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

   (a) Services designated for support. The following services or
   functionalities shall be supported by federal universal service support
   mechanisms:

   (1) Voice grade access to the public switched network . "Voice grade
   access" is defined as a functionality that enables a user of
   telecommunications services to transmit voice communications, including
   signalling the network that the caller wishes to place a call, and to
   receive voice communications, including receiving a signal indicating
   there is an incoming call. For the purposes of this part, bandwidth for
   voice grade access should be, at a minimum, 300 to 3,000 Hertz;

   (2) Local usage . "Local usage" means an amount of minutes of use of
   exchange service, prescribed by the Commission, provided free of charge
   to end users;

   (3) Dual tone multi-frequency signaling or its functional equivalent .
   "Dual tone multi-frequency" (DTMF) is a method of signaling that
   facilitates the transportation of signaling through the network,
   shortening call set-up time;

   (4) Single-party service or its functional equivalent . "Single-party
   service" is telecommunications service that permits users to have
   exclusive use of a wireline subscriber loop or access line for each
   call placed, or, in the case of wireless telecommunications carriers,
   which use spectrum shared among users to provide service, a dedicated
   message path for the length of a user's particular transmission;

   (5) Access to emergency services . "Access to emergency services"
   includes access to services, such as 911 and enhanced 911, provided by
   local governments or other public safety organizations. 911 is defined
   as a service that permits a telecommunications user, by dialing the
   three-digit code "911," to call emergency services through a Public
   Service Access Point (PSAP) operated by the local government. "Enhanced
   911" is defined as 911 service that includes the ability to provide
   automatic numbering information (ANI), which enables the PSAP to call
   back if the call is disconnected, and automatic location information
   (ALI), which permits emergency service providers to identify the
   geographic location of the calling party. "Access to emergency
   services" includes access to 911 and enhanced 911 services to the
   extent the local government in an eligible carrier's service area has
   implemented 911 or enhanced 911 systems;

   (6) Access to operator services . "Access to operator services" is
   defined as access to any automatic or live assistance to a consumer to
   arrange for billing or completion, or both, of a telephone call;

   (7) Access to interexchange service . "Access to interexchange service"
   is defined as the use of the loop, as well as that portion of the
   switch that is paid for by the end user, or the functional equivalent
   of these network elements in the case of a wireless carrier, necessary
   to access an interexchange carrier's network;

   (8) Access to directory assistance . "Access to directory assistance"
   is defined as access to a service that includes, but is not limited to,
   making available to customers, upon request, information contained in
   directory listings; and

   (9) Toll limitation for qualifying low-income consumers . Toll
   limitation for qualifying low-income consumers is described in subpart
   E of this part.

   (b) Requirement to offer all designated services . An eligible
   telecommunications carrier must offer each of the services set forth in
   paragraph (a) of this section in order to receive federal universal
   service support.

   (c) Additional time to complete network upgrades . A state commission
   may grant the petition of a telecommunications carrier that is
   otherwise eligible to receive universal service support under § 54.201
   requesting additional time to complete the network upgrades needed to
   provide single-party service, access to enhanced 911 service, or toll
   limitation. If such petition is granted, the otherwise eligible
   telecommunications carrier will be permitted to receive universal
   service support for the duration of the period designated by the state
   commission. State commissions should grant such a request only upon a
   finding that exceptional circumstances prevent an otherwise eligible
   telecommunications carrier from providing single-party service, access
   to enhanced 911 service, or toll limitation. The period should extend
   only as long as the relevant state commission finds that exceptional
   circumstances exist and should not extend beyond the time that the
   state commission deems necessary for that eligible telecommunications
   carrier to complete network upgrades. An otherwise eligible
   telecommunications carrier that is incapable of offering one or more of
   these three specific universal services must demonstrate to the state
   commission that exceptional circumstances exist with respect to each
   service for which the carrier desires a grant of additional time to
   complete network upgrades.

   [ 62 FR 32948 , June 17, 1997, as amended at  63 FR 2125 , Jan. 13, 1998;
    63 FR 33585 , June 19, 1998]

Subpart C--Carriers Eligible for Universal Service Support