High Cost

Step 2: Offering Supported Services

Wireline and wireless telephone companies that want to be designated as eligible telecommunications carriers (ETCs) must offer the telecommunications services or functions that are designated for support by the Federal Communications Commission in Section 54.101 of its rules.

The FCC, in conjunction with the Federal-State Joint Board on Universal Service, periodically reviews the services that are to be supported through the Universal Service Fund.

Currently, wireline and wireless telephone companies seeking to receive High Cost and Low Income support must offer the following services or functions:

  1. Voice grade access to the public switched network. "Voice grade access" is defined as a function that enables a user of telecommunications services to transmit voice communications, including signaling the network that the caller wishes to place a call, and to receive voice communications, including receiving a signal indicating there is an incoming call.  Bandwidth for voice grade access should be, at a minimum, 300 to 3,000 Hertz;

  2. Local usage.  "Local usage" means an amount of minutes of use of exchange service, prescribed by the Commission, provided free of charge to end users;

  3. Dual tone multi-frequency signaling or its functional equivalent.  "Dual tone multi-frequency" (DTMF) is a method of signaling that facilitates the transportation of signaling through the network, shortening call set-up time;

  4. Single-party service or its functional equivalent.  "Single-party service" is telecommunications service that permits users to have exclusive use of a wireline subscriber loop or access line for each call placed, or, in the case of wireless telecommunications carriers, which use spectrum shared among users to provide service, a dedicated message path for the length of a user's particular transmission;

  5. Access to emergency services.  "Access to emergency services" includes access to services, such as 911 and enhanced 911, provided by local governments or other public safety organizations.  911 is defined as a service that permits a telecommunications user, by dialing the three-digit code "911," to call emergency services through a Public Service Access Point (PSAP) operated by the local government.  "Enhanced 911" is defined as 911 service that includes the ability to provide automatic numbering information (ANI), which enables the PSAP to call back if the call is disconnected, and automatic location information (ALI), which permits emergency service providers to identify the geographic location of the calling party.  "Access to emergency services" includes access to 911 and enhanced 911 services to the extent the local government in an eligible carrier's service area has implemented 911 or enhanced 911 systems;

  6. Access to operator services.  "Access to operator services" is defined as access to any automatic or live assistance to a consumer to arrange for billing or completion, or both, of a telephone call;

  7. Access to interexchange service.  "Access to interexchange service" is defined as the use of the loop, as well as that portion of the switch that is paid for by the end user, or the functional equivalent of these network elements in the case of a wireless carrier, necessary to access an interexchange carrier's network;

  8. Access to directory assistance. "Access to directory assistance" is defined as access to a service that includes, but is not limited to, making available to customers, upon request, information contained in directory listings; and

  9. Toll limitation for qualifying low-income consumers.  "Toll limitation" denotes either toll blocking or toll control for eligible telecommunications carriers that are incapable of providing both services.  For ETCs that are capable of providing both services, "toll limitation" denotes both toll blocking and toll control.

 


Last modified on 1/11/2008