Sec.  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  Sec. 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