The U.S. Supreme Court upheld the legality of the Universal Service Fund (USF) managed by the Federal Communications Commission (FCC).
The ruling passed with 6 votes in favor and 3 against, overturning a lower court's decision that had deemed the USF an "unlawful tax" on consumers.
The USF is funded by mandatory contributions from U.S. telecommunications companies, which often pass that cost on to their customers.
The FCC uses USF funds in programs aimed at expanding access to mobile phone services and broadband Internet in low-income communities and rural areas.