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 § 69.104 or §§ 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-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 an eligible telecommunications carrier providing Lifeline service to an eligible resident of Tribal lands, as defined in § 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 § 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 § 69.104 or § 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 § 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]

CFR

54.403—Lifeline support amount.