a nondiscriminatory basis, into the AR HCF (Rule 4.01).

• Memo regarding transition from the Arkansas USF to HCF (Adobe PDF)
• Assigned ID codes and filing frequency (by Co. Name) (Adobe pdf file)
• Notice re the assessment rate for 2008 (Adobe pdf)
• Notice re the assessment rate for the beginning of 2009 (Adobe pdf)
• Notice re the assessment rate change as of June 2009 (Adobe pdf)

Reporting requirements haven't changed from the Universal Service Fund.  New forms, effective beginning with the reporting of revenues billed in August 2007, are available in the area below.  Carriers reporting on the quarterly or annual filing schedule should also use the ARHCF report worksheet below (rather than the ARUSF worksheet).  Carriers on the quarterly filing schedule, reporting for July - September, will need only to report on the new High Cost Fund worksheet and mark the corresponding quarter. 

NOTE that the assessment rate has changed, effective for revenues billed for periods after May 31

Streamline your filing process.  Save time by registering to be authorized to file without a signature.  This process requires a one time request for authorization. Once approved, the filer can submit reports prepared in MS Excel, via email.  There is no need to print and wait for a signature and then send the paper document.  An email response will be provided upon receipt and processing of reports submitted via email.

*The Enhanced version includes a button for pre-approved filers to send their prepared submission through email with just one-click.  The button requires code for it to work and so we have also digitally signed the workbook to ensure that the code remains intact and only provides this functionality.  When opening, depending on your security settings, you may get a prompt regarding macro security, asking whether to enable or disable macros.  Either set your security to medium or low or choose to Enable Macros to utilize this button's functionality.  This functionality will only work with Microsoft Excel 2000, 2002 and 2003(XP).  If using Excel 2007(Vista), please use SAVE AS to save the report as a XLS file before emailing from a preapproved address.

The ARHCF will follow this filing schedule for 2009:
  Monthly 2008 due dates:  2/20/09, 3/20/09, 4/20/09, 5/20/09, 6/19/09, 7/20/09, 8/20/09
                                          9/21/09, 10/20/09, 11/20/09, 12/21/09, 1/20/10
  Quarterly 2008 due dates: 4/20/09, 7/20/09, 10/20/09, 1/20/10
  Annual 2008 due date:      2/20/10

Arkansas ETFF

Under the authority of Act 1842 of 2001 (Ark. Code Ann. § 23-17-404) the APSC created the Arkansas Extension of Telecommunications Facilities Fund (ARETFF).  The Arkansas Extension of Telecommunications Facilities Fund was established in 2002 as a grant program for the extension of facilities to persons unserved by wire line telecommunications services.  Please see Arkansas Public Service Commission Docket No. 02-080-A for additional information about the ARETFF.

• Grant Request Application Instructions ETFF-1 (Adobe pdf file)
• Grant Request Application ETFF-1 (Microsoft® Excel file)
• Grant True-Up Application Instructions ETFF-2 (Adobe pdf file)
• Grant True-Up Application Form ETFF-2 (Microsoft® Excel file)

This page was last updated on 07/01/2009