When it comes to the USF (Universal Service Fund), rural LECs are like coal miners working a profitable vein of anthracite: They realize the lode is finite, but figure there's plenty to be tapped so long as nothing causes a cave-in. The federal government's evolving attitude about rural service these days has the RLECs justifiably jittery that a catastrophic cave-in is imminent. "Universal service is a very important revenue stream for RLECs. Now that support is threatened, or at least its future is uncertain, it has a lot of people nervous," said Bernardin Arnason, vice president of business and technology for the NTCA (National Telecommunications Cooperative Association).
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