§  54.1013   Applicant eligibility.

   (a) An applicant for 5G Fund support shall be an eligible
   telecommunications carrier in an area in order to receive 5G Fund
   support for that area. The applicant may obtain its designation as an
   eligible telecommunications carrier after the close of a 5G Fund
   auction, provided that the applicant submits proof of its designation
   within 180 days after the release of the public notice identifying the
   applicant as a winning bidder. The eligible telecommunications carrier
   service area of a 5G Fund support recipient will not be required to
   conform to the service area of the rural telephone company serving the
   same area. An applicant for 5G Fund support shall not receive such
   support prior to the submission of proof of its designation as an
   eligible telecommunications carrier. After such submission, the
   eligible telecommunications carrier shall receive a balloon payment
   that will consist of the carrier's monthly 5G Fund support amount
   multiplied by the number of whole months between the first day of the
   month after the close of the auction and the issuance of the public
   notice authorizing the carrier to receive 5G Fund support.

   (b) An applicant must have exclusive access to Commission licensed
   spectrum and sufficient bandwidth in an area that enables it to satisfy
   the performance requirements specified in § 54.1015 in order to receive
   5G Fund support for that area. The applicant shall describe its access
   to spectrum as specified in § 54.1014(a)(3) and certify, in a form
   acceptable to the Commission, that it has such access and sufficient
   bandwidth (at a minimum, 10 megahertz x 10 megahertz using frequency
   division duplex (FDD) or 20 megahertz using time division duplex (TDD))
   in each area in which it intends to bid for support at the time it
   applies to participate in competitive bidding, and that it will retain
   such access for at least ten (10) years after the date on which it is
   authorized to receive support. A winning bidder that applies for 5G
   Fund support applicant shall describe its access to spectrum as
   specified in § 54.1014(b)(2)(v) at the time it applies for support and
   certify, in a form acceptable to the Commission, that it has such
   access and sufficient bandwidth (at a minimum, 10 megahertz x 10
   megahertz using frequency division duplex (FDD) or 20 megahertz using
   time division duplex (TDD)) in each area in which it is applying for
   support, and that it will retain such access for at least ten (10)
   years after the date on which it is authorized to receive support.

   (c) An applicant shall certify that it is financially and technically
   qualified to provide the services supported by the 5G Fund within the
   ten (10) year support term in each geographic area for which it seeks
   and is authorized to receive support.