What is the Arkansas universal service fund charge on my bill?
Arkansas Code Annotated Section 23-17-404 established the Arkansas Universal Service Fund (AUSF) to promote and assure the availability of universal service at rates that are reasonable and affordable, and to provide for reasonably comparable service and rates between rural and urban areas. Pursuant to law the Arkansas Public Service Commission established rules and procedures for the AUSF and delegated its operation to a trustee. The trustee bills and collects charges from all telecommunications providers and makes payments to qualifying telecommunications providers. Telecommunications providers are allowed by law to surcharge their customers to recover the AUSF charges they pay. This charge is not a tax.
