GAWD, JUST WHAT IS THE UNIVERSAL SERVICE FUND (USF)?
As a result of Congress and the Telecommunications Act of 1996, all telephone companies are required to contribute to the government mandated USF fund. This ‘tax’ was created to allow for affordable telephone service to schools, libraries, rural health care facilities etc. Your telephone carrier is permitted to charge USF fees as a way to recover their cost of providing its customers with phone service. Some carriers charge a monthly fee while other charge a percentage of your bill.
