Sec. 54.101  Supported services for rural, insular and high cost areas.

    (a) Services designated for support. The following services or 
functionalities shall be supported by Federal universal service support 
mechanisms:
    (1) Voice grade access to the public switched network. ``Voice grade 
access'' is defined as a functionality that enables a user of 
telecommunications services to transmit voice communications, including 
signalling 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. For purposes of this part, voice grade access 
shall occur within the frequency range of between approximately 500 
Hertz and 4,000 Hertz, for a bandwidth of approximately 3,500 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 for qualifying low-income consumers is described in subpart E 
of this part.
    (b) Requirement to offer all designated services. An eligible 
telecommunications carrier must offer each of the services set forth in 
paragraph (a) of this section in order to receive Federal universal 
service support.
    (c) Additional time to complete network upgrades. A state commission 
may grant the petition of a telecommunications carrier that is otherwise 
eligible to receive universal service support under Sec. 54.201 
requesting additional time to complete the network upgrades

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needed to provide single-party service, access to enhanced 911 service, 
or toll limitation. If such petition is granted, the otherwise eligible 
telecommunications carrier will be permitted to receive universal 
service support for the duration of the period designated by the state 
commission. State commissions should grant such a request only upon a 
finding that exceptional circumstances prevent an otherwise eligible 
telecommunications carrier from providing single-party service, access 
to enhanced 911 service, or toll limitation. The period should extend 
only as long as the relevant state commission finds that exceptional 
circumstances exist and should not extend beyond the time that the state 
commission deems necessary for that eligible telecommunications carrier 
to complete network upgrades. An otherwise eligible telecommunications 
carrier that is incapable of offering one or more of these three 
specific universal services must demonstrate to the state commission 
that exceptional circumstances exist with respect to each service for 
which the carrier desires a grant of additional time to complete network 
upgrades.

       Subpart C--Carriers Eligible for Universal Service Support