| Summary: | 碩士 === 元智大學 === 資訊社會學碩士學位學程 === 101 === In 2010 the National Broadband Plan (NBP) in the U.S. induced a reform of Universal Service Fund (USF) to advance the development of broadband universal service. In such a reform plan, including Connect America Fund, E-rate Program, Lifeline program and Healthcare Connect Fund, not only adopt an more incentive-based and market-driven approach from a institutional perspective, but also result in promoting technology neutrality, enhancing capability and improving the effectiveness of USF subsidies. In contrast, the Telecommunications Universal Service Regulations in Taiwan implicates that broadband universal service provider shall provide services based on economic and effective technology; however, the focus on infrastructure deployment did not shift to enhancing the technology capability until the “Upgrading Transmission Speed Program” was launched by NCC in 2013. In addition, a shortsighted vision of universal service program for years and an improper mechanism requiring the incumbents to donate to the USF annually have become the major cause of slow progress of universal service. By learning from the US experience, this thesis attempts to seek the new direction of the development of broadband universal service in Taiwan and brings up three concepts, including the expansion of existing technologies, capability enhancement and the effectiveness improvement of USF subsidies, so as to make a policy suggestion for the regulator to expand the scope of universal service and map out a long-term plan under the foundation of predictable and sufficient USF.
Keywords：universal service, Universal Service Fund, National Broadband Plan
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