[Federal Register Volume 63, Number 167 (Friday, August 28, 1998)]
[Rules and Regulations]
[Page 45958]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 98-22810]
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FEDERAL COMMUNICATIONS COMMISSION
47 CFR Parts 54
[CC Docket No. 96-45; FCC 98-120]
Federal-State Joint Board on Universal Service
AGENCY: Federal Communications Commission.
ACTION: Final rule; correction.
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SUMMARY: This document corrects portions of the Commission's rules that
were published in the Federal Register of August 12, 1998 (63 FR
43088).
EFFECTIVE DATE: August 28, 1998.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Irene Flannery, Common Carrier Bureau,
(202) 418-7400 or Adrian Wright, Common Carrier Bureau, (202) 418-7400.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The Federal Communications Commission
published a document amending part 54 of the Commission's rules in the
Federal Register of August 12, 1998 (63 FR 43088). In rule FR Doc. 98-
21588, published on August 12, 1998, (63 FR 43088) make the following
correction:
1. On page 43097, in the first column, instruction number 2 and
related regulatory text in Sec. 54.507 are corrected to read as
follows:
2. Section 54.507 is amended by revising paragraphs (a) and (b), by
redesignating introductory paragraph (g) as (g)(2), redesignating
paragraphs (g)(1) through (g)(4) as (g)(2)(i) through (g)(2)(i)(iv),
adding new introductory paragraph (g) and adding new paragraph (g)(1)
to read as follows:
Sec. 54.507 Cap.
(a) Amount of the annual cap. The annual cap on federal universal
service support for schools and libraries shall be $2.25 billion per
funding year, and all funding authority for a given funding year that
is unused in that funding year shall be carried forward into subsequent
funding years for use in accordance with demand, with the following
exceptions:
(1) No more than $625 million shall be collected or spent for the
funding period from January 1, 1998 through June 30, 1998. No more than
$325 million shall be collected for the funding period from July 1,
1998 through September 30, 1998. No more than $325 million shall be
collected for the funding period from October 1, 1998 through December
31, 1998. No more than $325 million shall be collected for the funding
period from January 1, 1999 through March 31, 1999. No more than $325
million shall be collected for the funding period from April 1, 1999
through June 30, 1999. No more than $1.925 billion shall be collected
or disbursed during the eighteen month period from January 1, 1998
through June 30, 1999.
(2) The carryover of unused funding authority will not apply for
the funding period January 1, 1998 through June 30, 1999. To the extent
that the amounts collected in the funding period January 1, 1998
through June 30, 1999 are less than $2.25 billion, the difference will
not be carried over to subsequent funding years. Carryover of funds
will occur only to the extent that funds are collected but not
disbursed in the funding period January 1, 1998 through June 30, 1999.
(b) Funding year. A funding year for purposes of the schools and
libraries cap shall be the period July 1 through June 30. For the
initiation of the mechanism only, the eighteen month period from
January 1, 1998 to June 30, 1999 shall be considered a funding year.
Schools and libraries filing applications within the initial 75-day
filing window shall receive funding for requested services through June
30, 1999.
* * * * *
(g) Rules of priority. Schools and Libraries Corporation shall act
in accordance with paragraph (g)(1) of this section with respect to
applicants that file a Form 471, as described in Sec. 54.504(c) of this
part, when a filing period described in paragraph (c) of this section
is in effect. Schools and Libraries Corporation shall act in accordance
with paragraph (g)(2) of this section with respect to applicants that
file a Form 471, as described in Sec. 54.504(c) of this part, at all
times other than within a filing period described in paragraph (c) of
this section.
(1) When the filing period described in paragraph (c) of this
section closes, Schools and Libraries Corporation shall calculate the
total demand for support submitted by applicants during the filing
period. If total demand exceeds the total support available for that
funding year, Schools and Libraries Corporation shall take the
following steps:
(i) Schools and Libraries Corporation shall first calculate the
demand for telecommunications services and Internet access for all
discount categories, as determined by the schools and libraries
discount matrix in Sec. 54.505(c) of this part. These services shall
receive first priority for the available funding.
(ii) Schools and Libraries Corporation shall then calculate the
amount of available funding remaining after providing support for all
telecommunications services and Internet access for all discount
categories. Schools and Libraries Corporation shall allocate the
remaining funds to the requests for support for internal connections,
beginning with the most economically disadvantaged schools and
libraries, as determined by the schools and libraries discount matrix
in Sec. 54.505(c) of this part. Schools and libraries eligible for a 90
percent discount shall receive first priority for the remaining funds,
and those funds will be applied to their requests for internal
connections.
(iii) To the extent that funds remain after the allocation
described in Secs. 54.507(g)(1) (i) and (ii), Schools and Libraries
Corporation shall next allocate funds toward the requests for internal
connections submitted by schools and libraries eligible for an 80
percent discount, then for a 70 percent discount, and shall continue
committing funds for internal connections in the same manner to the
applicants at each descending discount level until there are no funds
remaining.
(iv) If the remaining funds are not sufficient to support all of
the funding requests within a particular discount level, Schools and
Libraries Corporation shall divide the total amount of remaining
support available by the amount of support requested within the
particular discount level to produce a pro-rata factor. Schools and
Libraries Corporation shall reduce the support level for each applicant
within the particular discount level, by multiplying each applicant's
requested amount of support by the pro-rata factor.
(v) Schools and Libraries Corporation shall commit funds to all
applicants consistent with the calculations described herein.
* * * * *
Federal Communications Commission.
Magalie Roman Salas,
Secretary.
[FR Doc. 98-22810 Filed 8-27-98; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6712-01-P
