Mich. PSC Bids Adieu to Rural ILEC Fund

A Michigan fund for rural ILECs wound down Friday after 12 years, the Michigan Public Service Commission said. The PSC created the intrastate switched toll access restructuring mechanism (ARM) in 2010 to give temporary assistance to rural ILECs to soften revenue loss from lowered intrastate access rates mandated by a 2009 state law. All Michigan intrastate retail telecom service providers and commercial mobile voice service providers had to contribute monthly to the fund. The PSC said Friday it had issued final monthly disbursements to 38 eligible providers. Over its 12 years, ARM collected about $162 million from a monthly average of 240 contributors, the agency said: The PSC distributed $157 million to eligible providers and used the rest for fund administration. The PSC said it will issue a final annual ARM report to Gov. Gretchen Whitmer (D) and the legislature by Dec. 1.