The California Advanced Services Fund (CASF) was authorized by the Commission on December 20, 2007, in D.07-12-054 in accordance with Public Utilities Code § 701. It provides grants to “telephone corporations” as defined under Public Utilities Code § 234.
The total allocation for the CASF is $100 million. An expected two-year program, the CASF will promote universal service in unserved and underserved areas in the state by awarding funding to qualifying certificated applicant carriers. The funding will be used for projects that will a) provide broadband services to areas currently without broadband access and b) build out facilities in underserved areas if funds are still available. Funds shall be collected using an all-end-user surcharge billed and collected by telecommunications carriers.
Beginning on January 1, 2008, a surcharge rate of 0.25% was adopted to fund the program. Surcharge revenues shall be held by the carrier in a memorandum account tracking system and the account will accrue monthly interest on the accumulated balance at the short-term commercial paper rate. Carriers shall continue to hold custody of all the collected CASF surcharge revenues and accumulated interest until the Commission provides further direction on the disposition of these revenues.
On June 12, 2008, the Commission approved Resolution T-17143 which adopted the application requirements, timelines, and scoring criteria for parties to qualify for broadband project funding under the CASF. The revised deadline for the first wave of applications to be filed for unserved areas is July 24, 2008. To the extent that funds remain, a second wave of applications for underserved areas is due by August 25, 2008.
On Nov. 21, 2008, the CPUC approved funding for six unprotested projects that will bring broadband service for the first time to 1,294 households in unserved areas
A hard copy of Commission decisions/orders can be obtained for a fee by calling the Commission’s Central Files Section at 415-703-2045. Questions about this program should be directed to Norman Low by phone at 415-703-1607 or by e-mail to ncl@cpuc.ca.gov.
- UPDATED INFO!! Carriers should use the October 2008 UPDATED Combined California Telephone Surcharge Transmittal Form for the October 2008 CASF remittance and all remittances thereafter.
- October 30, 2008 Notice to All Communication Carriers on the Remittance of CASF Surcharge Revenue from January to September 2008 including a revised Carrier Remittance Workbook. Carriers should use this new carrier remittance workbook. Note: Your installed Excel program requires the activation of the Tools/Add-ins/Analysis Toolpak-VBA add-in feature in order for the automatic calculation to work properly.
- Click here to file your application
- Answers to Frequently Asked Questions about the application process and program administration after selection.
- UNDERSERVED areas proposed to be served as of August 25, 2008:
- UNSERVED areas proposed to be served as of July 24, 2008:
- Prospective applicants who have questions about the application process can send an email to CASF_Application_questions@cpuc.ca.gov. Responses to questions should be posted once a week on a "Q and A" webpage linked to this CASF site.
- Final Resolution T-17143, setting forth the requirements for the CASF application process, was approved June 12, 2008. The filing dates are: Unserved Areas, July 24, 2008 and Underserved Areas, August 25, 2008.
- Telephone Corporations/Wireless Eligibility Information - Instruction sheet for prospective appliants who want to be eligible to be considered for CASF funding.
- April 2008 Updated Information about Carrier Memorandum Account
- "Building Innovation Through Broadband" -- The Final Report of the California Broadband Task Force
- December 2007 Notice to All Carriers of Memorandum Account
- Proceeding Documents