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  "description": "Calls RWA allegations ‘baseless and unsupported.'",
  "path": "/uscellular-fires-back-at-allegations-it-misuses-usf-funds/",
  "publishedAt": "2025-06-30T14:12:03.000Z",
  "site": "https://broadbandbreakfast.com",
  "tags": [
    "_filed a reply comment_",
    "_from the Universal Service Fund_",
    "_filed comments_",
    "_public notice_",
    "All Videos from Speeding BEAD Summit"
  ],
  "textContent": "WASHINGTON, June 30, 2025 – United States Cellular Corporation _filed a reply comment_ with the Federal Communications Commission, disputing the allegation made by the Rural Wireless Association that it misuses federal dollars _from the Universal Service Fund_.\n\nOn June 5, RWA _filed comments_ with the FCC in response to a _public notice_ that UScellular was seeking to relinquish its Eligible Telecommunications Carrier Designations in New Hampshire, North Carolina, Tennessee, and Virginia.\n\nIn those comments, RWA stated that it “agree[d] that UScellular should relinquish its ETC designations if it exits the wireless business as planned and should cease to get USF support” but argued that “UScellular’s receipt of USF should cease effective May 28, 2024, the date of the announcement of the transaction with T-Mobile, rather than upon the consummation of the transaction with T-Mobile” because there are “concerns that UScellular has been receiving USF support that runs afoul of the Commission’s rules, potentially dating back to January 1, 2021.”\n\n\n\n_****FROM SPEEDING BEAD SUMMIT****_\n _****Panel 1: How Are States Thinking About Reasonable Costs Now?****_\n_****Panel 2: Finding the State Versus Federal Balance in BEAD****_\n _****Panel 3: Reacting to the New BEAD NOFO Guidance****_\n _****Panel 4: Building, Maintaining and Adopting Digital Workforce Skills****_\n\n All Videos from Speeding BEAD Summit \n\nRWA based their assertions in part on statements from T-Mobile and UScellular which it claimed “implied that some of UScellular’s cell sites, which are supported by USF, will be decommissioned” and thus “suggests that UScellular may have ceased meaningful investment in these cell sites, despite continuing to receive USF support to maintain and expand service in rural areas.”\n\nUScellular called the RWA allegations “baseless and unsupported” in its June 20 comments, arguing that the group “provides no supporting evidence or an affidavit of a person with first-hand knowledge of any of its expressed ‘concerns.’”\n\nIt further claimed that “RWA claims to be concerned about unexplained ‘recent actions’ but does not describe any such actions related to UScellular’s 5G investments” and that as a result “RWA reveal[ed] that its motive has nothing to do with lawful use of 5G Fund support or the public interest.\n\nUScellular, led by CEO **Laurent C. Therivel** , concluded its comments by stating that “RWA’s allegations are inaccurate and irrelevant” and that the FCC should grant UScellular’s Relinquishment Petition.",
  "title": "UScellular Fires Back at Allegations It Misuses USF Funds",
  "updatedAt": "2026-03-11T03:27:05.147Z"
}