NEWS
Federal Communications Commission
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th
Street, S.W.
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This is an unofficial announcement of Commission action.  Release of the full text of a Commission order constitutes official action.
See MCI v. FCC, 515 F.2d 385 (D.C. Cir. 1974).
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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE CONTACT:
April 21, 2014 Matthew Berry (202) 418-2005
Email: Matthew.Berry@fcc.gov
STATEMENT OF FCC COMMISSIONER AJIT PAI
DECRYING MOVE TO MAKE RURAL AMERICANS PAY ALMOST 50 PERCENT MORE 
FOR PHONE SERVICE THAN THOSE LIVING IN WASHINGTON, DC 
The data released late last Friday by the Federal Communications Commission’s Wireline 
Competition Bureau show why the agency shouldn’t increase rural Americans’ phone bills.
1
  The FCC’s 
so-called “rate floor” is supposed to ensure that urban and rural rates are “comparable.”  But even though 
the Bureau’s data reveal that the local phone rate in Washington, DC is $14.10, the FCC is on the 
precipice of raising rates for rural Americans from $14.00 to $20.46.  As a result, rural Americans will 
have to pay 45 percent more for local phone service than those living in our nation’s capital.  On top of all 
that, this rate increase will not save the government any money.
This issue is another example of why so many in our nation’s heartland feel so alienated from 
Washington, DC.  Too often, there is one set of rules for those inside the Beltway and another set of rules 
for everyone else.  I hope the Commission will reconsider this ill-conceived policy and not raise rural 
Americans’ phone bills to no end.
                                                
1
See Wireline Competition Bureau, 2014 Urban Rate Voice Survey Methodology, http://go.usa.gov/kRZJ (Apr. 21, 
2014); Wireline Competition Bureau, 2014 Urban Rate Voice Survey Results, http://go.usa.gov/kRBY (Apr. 21, 
2014).