CenturyLink, Inc., on behalf of its incumbent local exchange carrier (ILEC) affiliates, has accepted $505,703,762 in annual Connect America Fund (CAF) Phase II support to sustain and expand voice and broadband services for over 2.3 million Americans in its rural service areas in 33 states. CenturyLink accepted the offer of CAF II model-based support in all but four of its ILEC states. It did not accept support for California, Mississippi, Oklahoma, and Wyoming. CenturyLink will receive CAF II support for a term of six years, with an option for a seventh year of support. It must deploy broadband to 40 percent of its funded locations by the end 2017, 60 percent by the end of 2018, 80 percent by the end of 2019, and 100 percent by the end of 2020.
