what is the federal universal service fund (federal usf) surcharge?

The Federal Universal Service Fund is a fund that was established by the U.S. government and is used to subsidize basic telephone service for people with low incomes and those who live in rural areas. It is also used to provide Internet connections, landline handsets and mobile handsets to schools and libraries. The U.S. government imposes a fee on telecommunications carriers to fund the program. In addition, some states also operate their own universal service funds, for which you may see a charge.