BI LLY LONG 
7TH DISTRICT, MISSOURI 
COMMITIEEON 
ENERGY AND COMMERCE 
SUBCOMMITTEE ON COMMERCE, 
MANUFACTURING, AND TRADE 
SUOCOMMITIEE ON 
COMMUNICATIONS AND TECHNOLOGY 
SUBCOMMITTEE ON 
OVERSIGHT AND INVESTIGATIONS 
([ongress of tbe Wntteb ~tates 
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wmtassbington, 1J9Qt 20515-2507 
The Honorable Tom Wheeler 
Chairman 
Federal Communications Commission 
445 12th Street, Southwest 
Washington, DC 20536 
Dear Chairman Wheeler: 
August 1, 2014 
1541 LONGWORTH House OFFICE BUILDING 
WASHINGTON, DC 20515 
(PHONE) (202) 225- 6536 
(FAX) (202) 225-5604 
Broadband internet access has become an essential for growth in many rural communities, 
enhancing education and opening pathways to economic opportunities. Small towns and 
communities can rely on its residents' talent and determination when competing in a global 
market. The availability of robust broadband service in such towns and communities will ensure 
that they are not left behind in today's technology-centric economy. 
Phase II of the Connect America Fund, or CAF II, offers an excellent opp01tunity to bring high­
speed fiber-optic broadband connections to millions of Americans who wouldn't otherwise have 
broadband and the opportunities it brings. Thanks to the Federal Communication Commission's 
(FCC) efforts, thousands of rural communities are now counting on CAF II. Since CAF II 
represents the final phase of Universal Service reform for these areas, its rules will effectively 
determine whether millions of rural residents will have broadband access. The June 10 Further 
Notice of Proposed Rule Making (FNPRM) has raised hopes further by more than doubling the 
promised download speeds from 4 MBPS to 10 MBPS . 
I am writing today to emphasize how important it is to ensure that the final details of CAF II live 
up to its promise. I am concerned that ifthe FCC more than doubles the speed requirements 
without allowing the appropriate level of flexibility in other elements of CAF II, the program's 
overall mission could be endangered. 
To the FCC's credit, the June I 0 FNPRM identifies a number of constructive ideas which could 
help achieve the faster network goals without exceeding CAF II' s annual budget. First, the CAF 
II funding period must be extended from the current 5 years to 10 years so there is adequate time 
for the construction of the higher-capacity network. Next, the FCC must use the same 10 Mbps 
standard when identifying broadband availability from competitors, otherwise communities with 
just 4 Mbps will be left behind. The FCC must also establish network build-out parameters 
consistent with the goal of providing quality broadband service to as many people as possible 
within CAF's limited funding framework. To that end, providers must be given the flexibility to 
substitute extremely high cost locations with un-served locations in partially served census 
blocks. 
3232 EAST RIDGEVIEW STREET 
SPRINGFIELD, MO 65804 
(PHONE) (417) 889-1800 
(FAX) (417) 889-4916 
http://long.house.gov 
2727 EAST 32ND STREET, SUITE 2 
JOPLIN, MO 64804 
(PHONE) (417) 781- 1041 
(FAX) (417) 781-2832 
798
J also encourage you to be as precise as possible when targeting support to areas where 
broadband would not otherwise be available. In the "interim" CAF I phases, an entire census 
block could be disqualified if a competitive carrier claimed to serve even a small fraction of its 
customers, and many areas were disqualified based on the untested asse1tions of wireless Internet 
Service Providers with line-of-sight and capacity issues which made them a poor substitute for 
fiber-fed networks. Now that we are in the final phase, I hope the CAF II standards can reach 
those unserved customers and also require competitive carriers to meet a reasonable standard of 
verification before depriving a community of CAF II support. 
Despite years of federal efforts to overcome the digital divide, I often hear from constituents who 
want and need assistance in order to bring broadband service to their homes. The concerns they 
raise are a reminder of how challenging rural broadband policy can be, but also how important it 
is. Thank you very much in advance for considering my concerns and J look forward to working 
with you. 
Sincerely, 
Billy 1g 
Member of Congress