Consumers' Research v. FCC

  1. September 10, 2024

    FCC Chair Vows High Court Fight Over Universal Service

    Federal Communications Commission Chair Jessica Rosenworcel told educators the agency will ask the U.S. Supreme Court to overturn a recent Fifth Circuit decision against the Universal Service Fund, the federal program that subsidizes telecom service to low-income and hard-to-reach areas.

  2. August 27, 2024

    5th Circ. Holds Mandate In Subsidy Suit During FCC Appeal

    The Fifth Circuit has agreed to let the current subsidy for telecom services remain in place while the Federal Communications Commission seeks U.S. Supreme Court review of a ruling that upended the subsidy system.

  3. July 30, 2024

    5th Circ. Ruling Places FCC Rural Telehealth Funding In Peril

    From Alaska to Arkansas, thousands of rural healthcare clinics rely on internet subsidies from the Federal Communications Commission to provide telehealth services to far-flung or low-income patients. A Fifth Circuit ruling threatens to disrupt services for some living outside urban centers or in healthcare "deserts."

  4. July 24, 2024

    5th Circ. Strikes Down FCC's Universal Service Fund

    The full Fifth Circuit struck down the Federal Communications Commission's system for subsidizing telecommunications service for rural and low-income users as unconstitutional Wednesday, reversing a panel decision and triggering a circuit split with three other appeals courts that upheld the fee regime.

  5. June 17, 2024

    Toss Universal Service Fund Challenge, FCC Urges 5th Circ.

    The Federal Communications Commission on Monday urged the Fifth Circuit to throw out a challenge to the agency's telecom subsidy system after the U.S. Supreme Court declined to take up a pair of similar cases.

  6. September 19, 2023

    Full 5th Circ. Skeptical Of FCC's Universal Service Regime

    Fifth Circuit judges voiced reservations Tuesday about the constitutionality of the Federal Communications Commission's long-running use of an outside company to carry out contested statutory powers to collect fees for telecom subsidy programs.

  7. September 08, 2023

    Telecom Groups Urge 5th Circ. To Back FCC Subsidy Fees

    Several telecommunication interest groups have urged the full Fifth Circuit to stand by a panel's finding that the Federal Communications Commission's fund for providing universal communication services is constitutional, arguing that the program is consistent with guidelines set by Congress and the enabling statute sufficiently curbs the agency's power.

  8. June 30, 2023

    Full 5th Circ. Agrees To Rehear Ruling On FCC Subsidy Fees

    The Fifth Circuit has said yes to a full panel rehearing of its decision upholding the constitutionality of the Federal Communications Commission's fund for providing universal communications services — an issue that the plaintiff in the case is pressing in multiple circuits.

  9. April 21, 2023

    Full 5th Circ. Asked To Rethink FCC Subsidy Fees Ruling

    A free market advocacy group has asked the full Fifth Circuit to reconsider a unanimous panel decision that upheld the Federal Communications Commission's fund for providing universal communication services.

  10. March 29, 2023

    5th Circ. Nixed Telecom Fund Protest, But Will Others Agree?

    Soon after the Fifth Circuit upheld the Universal Service Fund for telecom subsidies, attention turned to the Sixth and Eleventh circuits, where a decision from either appeals court against the system could nudge the issue closer to U.S. Supreme Court review.