Bill > S1858

This bill, known as the Rural Broadband Investment Act of 2013 or the RBI Act of 2013, aims to address concerns that recent changes to how the Universal Service Fund (USF) distributes money to rural carriers, specifically those outlined in the "Transformation Order" (a report and order from the Federal Communications Commission, or FCC, adopted in October 2011), have created financial uncertainty and discouraged investment in broadband infrastructure in rural areas. The bill requires the FCC to suspend certain provisions of the Transformation Order and revise its approach to supporting rural rate-of-return carriers, which are defined as rural telephone companies that operate under a specific pricing structure. The goal is to ensure these carriers can recover their reasonable investments and operating expenses, particularly those made before 2012, and to establish predictable and sufficient funding mechanisms for universal service, which ensures access to telecommunications services. The bill also mandates interim support measures while new rules are developed and sets specific timelines and criteria for the FCC to consider waiver requests from rural carriers negatively impacted by the Transformation Order, requiring prompt decisions on these requests.