Part 54 — Universal Service
Subpart A — General Information
- § 54.1— Basis and purpose.
- § 54.5— Terms and definitions.
- § 54.7— Intended use of federal universal service support.
- § 54.8— Prohibition on participation: suspension and debarment.
- § 54.9— Prohibition on use of funds.
- § 54.10— Prohibition on use of certain Federal subsidies.
- § 54.11— Requirement to remove and replace.
Subpart B — Services Designated for Support
Subpart C — Carriers Eligible for Universal Service Support
- § 54.201— Definition of eligible telecommunications carriers, generally.
- § 54.202— Additional requirements for Commission designation of eligible telecommunications carriers.
- § 54.203— Designation of eligible telecommunications carriers for unserved areas.
- § 54.205— Relinquishment of universal service.
- § 54.207— Service areas.
Subpart D — Universal Service Support for High Cost Areas
- § 54.302— Monthly per-line limit on universal service support.
- § 54.303— Eligible Capital Investment and Operating Expenses.
- § 54.304— Administration of Connect America Fund Intercarrier Compensation Replacement.
- § 54.305— Sale or transfer of exchanges.
- § 54.306— Alaska Plan for Rate-of-Return Carriers Serving Alaska.
- § 54.307— Support to a competitive eligible telecommunications carrier.
- § 54.308— Broadband public interest obligations for recipients of high-cost support.
- § 54.309— Connect America Fund Phase II Public Interest Obligations.
- § 54.310— Connect America Fund for Price Cap Territories—Phase II.
- § 54.311— Connect America Fund Alternative-Connect America Cost Model Support.
- § 54.313— Annual reporting requirements and quarterly performance reporting for high-cost recipients.
- § 54.314— Certification of support for eligible telecommunications carriers.
- § 54.315— Application process for Connect America Fund phase II support distributed through competitive bidding.
- § 54.316— Broadband deployment reporting and certification requirements for high-cost recipients.
- § 54.317— Alaska Plan for competitive eligible telecommunications carriers serving remote Alaska.
- § 54.318— Alaska Connect Fund for competitive eligible telecommunications carriers receiving mobile support.
- § 54.319— Elimination of high-cost support in areas with 100 percent coverage by an unsubsidized competitor.
- § 54.320— Compliance and recordkeeping for the high-cost program.
- § 54.321— Reporting and certification requirements for Alaska Plan participants.
- § 54.322— Public interest obligations and performance requirements, reporting requirements, and non-compliance mechanisms for mobile legacy high-cost support recipients.
Subpart E — Universal Service Support for Low-Income Consumers
- § 54.400— Terms and definitions.
- § 54.401— Lifeline defined.
- § 54.403— Lifeline support amount.
- § 54.404— The National Lifeline Accountability Database.
- § 54.405— Carrier obligation to offer Lifeline.
- § 54.406— Activities of representatives of eligible telecommunications carriers.
- § 54.407— Reimbursement for offering Lifeline.
- § 54.408— Minimum service standards.
- § 54.409— Consumer qualification for Lifeline.
- § 54.410— Subscriber eligibility determination and certification.
- § 54.412— Off reservation Tribal lands designation process.
- § 54.413— Link Up for Tribal lands.
- § 54.414— Reimbursement for Tribal Link Up.
- § 54.416— Annual certifications by eligible telecommunications carriers.
- § 54.417— Recordkeeping requirements.
- § 54.419— Validity of electronic signatures.
- § 54.420— Low income program audits.
- § 54.422— Annual reporting for eligible telecommunications carriers that receive low-income support.
- § 54.423— Budget.
- § 54.424— Emergency communications support for survivors.
Subpart F — Universal Service Support for Schools and Libraries
- § 54.500— Terms and definitions.
- § 54.501— Eligible recipients.
- § 54.502— Eligible services.
- § 54.503— Competitive bidding requirements.
- § 54.504— Requests for services.
- § 54.505— Discounts.
- § 54.507— Cap.
- § 54.511— Ordering services.
- § 54.513— Resale and transfer of services.
- § 54.514— Payment for discounted services.
- § 54.515— Distributing support.
- § 54.516— Auditing and inspections.
- § 54.519— State telecommunications networks.
- § 54.520— Children's Internet Protection Act certifications required from recipients of discounts under the federal universal service support mechanism for schools and libraries.
- § 54.523— Payment for the non-discount portion of supported services.
Subpart G — Universal Service for Rural Health Care Program
- § 54.600— Terms and definitions.
- § 54.601— Health care provider eligibility.
- § 54.602— Health care support mechanism.
- § 54.603— Consortia, telecommunications services, and existing contracts.
- § 54.604— Determining the urban rate.
- § 54.605— Determining the rural rate.
- § 54.606— Calculating support.
- § 54.607— Eligible recipients.
- § 54.608— Eligible service providers.
- § 54.609— Designation of Consortium Leader.
- § 54.610— Letters of agency (LOA).
- § 54.611— Health care provider contribution.
- § 54.612— Eligible services.
- § 54.613— Eligible equipment.
- § 54.614— Eligible participant-constructed and owned network facilities for consortium applicants.
- § 54.615— Off-site data centers and off-site administrative offices.
- § 54.616— Upfront payments.
- § 54.617— Ineligible expenses.
- § 54.618— Data collection and reporting.
- § 54.619— Cap.
- § 54.620— Annual filing requirements and commitments.
- § 54.621— Filing window for requests and prioritization of support.
- § 54.622— Competitive bidding requirements and exemptions.
- § 54.623— Funding requests.
- § 54.624— Site and service substitutions.
- § 54.625— Service Provider Identification Number (SPIN) changes.
- § 54.626— Service delivery deadline and extension requests.
- § 54.627— Invoicing process and certifications.
- § 54.628— Duplicate support.
- § 54.629— Prohibition on resale.
- § 54.630— Election to offset support against annual universal service fund contribution.
- § 54.631— Audits and recordkeeping.
- § 54.632— Signature requirements for certifications.
- § 54.633— Validity of electronic signatures and records.
Subpart H — Administration
- § 54.701— Administrator of universal service support mechanisms.
- § 54.702— Administrator's functions and responsibilities.
- § 54.703— The Administrator's Board of Directors.
- § 54.704— The Administrator's Chief Executive Officer.
- § 54.705— Committees of the Administrator's Board of Directors.
- § 54.706— Contributions.
- § 54.707— Audit controls.
- § 54.708— De minimis exemption.
- § 54.709— Computations of required contributions to universal service support mechanisms.
- § 54.711— Contributor reporting requirements.
- § 54.712— Contributor recovery of universal service costs from end users.
- § 54.713— Contributors' failure to report or to contribute.
- § 54.715— Administrative expenses of the Administrator.
- § 54.717— Audits of the Administrator.
Subpart I — Review of Decisions Issued by the Administrator
- § 54.719— Parties permitted to seek review of Administrator decision.
- § 54.720— Filing deadlines.
- § 54.721— General filing requirements.
- § 54.722— Review by the Wireline Competition Bureau or the Commission.
- § 54.723— Standard of review.
- § 54.724— Time periods for Commission approval of Administrator decisions.
- § 54.725— Universal service disbursements during pendency of a request for review and Administrator decision.
Subpart J — Rural Digital Opportunity Fund
- § 54.802— Rural Digital Opportunity Fund geographic areas, deployment obligations, and support disbursements.
- § 54.803— Rural Digital Opportunity Fund provider eligibility.
- § 54.804— Rural Digital Opportunity Fund application process.
- § 54.805— Rural Digital Opportunity Fund public interest obligations.
- § 54.806— Rural Digital Opportunity Fund reporting obligations, compliance, and recordkeeping.
Subpart K — Connect America Fund Broadband Loop Support for Rate-of-Return Carriers
Subpart L — Mobility Fund and 5G Fund
- § 54.1001— Mobility Fund—Phase I.
- § 54.1002— Geographic areas eligible for support.
- § 54.1003— Provider eligibility.
- § 54.1004— Service to Tribal Lands.
- § 54.1005— Application process.
- § 54.1006— Public interest obligations.
- § 54.1007— Letter of credit.
- § 54.1008— Mobility Fund Phase I disbursements.
- § 54.1009— Annual reports.
- § 54.1010— Record retention for Mobility Fund Phase I.
- § 54.1011— 5G Fund.
- § 54.1012— Geographic areas eligible for support.
- § 54.1013— Applicant eligibility.
- § 54.1014— Application process.
- § 54.1015— Public interest obligations and performance requirements for 5G Fund support recipients.
- § 54.1016— Letter of credit.
- § 54.1017— 5G Fund support disbursements.
- § 54.1018— Annual reports.
- § 54.1019— Interim service and final service milestone reports.
- § 54.1020— Non-compliance measures for 5G Fund support recipients.
- § 54.1021— Record retention for the 5G Fund.
- § 54.1022— Cybersecurity and supply chain risk requirements.
Subpart M — High Cost Loop Support for Rate-of-Return Carriers
- § 54.1301— General.
- § 54.1302— Calculation of incumbent local exchange carrier portion of nationwide loop cost expense adjustment for rate-of-return carriers.
- § 54.1303— Calculation of the rural growth factor.
- § 54.1304— Calculation of safety net additive.
- § 54.1305— Submission of information to the National Exchange Carrier Association (NECA).
- § 54.1307— Submission of Information by the National Exchange Carrier Association.
- § 54.1308— Study Area Total Unseparated Loop Cost.
- § 54.1309— National and study area average unseparated loop costs.
- § 54.1310— Expense adjustment.
Subpart O — Uniendo a Puerto Rico Fund and Connect USVI Fund
- § 54.1501— Uniendo a Puerto Rico Fund and Connect USVI Fund—Stage 2 for service to fixed locations.
- § 54.1503— Geographic area and locations to be served by Stage 2 fixed support recipients.
- § 54.1504— Term of Stage 2 fixed support, phase-down of legacy fixed support, and reporting obligations for phase-down support recipient.
- § 54.1506— Stage 2 fixed support deployment milestones.
- § 54.1507— Stage 2 public interest obligations for service to fixed locations.
- § 54.1508— Letter of credit for stage 2 fixed support recipients.
- § 54.1511— Appropriate uses of Stage 2 mobile support.
- § 54.1512— Geographic area eligible for Stage 2 mobile support.
- § 54.1513— Provision of Stage 2 mobile support.
- § 54.1514— Stage 2 mobile additional annual reporting.
- § 54.1515— Disaster preparation and response measures.
- § 54.1516— Uniendo a Puerto Rico Fund and the Connect USVI Fund—Transitional support for mobile service.
- § 54.1518— Appropriate uses of transitional mobile support.
- § 54.1519— Geographic area eligible for transitional mobile support.
- § 54.1520— Provision of transitional mobile support.
- § 54.1521— Transitional mobile support additional annual reporting.
- § 54.1522— Security reporting.
- § 54.1523— Spending plans for recipients of legacy frozen phase-down support.
- § 54.1524— Disaster preparation and response measures; Disaster Information Reporting System.
Subpart P — Emergency Broadband Benefit Program
- § 54.1600— Definitions.
- § 54.1601— Participating providers.
- § 54.1602— Emergency Broadband Benefit.
- § 54.1603— Emergency Broadband Benefit Program support amount.
- § 54.1604— Participating provider obligation to offer Emergency Broadband Benefit Program.
- § 54.1605— Household qualification for Emergency Broadband Benefit Program.
- § 54.1606— Household eligibility determinations.
- § 54.1607— Enrollment representative registration.
- § 54.1608— Reimbursement for providing Emergency Broadband Benefit Program discount.
- § 54.1609— De-enrollment from the Emergency Broadband Benefit Program.
- § 54.1610— Expiration of Emergency Broadband Benefit Program.
- § 54.1611— Recordkeeping requirements.
- § 54.1612— Validity of electronic signatures.
Subpart Q — Emergency Connectivity Fund
- § 54.1700— Terms and definitions.
- § 54.1701— Eligible recipients.
- § 54.1702— Emergency Connectivity Fund eligible equipment and services.
- § 54.1703— Emergency Connectivity Fund competitive bidding requirements.
- § 54.1704— Emergency Connectivity Fund gift restrictions.
- § 54.1705— Emergency Connectivity Fund eligible uses.
- § 54.1706— Emergency Connectivity Fund service locations.
- § 54.1707— Emergency Connectivity Fund reasonable support amounts.
- § 54.1708— Emergency Connectivity Fund cap and requests.
- § 54.1709— Availability period of the Emergency Connectivity Fund.
- § 54.1710— Emergency Connectivity Fund requests for funding.
- § 54.1711— Emergency Connectivity Fund requests for reimbursement.
- § 54.1712— Duplicate support.
- § 54.1713— Treatment, resale, and transfer of equipment.
- § 54.1714— Audits, inspections, and investigations.
- § 54.1715— Records retention.
- § 54.1716— Children's Internet Protection Act certifications.
- § 54.1717— Administrator of the Emergency Connectivity Fund.
- § 54.1718— Appeal and waiver requests.
Subpart R — Affordable Connectivity Program
- § 54.1800— Definitions.
- § 54.1801— Participating providers.
- § 54.1802— Affordable connectivity benefit.
- § 54.1803— Affordable Connectivity Program support amounts.
- § 54.1804— Participating provider obligation to offer the Affordable Connectivity Program.
- § 54.1805— Household qualifications for Affordable Connectivity Program.
- § 54.1806— Household eligibility determinations and annual recertification.
- § 54.1807— Enrollment representative registration and compensation.
- § 54.1808— Reimbursement for providing monthly affordable connectivity benefit.
- § 54.1809— De-enrollment from the Affordable Connectivity Program.
- § 54.1810— Consumer protection requirements.
- § 54.1811— Recordkeeping requirements.
- § 54.1812— Validity of electronic signatures.
- § 54.1813— Affordable Connectivity Program Transparency Data Collection.
- § 54.1814— High-cost area benefit.
Subpart S — Affordable Connectivity Outreach Grant Program
Subpart T — Schools and Libraries Cybersecurity Pilot Program
- § 54.2000— Terms and definitions.
- § 54.2001— Cap, budgets, and duration.
- § 54.2002— Eligible recipients.
- § 54.2003— Eligible services and equipment.
- § 54.2004— Application for Pilot Program selection and reporting of information.
- § 54.2005— Competitive bidding requirements.
- § 54.2006— Requests for funding.
- § 54.2007— Discounts.
- § 54.2008— Requests for reimbursement.
- § 54.2009— Audits, inspections, and investigations.
- § 54.2010— Records retention and production.
- § 54.2011— Administrator of the Schools and Libraries Cybersecurity Pilot Program.
- § 54.2012— Appeal and waiver requests.
- § 54.2013— Children's internet Protection Act certifications.