• Contributors
  • Obtain a Form 499 Filer ID
  • Revenue Reporting
  • Who Must Contribute
  • Understanding Your Invoice
  • Paying Your Invoice
  • File an Appeal
  • Filer ID Deactivation
• Recipients
  • Determine Eligibility
  • Obtain a USAC Service Provider ID (Form 498)
  • Payment Process and Status

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• Fund Administration Overview
• Purpose of the Universal Service Fund
• How the Universal Service Fund Works
• Universal Service Fund Program Integrity
• Understanding Audits
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Collections: Types of Payments

USAC collects and disburses funds for the federal Universal Service Fund (USF). Companies that make regular payments to the USF are called "Contributors." Companies that receive disbursements from the USF are called either "Service Providers" or "Applicants".

Below is a list of the types of payments that are owed to USAC and companies may be required to send a payment to USAC due to various types of fund recoveries. You can click on the link to get more information about this type of payment and how to send it so USAC can apply it correctly to your account.

 

Type of Payment	Applicable to	Description
Regular Contributor Payment Forms 499-A/499-Q	Contributors	Monthly USAC invoice to Contributors based on FCC Form 499.
Returning Funds	Service Providers Applicants	Funds dispersed to applicants/service providers that must be returned to USAC.
Negative Disbursement Payments	Service Providers - High Cost, Low Income, Schools & Libraries	Payments to USAC resulting from true-up of projected vs. actual support claimed, or when company revises previous support claims.
COMADS (Commitment Adjustments)	Service Providers/Applicants - Rural Health Care, Schools & Libraries ONLY	Return of payments where USAC discovers error in funding commitment during review due to audits, appeals, whistleblower calls, etc.
Bankruptcy Recovery Payment	Contributors Service Providers	Companies in bankruptcy that have USF obligations should mail them directly to USAC.
Bankruptcy Admin Payments	Contributors Service Providers	Companies in bankruptcy that have USF obligations should mail them directly to the Lockbox.
Payment Plan Payments	Contributors Service Providers	For companies that have been approved to pay their fund obligations on an installment basis (payment plan).
Appeals	Contributors Service Providers Applicants	For more information on appeals.
Forms 498/471	Service Providers Applicants	Form more information, go to the Schools & Libraries Returning Funds to USAC page.
DCIA Payments (Debt Collection Improvement Act)	Contributors Service Providers	Balances owed to USF that are transferred to the FCC for further collections after balance becomes 90 plus days delinquent.
Other FCC Payments	Contributors Service Providers	Invoices from the FCC for balances owed payable to and mailed to the FCC.
Individual State USF Payments	Contributors Service Providers	These are not federal USF payments to USAC. See your state regulatory commission for information.