§  54.506   Internal connections.

   (a) A service is eligible for support as a component of an
   institution's internal connections if such service is necessary to
   transport information within one or more instructional buildings of a
   single school campus or within one or more non-administrative buildings
   that comprise a single library branch. Discounts are not available for
   internal connections in non-instructional buildings of a school or
   school district, or in administrative buildings of a library, to the
   extent that a library system has separate administrative buildings,
   unless those internal connections are essential for the effective
   transport of information to an instructional building of a school or to
   a non-administrative building of a library. Internal connections do not
   include connections that extend beyond a single school campus or single
   library branch. There is a rebuttable presumption that a connection
   does not constitute an internal connection if it crosses a public
   right-of-way.

   (b) Basic maintenance services. Basic maintenance services shall be
   eligible as an internal connections service if, but for the maintenance
   at issue, the internal connection would not function and serve its
   intended purpose with the degree of reliability ordinarily provided in
   the marketplace to entities receiving such services. Basic maintenance
   services do not include services that maintain equipment that is not
   supported or that enhance the utility of equipment beyond the transport
   of information, or diagnostic services in excess of those necessary to
   maintain the equipment's ability to transport information.

   (c) Frequency of discounts for internal connections services. Each
   eligible school or library shall be eligible for support for internal
   connections services, except basic maintenance services, no more than
   twice every five funding years. For the purpose of determining
   eligibility, the five-year period begins in any funding year, starting
   with Funding Year 2005, in which the school or library receives
   discounted internal connections services other than basic maintenance
   services. If a school or library receives internal connections services
   other than basic maintenance services that are shared with other
   schools or libraries (for example, as part of a consortium), the shared
   services will be attributed the school or library in determining
   whether it is eligible for support.

   [ 69 FR 6191 , Feb. 10, 2004]