The Telecommunications Access Policy Division (TAPD) of the Federal Communications Commission’s Wireline Competition Bureau has issued an Order approving the annual average schedule company high-cost loop support (HCLS) formula modifications submitted by the National Exchange Carrier Association, Inc. (NECA). NECA’s proposed formula for 2023 projects approximately $6.975 million in HCLS payments to carriers serving 70 average schedule study areas, an increase of 19.7% over the $5.827 million in payments to 71 average schedule study areas in 2022.
