Source: https://www.law.cornell.edu/cfr/text/47/54.309
Timestamp: 2016-02-13 23:57:00
Document Index: 547955811

Matched Legal Cases: ['art 54', '§ 54', '§ 54', '§ 36', '§ 54', '§ 54', '§ 54', '§ 36', '§ 36', '§ 54', '§ 54']

47 CFR 54.309 - Calculation and distribution of forward-looking support for non-rural carriers. | US Law | LII / Legal Information Institute
CFR › Title 47 › Chapter I › Subchapter B › Part 54 › Subpart D › Section 54.309 47 CFR 54.309 - Calculation and distribution of forward-looking support for non-rural carriers.
§ 54.309
Calculation of total support available per state.
Beginning January 1, 2000, non-rural incumbent local exchange carriers, and eligible telecommunications carriers serving lines in the service areas of non-rural incumbent local exchange carriers, shall receive universal service support for the forward-looking economic costs of providing supported services in high-cost areas, provided that the State in which the lines served by the carrier are located has complied with the certification requirements in § 54.313. The total amount of forward-looking support available in each State shall be determined according to the following methodology:
For each State, the Commission's cost model shall determine the statewide average forward-looking economic cost (FLEC) per line of providing the supported services. The statewide average FLEC per line shall equal the total FLEC for non-rural carriers to provide the supported services in the State, divided by the number of switched lines used in the Commission's cost model. The total FLEC shall equal average FLEC multiplied by the number of switched lines used in the Commission's cost model.
The Commission's cost model shall determine the national average FLEC per line of providing the supported services. The national average FLEC per line shall equal the total FLEC for non-rural carriers to provide the supported services in all States, divided by the total number of switched lines in all States used in the Commission's cost model.
The national cost benchmark shall equal two weighted standard deviations above the national average FLEC per line.
Support calculated pursuant to this section shall be provided to non-rural carriers in each State where the statewide average FLEC per line exceeds the national cost benchmark. The total amount of support provided to non-rural carriers in each State where the statewide average FLEC per line exceeds the national cost benchmark shall equal 76 percent of the amount of the statewide average FLEC per line that exceeds the national cost benchmark, multiplied by the number of lines reported pursuant to §§ 36.611,36.612, and 54.307 of this chapter.
In the event that a State's statewide average FLEC per line does not exceed the national cost benchmark, non-rural carriers in such State shall be eligible for support pursuant to § 54.311. In the event that a State's statewide average FLEC per line exceeds the national cost benchmark, but the amount of support otherwise provided to a non-rural carrier in that State pursuant to this section is less than the amount that would be provided pursuant to § 54.311, the carrier shall be eligible for support pursuant to § 54.311.
Distribution of total support available per state.
The total amount of support available per State calculated pursuant to paragraph (a) of this section shall be distributed to non-rural incumbent local exchange carriers, and eligible telecommunications carriers serving lines in the service areas of non-rural incumbent local exchange carriers, in the following manner:
The Commission's cost model shall determine the percentage of the total amount of support available in the State for each wire center by calculating the ratio of the wire center's FLEC above the national cost benchmark to the total FLEC above the national cost benchmark of all wire centers within the State. A wire center's FLEC above the national cost benchmark shall be equal to the wire center's average FLEC per line above the national cost benchmark, multiplied by the number of switched lines in the wire center used in the Commission's cost model;
The total amount of support distributed to each wire center shall be equal to the percentage calculated for the wire center pursuant to paragraph (b)(1) of this section multiplied by the total amount of support available in the state;
The total amount of support for each wire center pursuant to paragraph (b)(2) of this section shall be divided by the number of lines in the wire center reported pursuant to §§ 36.611, 36.612, and 54.307 of this chapter to determine the per-line amount of forward-looking support for that wire center;
The per-line amount of support for each wire center pursuant to paragraph (b)(3) of this section shall be multiplied by the number of lines served by a non-rural incumbent local exchange carrier in that wire center, or by an eligible telecommunications carrier in that wire center, as reported pursuant to §§ 36.611,36.612, and 54.307 of this chapter, to determine the amount of forward-looking support to be provided to that carrier.
The total amount of support calculated for each wire center pursuant to paragraph (b)(4) of this section shall be divided by the number of lines in the wire center to determine the per-line amount of forward-looking support for that wire center;
The per-line amount of support for a wire center calculated pursuant to paragraph (b)(5) of the section shall be multiplied by the number of lines served by a non-rural incumbent local exchange carrier in that wire center, or by an eligible telecommunications carrier in that wire center, to determine the amount of forward-looking support to be provided to that carrier.
Petition for waiver.
Pursuant to section 1.3 of this chapter, any State may file a petition for waiver of paragraph (b) of this section, asking the Commission to distribute support calculated pursuant to paragraph (a) of this section to a geographic area different than the wire center. Such petition must contain a description of the particular geographic level to which the State desires support to be distributed, and an explanation of how waiver of paragraph (b) of this section will further the preservation and advancement of universal service within the State.
Support after December 31, 2011.
Beginning January 1, 2012, no carrier shall receive support under this rule.
[64 FR 67431, Dec. 1, 1999, as amended at 65 FR 26516, May 8, 2000; 68 FR 69626, Dec. 15, 2003; 76 FR 73872, Nov. 29, 2011]
§ 54.309 Connect America Fund Phase II Public Interest Obligations.
(a) Recipients of Connect America Phase II model-based support are required to offer broadband service at actual speeds of at least 10 Mbps downstream/1 Mbps upstream, with latency suitable for real-time applications, including Voice over Internet Protocol, and usage capacity that is reasonably comparable to comparable offerings in urban areas, at rates that are reasonably comparable to rates for comparable offerings in urban areas. For purposes of determining reasonable comparability of rates, recipients are presumed to meet this requirement if they offer rates at or below the applicable benchmark to be announced annually by public notice issued by the Wireline Competition Bureau, or no more than the non-promotional prices charged for a comparable fixed wireline service in urban areas in the state or U.S. Territory where the eligible telecommunications carrier receives support.
(b) Recipients of Connect America Phase II model-based support, recipients of Phase II Connect America support awarded through a competitive bidding process, and non-contiguous price cap carriers receiving Phase II frozen support in lieu of model-based support are required to bid on category one telecommunications and Internet access services in response to a posted FCC Form 470 seeking broadband service that meets the connectivity targets for the schools and libraries universal service support program for eligible schools and libraries (as described in § 54.501) located within any area in a census block where the carrier is receiving Phase II model-based support. Such bids must be at rates reasonably comparable to rates charged to eligible schools and libraries in urban areas for comparable offerings.
[80 FR 4477, Jan. 27, 2015, as amended at 80 FR 5987, Feb. 4, 2015]