v3.26.1
GOVERNMENT SUPPORT AND SPECTRUM MATTERS
6 Months Ended
Jun. 30, 2026
GOVERNMENT SUPPORT AND SPECTRUM MATTERS  
GOVERNMENT SUPPORT AND SPECTRUM MATTERS

9. GOVERNMENT SUPPORT AND SPECTRUM MATTERS

Universal Service Fund and Other Domestic Funding Programs

The Company recognizes revenue from several government funded programs including but not limited to, as follows:

The Company receives federal Universal Service Fund (“USF”) support under the Alaska Connect Fund (“ACF”). Beginning January 1, 2025, the Company began receiving $25.6 million per year and expects to continue receiving such annual funding until December 31, 2028. Beginning in 2029 and continuing through 2034, the amount of ACF support will be determined by the Federal Communications Commission (“FCC”) staff taking into consideration broadband deployment funded through the Broadband Equity Access and Deployment Program;
As part of the Enhanced Alternative Connect America Model (“E-ACAM”) funding available to the Company’s operations in the western US, the Company expects to receive approximately $9 million annually through 2029 before gradually increasing to $13 million annually in 2038. This funding is subject to a requirement to deploy voice and broadband service at speeds of 100/20 Mbps to all required locations by the end of the calendar 2038;
The Company receives $8.0 million per year in Connect America Fund II (“CAF II”) support in the rural southwest until July 2028;
The Company received $5.5 million annually in the US Virgin Islands through December 31, 2025; and
The Company receives state USF support in Alaska of approximately $2.5 million annually.

As of June 30, 2026, the Company was in compliance in all material respects with its requirements associated with such funding.

The company participates in the FCC’s Rural Health Care Universal Service Support Mechanism (“RHC Program”). During the three months ended June 30, 2026 and 2025, the Company received $6.6 million and $4.4 million, respectively, related to RHC Program funding. During the six months ended June 30, 2026 and 2025, the Company received $12.9 million and $8.7 million, respectively, related to RHC Program funding.

Revenue recognized from the USF High Cost Program, including the CAF II, ACF, and E-ACAM programs, is recognized as revenue from government grants.  Revenue from other programs is recognized in accordance with ASC 606.

The Company recorded the amounts below as communication services revenue for the reported periods (in thousands):

Three months ended

Three months ended

June 30, 2026

June 30, 2025

US Telecom

International Telecom

Total

US Telecom

International Telecom

Total

High cost support

$

3,495

$

$

3,495

$

3,101

$

1,370

$

4,471

CAF II (including ACF)

8,280

8,280

8,227

8,227

RDOF

75

75

69

69

RHC

6,563

6,563

4,353

4,353

Other

1,461

4

1,465

1,567

4

1,571

Total

$

19,874

$

4

$

19,878

$

17,317

$

1,374

$

18,691

Six months ended

Six months ended

June 30, 2026

June 30, 2025

US Telecom

International Telecom

Total

US Telecom

International Telecom

Total

High cost support

$

6,970

$

$

6,970

$

6,216

$

2,683

$

8,899

CAF II (including ACF)

16,548

16,548

16,397

16,397

RDOF

150

150

144

144

RHC

12,881

12,881

8,715

8,715

Other

2,904

6

2,910

3,204

8

3,212

Total

$

39,453

$

6

$

39,459

$

34,676

$

2,691

$

37,367

Construction Grants

The Company has also been awarded construction grants to build network connectivity for eligible communities. The funding of these grants, used to reimburse the Company for its construction costs, is generally distributed upon completion of a project. Once these projects are constructed, the Company is obligated to provide service to the participants. The Company expects to meet all requirements associated with these grants.  The Company is currently reviewing funding available under the BEAD grant program. A roll forward of the Company’s grant awards is below (in thousands).

Amount

Grants awarded, December 31, 2025

$

98,826

New grants

2,041

Construction complete

Grants awarded, June 30, 2026

$

100,867

During the six months ended June 30, 2026, the Company disbursed capital expenditures of $9.5 million under these programs and received reimbursement of $8.1 million. These cash flows are classified as investing activities in the Company’s statement of cash flows.

In addition, the Company partners with tribal governments to obtain grants under various government grant programs including, but not limited to, the Tribal Broadband Connectivity Program (“TBCP”) and the Rural Development Broadband ReConnect Program (“ReConnect”). These programs are administered by US government agencies to deploy broadband connectivity in certain underserved areas. The Company was identified as a sub recipient of grants under these programs totaling $239.0 million as of June 30, 2026. Under these grants the Company expects to enter into agreements to construct and operate the networks for the grant recipient. Once construction is complete the Company will hold a long-term lease to operate the network. The operating agreement will require the Company to meet certain minimum service requirements. Through June 30, 2026, the Company has received $41.8 million of funding under these programs and spent $45.0 million on construction obligations. These amounts are recorded as operating cash flows in the Company’s statement of cash flows.

Replace and Remove Program

In July 2022, the Company was approved to participate in the FCC’s Secure and Trusted Communications Networks Reimbursement Program (the “Replace and Remove Program”), designed to reimburse providers of advanced communications services for reasonable costs incurred in the required removal, replacement, and disposal of communications equipment and services in their networks that has been deemed to pose a national security risk. Pursuant to the Replace and Remove Program, the Company’s eligible subsidiaries were initially allocated up to approximately $207 million to replace, remove and securely destroy such communications equipment and services in the Company’s networks in the western US and in the US Virgin Islands; however, in December 2024, this program was fully funded for an increased allocation to the Company of an aggregate amount of approximately $517 million. The Replace and Remove Program requires each of the Company’s participating subsidiaries to complete the project no later than a specified deadline, which was recently extended through early November 2026.

A summary of the amounts spent and reimbursed under the Replace and Remove Program is below (in thousands):

Capital

Operating

Total

Total spend, December 31, 2025

$

194,897

$

38,799

$

233,696

Amounts spent

12,484

2,869

15,353

Amounts transferred

(9,030)

(9,030)

Total spend, June 30, 2026

$

198,351

$

41,668

$

240,019

Total reimbursements, December 31, 2025

$

(163,122)

$

(38,682)

$

(201,804)

Reimbursements received

(14,336)

(1,540)

(15,876)

Total reimbursements, June 30, 2026

$

(177,458)

$

(40,222)

$

(217,680)

Amount pending reimbursement

$

20,893

$

1,446

$

22,339

Capital

Operating

Total

Total spend, December 31, 2024

$

140,949

$

27,446

$

168,395

Amounts spent

26,878

5,211

32,089

Total spend, June 30, 2025

$

167,827

$

32,657

$

200,484

Total reimbursements, December 31, 2024

$

(103,540)

$

(27,181)

$

(130,721)

Reimbursements received

(31,940)

(5,086)

(37,026)

Total reimbursements, June 30, 2025

$

(135,480)

$

(32,267)

$

(167,747)

Amount pending reimbursement

$

32,347

$

390

$

32,737

At June 30, 2026, $12.5 million of the capital expenditures spent under the Replace and Remove Program were accrued and unpaid. Amounts identified as capital are recorded as investing cash flows and amounts identified as operating are recorded as operating cash flows in the Company’s statement of cash flows. During the six months ended June 30, 2026, the Company determined that reimbursement was not probable for $9.0 million of capital expenditures incurred under the Replace and Remove Program. As a result, the Company transferred $9.0 million to fixed assets. Except for this $9.0 million, the Company expects to be reimbursed, within the next twelve months, for all amounts spent.