§ 54.101 - Supported services for rural, insular, and high cost areas.

§ 54.101 Supported services for rural, insular, and high cost areas.

Cross Reference

Link to an amendment published at 86 FR 1021, Jan. 7, 2021.

(a) Services designated for support. Voice telephony services and broadband service shall be supported by federal Federal universal service support mechanisms.

(1)

Eligible voice telephony services must provide voice grade access to the public switched network or its functional equivalent; minutes of use for local service provided at no additional charge to end users; access to the emergency services provided by local government or other public safety organizations, such as 911 and enhanced 911, to the extent the local government in an eligible carrier's service area has implemented 911 or enhanced 911 systems; and toll limitation services to qualifying low-income consumers as provided in subpart E of this part.

(

2) Eligible broadband Internet access services must provide the capability to transmit data to and receive data by wire or radio from all or substantially all Internet endpoints, including any capabilities that are incidental to and enable the operation of the communications service, but excluding dial-up service.

(b) An eligible telecommunications carrier eligible to receive high-cost support must offer voice telephony service as set forth in paragraph (a)(1) of this section in order to receive federal Federal universal service support.

(c) An eligible telecommunications carrier (ETC) subject to a high-cost public interest obligation to offer broadband Internet internet access services and not receiving Phase I frozen high-cost support must offer broadband services as set forth in paragraph (a)(2) of this section within the areas where it receives high-cost support consistent with the obligations set forth in this part subpart and subparts D, K, L, and M of this part.

(d) Any ETC must comply with subpart E of this part.

[81 86 FR 33088, May 24, 20161021, Jan. 7, 2021]