[Code of Federal Regulations]
[Title 47, Volume 3]
[Revised as of October 1, 2003]
From the U.S. Government Printing Office via GPO Access
[CITE: 47CFR54.403]

[Page 133-134]
 
                       TITLE 47--TELECOMMUNICATION
 
        CHAPTER I--FEDERAL COMMUNICATIONS COMMISSION (CONTINUED)
 
PART 54_UNIVERSAL SERVICE--Table of Contents
 
      Subpart E_Universal Service Support for Low-Income Consumers
 
Sec.  54.403  Lifeline support amount.

    (a) The Federal Lifeline support amount for all eligible 
telecommunications carriers shall equal:
    (1) Tier One. The tariffed rate in effect for the primary 
residential End User Common Line charge of the incumbent local exchange 
carrier serving the area in which the qualifying low-income consumer 
receives service, as determined in accordance with Sec.  69.104 or 
Sec. Sec.  69.152(d)(1) and 69.152(q) of this chapter, whichever is 
applicable;
    (2) Tier Two. Additional federal Lifeline support in the amount of 
$1.75 per month will be made available to the eligible 
telecommunications carrier providing Lifeline service to the qualifying 
low-income consumer, if that carrier certifies to the Administrator that 
it will pass through the full amount of Tier-Two support to its 
qualifying, low-income consumers and that it has received any non-
federal regulatory approvals necessary to implement the required rate 
reduction.
    (3) Tier Three. Additional federal Lifeline support in an amount 
equal to one-

[[Page 134]]

half the amount of any state-mandated Lifeline support or Lifeline 
support otherwise provided by the carrier, up to a maximum of $1.75 per 
month in federal support, will be made available to the carrier 
providing Lifeline service to a qualifying low-income consumer if the 
carrier certifies to the Administrator that it will pass through the 
full amount of Tier-Three support to its qualifying low-income consumers 
and that it has received any non-federal regulatory approvals necessary 
to implement the required rate reduction.
    (4) Tier Four. Additional federal Lifeline support of up to $25 per 
month will be made available to a eligible telecommunications carrier 
providing Lifeline service to an eligible resident of Tribal lands, as 
defined in Sec.  54.400(e), to the extent that:
    (i) This amount does not bring the basic local residential rate 
(including any mileage, zonal, or other non-discretionary charges 
associated with basic residential service) below $1 per month per 
qualifying low-income subscribers; and
    (ii) The eligible telecommunications carrier certifies to the 
Administrator that it will pass through the full Tier-Four amount to 
qualifying eligible residents of Tribal lands and that it has received 
any non-federal regulatory approvals necessary to implement the required 
rate reduction.
    (b) For a qualifying low-income consumer who is not an eligible 
resident of Tribal lands, as defined in Sec.  54.400(e), the federal 
Lifeline support amount shall not exceed $3.50 plus the tariffed rate in 
effect for the primary residential End User Common Line charge of the 
incumbent local exchange carrier serving the area in which the 
qualifying low-income consumer receives service, as determined in 
accordance with Sec.  69.104 or Sec.  69.152(d) and (q) of this chapter, 
whichever is applicable. For an eligible resident of Tribal lands, the 
federal Lifeline support amount shall not exceed $28.50 plus that same 
End User Common Line charge. Eligible telecommunications carriers that 
charge federal End User Common Line charges or equivalent federal 
charges shall apply Tier-One federal Lifeline support to waive the 
federal End-User Common Line charges for Lifeline consumers. Such 
carriers shall apply any additional federal support amount to a 
qualifying low-income consumer's intrastate rate, if the carrier has 
received the non-federal regulatory approvals necessary to implement the 
required rate reduction. Other eligible telecommunications carriers 
shall apply the Tier-One federal Lifeline support amount, plus any 
additional support amount, to reduce their lowest tariffed (or otherwise 
generally available) residential rate for the services enumerated in 
Sec.  54.101(a)(1) through (a)(9), and charge Lifeline consumers the 
resulting amount.
    (c) Lifeline support for providing toll limitation shall equal the 
eligible telecommunications carrier's incremental cost of providing 
either toll blocking or toll control, whichever is selected by the 
particular consumer.

[62 FR 32948, June 17, 1997, as amended at 63 FR 2128, Jan. 13, 1998; 65 
FR 38689, June 21, 2000; 65 FR 47905, Aug. 4, 2000]