April 20, 2004

The Honorable Daniel K. Akaka
United States Senate
141 Hart Senate Office Building
Washington, DC 20510

Dear Senator Akaka:

I understand that the Federal Communications Commission is considering a proposal that would change the way it collects funds for the Universal Service Fund (USF). This proposed move to a connection-based system would mean that if you use 1 minute or 1000 minutes of long distance service per month you would pay the same USF fee. This is simply not fair.

The Deafness Research Foundation and The World Council on Hearing is urging you to reject proposals to shift funding for universal service from a revenue based system, to a connection based one with flat rate for each user. This type of proposed funding methodology is discriminatory and is neither "equitable" nor "competitively neutral." In practice it would mean that individual residential consumers and disabled consumers who are low volume callers would pay the same fees as businesses and high volume callers.

The adoption of a connection based system will have a negative impact on the 44% of consumers identified as low volume users who rely on wireless service primarily for safety, security or lifeline phones.

Electronic communications and the internet is becoming imperative to the economic life and civic activity for the disability community. We urge you to oppose efforts to weaken universal service funding by switching to a connections based model and to support efforts to strengthen our nation's commitment to universal service.

Sincerely,

Susan M. Greco
Executive Director