(a) Sections 61.42 through 61.49 shall apply as follows:

(1) [Reserved]

(2) To such price cap local exchange carriers as specified by Commission order, and to all local exchange carriers, other than average schedule companies, that are affiliated with such carriers; and

(3) On an elective basis, to local exchange carriers, other than those specified in paragraph (a)(2) of this section, that are neither participants in any Association tariff, nor affiliated with any such participants, except that affiliation with average schedule companies shall not bar a carrier from electing price cap regulation provided the carrier is otherwise eligible.

(b) If a telephone company, or any one of a group of affiliated telephone companies, files a price cap tariff in one study area, that telephone company and its affiliates, except its average schedule affiliates, must file price cap tariffs in all their study areas.

(c) Except as provided in paragraph (e) of this section, the following rules in this paragraph (c) apply to telephone companies subject to price cap regulation, as that term is defined in §61.3(ee), which are involved in mergers, acquisitions, or similar transactions.

(1) Any telephone company subject to price cap regulation that is a party to a merger, acquisition, or similar transaction shall continue to be subject to price cap regulation notwithstanding such transaction.

(2) Where a telephone company subject to price cap regulation acquires, is acquired by, merges with, or otherwise becomes affiliated with a telephone company that is not subject to price cap regulation, the latter telephone company shall become subject to price cap regulation no later than one year following the effective date of such merger, acquisition, or similar transaction and shall accordingly file price cap tariffs to be effective no later than that date in accordance with the applicable provisions of this part 61.

(3) Notwithstanding the provisions of §61.41(c)(2), when a telephone company subject to price cap regulation acquires, is acquired by, merges with, or otherwise becomes affiliated with a telephone company that qualifies as an “average schedule” company, the latter company may retain its “average schedule” status or become subject to price cap regulation in accordance with §69.3(i)(3) of this chapter and the requirements referenced in that section.

(d) Except as provided in paragraph (e) of this section, local exchange carriers that become subject to price cap regulation as that term is defined in §61.3(ff) shall not be eligible to withdraw from such regulation.

(e) Notwithstanding the requirements of paragraphs (c) and (d) of this section, a telephone company subject to rate-of-return regulation may return lines acquired from a telephone company subject to price cap regulation to rate-of-return regulation, provided that the acquired lines will not be subject to average schedule settlements, and provided further that the telephone company subject to rate-of-return regulation may not for five years elect price cap regulation for itself, or by any means cause the acquired lines to become subject to price cap regulation.

(f) Notwithstanding the requirements of paragraphs (c) and (d) of this section, a telephone company subject to rate-of-return regulation that is affiliated with a price cap local exchange carrier may provide business data services pursuant to §61.50 without converting other services to price cap regulation.

[55 FR 42382, Oct. 19, 1990; 55 FR 50558, Dec. 7, 1990, as amended at 56 FR 55239, Oct. 25, 1991; 64 FR 46589, Aug. 26, 1999; 65 FR 38695, June 21, 2000; 65 FR 57741, Sept. 26, 2000; 69 FR 25336, May 6, 2004; 76 FR 43213, July 20, 2011; 83 FR 67122, Dec. 28, 2018]