Texas Administrative Code › Title 16 - ECONOMIC REGULATION › Part 2 - PUBLIC UTILITY COMMISSION OF TEXAS › Chapter 26 - SUBSTANTIVE RULES APPLICABLE TO TELECOMMUNICATIONS SERVICE PROVIDERS › Subchapter P - TEXAS UNIVERSAL SERVICE FUND › Section 26.401 - Texas Universal Service Fund (TUSF)

Current through Reg. 49, No. 28; July 12, 2024
(a)
				  Purpose. The purpose of the Texas Universal Service Fund (TUSF) is to implement
				  a competitively neutral mechanism that enables all residents of the state to
				  obtain the basic telecommunications services needed to communicate with other
				  residents, businesses, and governmental entities. Because targeted financial
				  support may be needed in order to provide and price basic telecommunications
				  services in a manner to allow accessibility by consumers, the TUSF will assist
				  telecommunications providers in providing basic local telecommunications
				  service at reasonable rates in high cost rural areas. In addition, the TUSF
				  will reimburse qualifying entities for revenues lost as a result of providing
				  Lifeline services to qualifying low-income consumers under the Public Utility
				  Regulatory Act (PURA); reimburse telecommunications carriers providing
				  statewide telecommunications relay access service and qualified vendors
				  providing specialized telecommunications devices and services for the disabled;
				  and reimburse the Texas Health and Human Services Commission, the Texas
				  Department of Housing and Community Affairs, the Texas Department of Assistive
				  and Rehabilitative Services, the Office for Deaf and Hard of Hearing Services,
				  the TUSF administrator, and the Public Utility Commission for costs incurred in
				  implementing the provisions of PURA Chapter 56 (relating to Telecommunications
				  Assistance and Universal Service Fund).
(b) Programs included in the TUSF.
(1) Section
				  RSA
				  26.403 of this title (relating to the Texas
				  High Cost Universal Service Plan (THCUSP));
(2) Section
				  RSA
				  26.404 of this title (relating to the Small
				  and Rural Incumbent Local Exchange Company (ILEC) Universal Service
				  Plan);
(3) Section
				  RSA
				  26.406 of this title (relating to the
				  Implementation of the Public Utility Regulatory Act §56.025);
(4) Section
				  RSA
				  26.408 of this title (relating to Additional
				  Financial Assistance (AFA));
(5)
				  Section
				  RSA
				  26.410 of this title (relating to Universal
				  Service Fund Reimbursement for Certain IntraLATA Service);
(6) Section
				  RSA
				  26.412 of this title (relating to Lifeline
				  Service Program);
(7) Section
				  RSA
				  26.414 of this title (relating to
				  Telecommunications Relay Service (TRS));
(8) Section
				  RSA
				  26.415 of this title (relating to Specialized
				  Telecommunications Assistance Program (STAP));
(9) Section
				  RSA
				  26.417 of this title (relating to Designation
				  as Eligible Telecommunications Providers to Receive Texas Universal Service
				  Funds (TUSF));
(10) Section
				  RSA
				  26.418 of this title (relating to Designation
				  of Common Carriers as Eligible Telecommunications Carriers to Receive Federal
				  Universal Service Funds);
(11)
				  Section
				  RSA
				  26.420 of this title (relating to
				  Administration of Texas Universal Service Fund (TUSF));
(12) Section
				  RSA
				  26.421 of this title (relating to Designation
				  of Eligible Telecommunications Providers to Provide Service to Uncertificated
				  Areas);
(13) Section
				  RSA
				  26.422 of this title (relating to Subsequent
				  Petitions for Service to Uncertificated Areas);
(14) Section
				  RSA
				  26.423 of this title (relating to High Cost
				  Universal Service Plan for Uncertificated Areas where an Eligible
				  Telecommunications Provider (ETP) Volunteers to Provide Basic Local
				  Telecommunications Service); and
(15) Section
				  RSA
				  26.424 of this title (relating to Audio
				  Newspaper Assistance Program).