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

   (a) Services designated for support. Voice telephony services and
   broadband service shall be supported by federal universal service
   support mechanisms.

   (1) Eligible voice telephony services must provide voice grade access
   to the public switched network or its functional equivalent; minutes of
   use for local service provided at no additional charge to end users;
   access to the emergency services provided by local government or other
   public safety organizations, such as 911 and enhanced 911, to the
   extent the local government in an eligible carrier's service area has
   implemented 911 or enhanced 911 systems; and toll limitation services
   to qualifying low-income consumers as provided in subpart E of this
   part.

   (2) Eligible broadband Internet access services must provide the
   capability to transmit data to and receive data by wire or radio from
   all or substantially all Internet endpoints, including any capabilities
   that are incidental to and enable the operation of the communications
   service, but excluding dial-up service.

   (b) An eligible telecommunications carrier eligible to receive
   high-cost support must offer voice telephony service as set forth in
   paragraph (a)(1) of this section in order to receive federal universal
   service support.

   (c) An eligible telecommunications carrier (ETC) subject to a high-cost
   public interest obligation to offer broadband Internet access services
   and not receiving Phase I frozen high-cost support must offer broadband
   services as set forth in paragraph (a)(2) of this section within the
   areas where it receives high-cost support consistent with the
   obligations set forth in this part and subparts D, K, L and M of this
   part.

   (d) Any ETC must comply with subpart E of this part.

   [ 81 FR 33088 , May 24, 2016]

   

Subpart C--Carriers Eligible for Universal Service Support