(a) National average unseparated loop cost per working loop. Except as provided in paragraphs (c) and (d) of this section, this is equal to the sum of the Loop Costs for each study area in the country as calculated pursuant to §54.1308(a) divided by the sum of the working loops reported in §54.1305(h) for each study area in the country. The national average unseparated loop cost per working loop shall be calculated by the National Exchange Carrier Association. Until June 30, 2015 the national average unseparated loop cost for purposes of calculating expense adjustments for rural incumbent local exchange carriers, as that term is defined in §54.5 is frozen at $240.00.

(1) The national average unseparated loop cost per working loop shall be recalculated by the National Exchange Carrier Association to reflect the September, December, and March update filings.

(2) Each new nationwide average shall be used in determining the additional interstate expense allocation for companies which made filings by the most recent filing date.

(3) The calculation of a new national average to reflect the update filings shall not affect the amount of the additional interstate expense allocation for companies which did not make an update filing by the most recent filing date.

(b) Study area average unseparated loop cost per working loop. This is equal to the unseparated loop costs for the study area as calculated pursuant to §54.1308(a) divided by the number of working loops reported in §54.1305(i) for the study area.

(1) If a company elects to, or is required to, update the data which it has filed with the National Exchange Carrier Association as provided in §54.1306(a), the study area average unseparated loop cost per working loop and the amount of its additional interstate expense allocation shall be recalculated to reflect the updated data.

(2) [Reserved]

(c) Until June 30, 2015, the national average unseparated loop Cost per working loop shall be the greater of:

(1) The amount calculated pursuant to the method described in paragraph (a) of this section; or

(2) An amount calculated to produce the maximum rural incumbent local exchange carrier portion of the nationwide loop cost expense adjustment allowable pursuant to §54.1302(a).

(d) Beginning July 1, 2015, the national average unseparated loop cost per working loop shall be frozen at the national average unseparated loop cost per working loop as recalculated by the National Exchange Carrier Association to reflect the March 2015 update filing.

[79 FR 39190, July 9, 2014, as amended at 80 FR 4479, Jan. 27, 2015]