About the Universal Service Fund

The Universal Service Fund is a U.S. government-administered program to subsidize telecommunications services in rural and high-cost areas, for low-income consumers, and for schools, libraries and healthcare facilities. The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) requires all telecommunications providers, including audio conferencing providers, to contribute into the fund based on a percentage of collected revenues. Some states also administrator state-specific Universal Service Funds, requiring additional contributions.

Each quarter, the FCC establishes the percentage revenue contribution factor, which ranged from 12.9% to 15.5% during 2010 and 2011, averaging 14.5%. The current contribution factor can be found here.

Internet-based conferencing (such as Skype and TurboBridge's SIP Access) is not defined as a telecommunications service, and therefore is not subject to USF obligations. Toll Access and Toll-Free Access (both prepaid and postpaid) are subject to USF fees for TurboBridge subscribers. TurboBridge does not keep nor profit from any portion of the USF fee you pay, nor does it receive any USF subsidies for the services it provides.

For more information on the Universal Service Fund, click here.

Frequently-Asked Questions on USF

Are all TurboBridge charges subject to USF?

No. Only charges associated with Toll Access and Toll-Free Access are subject to USF fees.

Do non-U.S. customers have to pay USF fees?

Yes, but only if Toll Access or Toll-Free Access is used. USF obligations are not based on the location of the subscriber, but rather on utilization of the U.S. telecommunications network. Any TurboBridge conference participant connecting via Toll Access or Toll-Free Access uses the U.S. telecommunications network (even if the participant is outside of the U.S.), and is therefore subject to USF fees.

Are charitable or religious groups exempt from USF fees?

No. USF fees apply to all subscribers regardless of non-profit or group status.

Are all conference providers required to charge USF fees?

All conference providers offering dial-in audio conferencing using U.S. telecommunications networks must pay into the Universal Service Fund based on a percentage of collected revenues. No phone company is required to collect USF fees from their subscribers, though in practice, nearly all conference providers and phone companies charge USF fees to their paying subscribers, as they do for most taxes and other government-mandated fees.