§  54.403   Lifeline support amount.

   (a) The Federal Lifeline support amount for all eligible
   telecommunications carriers shall equal:

   (1) Tier One. The tariffed rate in effect for the primary residential
   End User Common Line charge of the incumbent local exchange carrier
   serving the area in which the qualifying low-income consumer receives
   service, as determined in accordance with § 69.104 or § § 69.152(d)(1) and
   69.152(q) of this chapter, whichever is applicable;

   (2) Tier Two. Additional federal Lifeline support in the amount of
   $1.75 per month will be made available to the eligible
   telecommunications carrier providing Lifeline service to the qualifying
   low-income consumer, if that carrier certifies to the Administrator
   that it will pass through the full amount of Tier-Two support to its
   qualifying, low-income consumers and that it has received any
   non-federal regulatory approvals necessary to implement the required
   rate reduction.

   (3) Tier Three. Additional federal Lifeline support in an amount equal
   to one-half the amount of any state-mandated Lifeline support or
   Lifeline support otherwise provided by the carrier, up to a maximum of
   $1.75 per month in federal support, will be made available to the
   carrier providing Lifeline service to a qualifying low-income consumer
   if the carrier certifies to the Administrator that it will pass through
   the full amount of Tier-Three support to its qualifying low-income
   consumers and that it has received any non-federal regulatory approvals
   necessary to implement the required rate reduction.

   (4) Tier Four. Additional federal Lifeline support of up to $25 per
   month will be made available to an eligible telecommunications carrier
   providing Lifeline service to an eligible resident of Tribal lands, as
   defined in § 54.400(e), to the extent that:

   (i) This amount does not bring the basic local residential rate
   (including any mileage, zonal, or other non-discretionary charges
   associated with basic residential service) below $1 per month per
   qualifying low-income subscribers; and

   (ii) The eligible telecommunications carrier certifies to the
   Administrator that it will pass through the full Tier-Four amount to
   qualifying eligible residents of Tribal lands and that it has received
   any non-federal regulatory approvals necessary to implement the
   required rate reduction.

   (b) For a qualifying low-income consumer who is not an eligible
   resident of Tribal lands, as defined in § 54.400(e), the federal
   Lifeline support amount shall not exceed $3.50 plus the tariffed rate
   in effect for the primary residential End User Common Line charge of
   the incumbent local exchange carrier serving the area in which the
   qualifying low-income consumer receives service, as determined in
   accordance with § 69.104 or § 69.152(d) and (q) of this chapter,
   whichever is applicable. For an eligible resident of Tribal lands, the
   federal Lifeline support amount shall not exceed $28.50 plus that same
   End User Common Line charge. Eligible telecommunications carriers that
   charge federal End User Common Line charges or equivalent federal
   charges shall apply Tier-One federal Lifeline support to waive the
   federal End-User Common Line charges for Lifeline consumers. Such
   carriers shall apply any additional federal support amount to a
   qualifying low-income consumer's intrastate rate, if the carrier has
   received the non-federal regulatory approvals necessary to implement
   the required rate reduction. Other eligible telecommunications carriers
   shall apply the Tier-One federal Lifeline support amount, plus any
   additional support amount, to reduce their lowest tariffed (or
   otherwise generally available) residential rate for the services
   enumerated in § 54.101(a)(1) through (a)(9), and charge Lifeline
   consumers the resulting amount.

   (c) Lifeline support for providing toll limitation shall equal the
   eligible telecommunications carrier's incremental cost of providing
   either toll blocking or toll control, whichever is selected by the
   particular consumer.

   [ 62 FR 32948 , June 17, 1997, as amended at  63 FR 2128 , Jan. 13, 1998;
    65 FR 38689 , June 21, 2000;  65 FR 47905 , Aug. 4, 2000]