State of Maine Universal Service Fund

As of July 1, 2008, Rolka Loube Saltzer Associates will be the administrators of this fund.  

Introduction and Change of Administration Announcement (Adobe PDF)

35-A M.R.S.A. §7104 gives the Commission the authority to implement an MUSF.  The Commission adopted Chapter 288 which established the Maine Universal Service Fund and describes the operation of the Fund, including the entities that will contribute to the Fund, how the total amount of the contribution will be determined and the timing of payments into and out of the Fund.  

The Commission determined that the Fund is needed to ensure that similar telecommunications services are available to consumers throughout all areas of Maine at reasonably comparable rates.  The statute provides that the Fund also be used to support the Communications Equipment Fund, public-interest payphones, and the telecommunications relay service.

Since the same definition of Telecommunications Revenues applies to both the Maine USF and the TEAF, there is no need for carriers to submit separate reports.  The Maine USF therefore gathers revenue data from the quarterly MTEAF worksheet (Carrier Revenue Report).  Unlike the MTEAF, the Maine USF assessment is recalculated quarterly and carrier assessments are invoiced with approximately three months to pay.  Quarterly assessment rates will be announced by email and on this website and will appear on the invoice that is sent according to the following schedule.