PSC 160.03(1)(g)(g) “Local usage” means an amount of exchange service, prescribed by the commission, provided free of charge to end users. PSC 160.03(1)(h)(h) “Operator services” means any automatic or live assistance to a customer to arrange for billing or completion, or both, of a telephone call. PSC 160.03(1)(i)(i) “Single-party service” means telecommunications service that permits users to have exclusive use of a landline subscriber loop or access line for each call placed, or, in the case of wireless providers, which use spectrum shared among users to provide service, a dedicated message path for the length of a user’s particular transmission. PSC 160.03(1)(j)(j) “Voice grade access” means a functionality that enables a user of telecommunications services to transmit voice communications, including signaling 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. PSC 160.03 NoteNote: The definitions in sub. (1) do not have any application. The Public Service Commission will remove sub. (1) in future rule-making.
PSC 160.03(1m)(1m) Each eligible telecommunications carrier shall make all essential telecommunications services available to all of its customers. PSC 160.03 HistoryHistory: Cr. Register, April, 1996, No. 484, eff. 5-1-96; am. (2) (a) 7. to 10., and 14., r., (2) (c), renum. (2) (d) to be (2) (c), Register, April, 2000, No. 532, eff. 5-1-00; except (2) (a) 14. eff. 11-1-00; CR 13-068: renum. (1) to (1m) and am., cr. (1), r. and recr. (2) Register January 2016 No. 721, eff. 2-1-16. PSC 160.04(1)(a)(a) Except as provided in pars. (b) and (c), every local exchange service provider in the state shall offer call limitation capability for each of the following: PSC 160.04(1)(a)4.4. Toll calls charged to a telephone credit card associated with the telephone number for which call limitation has been requested. PSC 160.04(1)(a)5.5. Toll calls charged to a third telephone number for which call limitation has been requested. PSC 160.04(1)(b)(b) Federal-only eligible telecommunications carriers are not required to offer any call limitation capabilities to customers who are not low income and need only offer blocking of outgoing toll calls to customers who are low income. PSC 160.04(1)(c)(c) A local exchange service provider is not required to offer the blocking under par. (a) 1., 3.,4., or 5., to a customer that has service that does not include a fee for such calls that is in addition to the per month or per billing cycle price of service. PSC 160.04(2)(2) Charges. A local exchange service provider may not impose a charge for the cost of blocking pay-per-call services the first time a customer requests such blocking. PSC 160.04(3)(3) Emergency service. A local exchange service provider may not impose a call limitation that prevents a customer from reaching the emergency service numbers appropriate for the customer’s location. PSC 160.04(4)(4) Public notification and education. An eligible telecommunications carrier shall make reasonable efforts to inform its customers of the availability of and, where charge-free, eligibility requirements for, call limitation services. An eligible telecommunications carrier shall also make reasonable efforts to instruct customers requesting the service in the use of the service. PSC 160.04 HistoryHistory: Cr. Register, April, 1996, No. 484, eff. 5-1-96; am. (1), Register, April, 2000, No. 532, eff. 5-1-00; CR 13-068: r. and recr. (title), renum. (1) to (1) (a) (intro.) and am., cr. (1) (a) 1. to 5., (b), (c), r. and recr. (2) to (4), r. (5), (6) Register January 2016 No. 721, eff. 2-1-16; correction in (1) (c) made under s. 35.17, Stats., Register January 2016 No. 721, eff. 2-1-16. PSC 160.05PSC 160.05 Universal service fund programs. Universal service fund monies may be used for fund administration; for informing the public of the existence, purpose, intent, and uses of the universal service fund; and for the following purposes: PSC 160.05(3)(3) For payments for telecommunications services provided to the campuses of the University of Wisconsin System, as specified in s. 196.218 (5) (a) 6., Stats. PSC 160.05(5)(5) For payments by the department of public instruction to contract for periodical and reference information databases as specified in s. 115.28 (26), Stats., under the appropriation in s. 20.255 (3) (q), Stats. PSC 160.05(6)(6) For payments by the department of public instruction for newsline for the blind, under the appropriation in s. 20.255 (3) (q), Stats. PSC 160.05(7)(7) For payments by the department of public instruction for supplemental aid to public library systems as specified in s. 43.24, Stats., under the appropriation in s. 20.255 (3) (qm), Stats. PSC 160.05(8)(8) For payments by the department of public instruction for library service contracts as specified in s. 43.03 (6) and (7), Stats., under the appropriation in s. 20.255 (3) (r), Stats. PSC 160.05(9)(9) For grants from the department of administration for training teachers to use educational technology under s. 16.996, Stats. PSC 160.05(10)(10) For payments by the department of public instruction to provide funding for online courses made available under s. 115.28 (53), Stats. PSC 160.05(11)(11) For payments by the department of public instruction to provide funding for the delivery of digital content and collaborative instruction under s. 115.28 (54), Stats. PSC 160.05 HistoryHistory: Cr. Register, April, 1996, No. 484, eff. 5-1-96; emerg. am. (intro.), renum. (1) to (10) to be (1) (a) to (j), cr. (2) to (4), eff. 2-27-98; am. (intro.), renum. (1) to (10) to be (1) (a) to (j), cr. (2) to (4), Register, October, 1998, No. 514, eff. 11-1-98; am. (intro.), (1) (c), (d), (i) and (2), cr. (1) (k) to (s) and (5), Register, April, 2000, No. 532, eff. 5-1-00; corrections in (2) and (4) made under s. 13.93 (2m) (b) 7., Stats., Register April 2007 No. 616; correction in (1) (s) made under s. 13.92 (4) (b) 7., Stats., Register February 2013 No. 686; CR 13-068: am. (intro.), (1) (intro.), (a), (c), (d), r. (1) (h) to (j), (L), am. (1) (n), r. (1) (o), am. (1) (p), r. (1) (r), renum. (1) (s) to (u), cr. (1) (s), (t), am. (2), (3), r. (4), cr. (6) to (12) Register January 2016 No. 721, eff. 2-1-16; correction in (1) (intro.) made under s. 35.17, Stats., Register January 2016 No. 721, eff. 2-1-16; 2015 Wis. Act 330 s. 20: am. (3) Register April 2016 No. 724, eff. 5-1-16; correction in (2) made under s. 13.92 (4) (b) 7., Stats., Register December 2018 No. 756. PSC 160.06PSC 160.06 Eligibility for low-income programs. PSC 160.06(1)(a)(a) All ETCs shall verify an applicant’s eligibility for low-income assistance programs by making timely queries of the applicable databases of the Wisconsin department of health services, the Wisconsin department of revenue, or other government agencies designated by the commission. An ETC shall verify an applicant’s eligibility by finding the applicant to be any of the following: PSC 160.06(1)(a)4.4. At an income level that meets the conditions of any other federal low-income eligibility criteria. PSC 160.06(1)(b)(b) Notwithstanding par. (a), an eligible telecommunications carrier shall verify an applicant as eligible for low-income assistance programs if the applicant qualifies for federal universal service fund support for eligible residents of tribal lands under 47 CFR 54.400 et seq. PSC 160.06(1)(c)(c) If an eligible telecommunications carrier cannot verify an applicant’s eligibility under par. (a) or (b), in addition to the households considered low-income under the definition in s. PSC 160.02 (21), the ETC shall consider a household that receives benefits from federal public housing assistance (section 8) to be low-income. PSC 160.06(2)(2) Eligibility reverification. An eligible telecommunications carrier shall reverify eligibility on at least an annual basis for all customers receiving lifeline assistance. The eligible telecommunications carrier shall first attempt to reverify eligibility by making timely queries of the applicable databases of the Wisconsin department of health services, the Wisconsin department of revenue, or other government agencies designated by the commission. PSC 160.06(3)(3) Eligibility inquiry. Eligible telecommunications carriers other than federal-only ETCs shall inquire of each customer regarding eligibility of that customer for low-income programs on each order for initial or moved residential service and, orally or in writing, in the first contact with the customer during a year concerning disconnection or payment arrangements. PSC 160.06(4)(a)(a) Customers shall complete and remit any reasonably required query authorization forms or forfeit eligibility. PSC 160.06(4)(b)(b) Eligible telecommunications carriers shall obtain whatever customer authorization is required by the Wisconsin department of health services, the Wisconsin department of revenue, or other government agencies for the database queries necessary for eligibility verification. The commission may revoke the eligible telecommunications carrier designation and order the forfeiture of reimbursements if it accesses a customer’s database information without that customer’s authorization. The commission may also refer the eligible telecommunications carrier to the Wisconsin department of justice or other state agency for appropriate action. PSC 160.06(5)(5) Applicant requirements. Notwithstanding any other provision of this section, an applicant is only eligible for low-income assistance programs under this chapter if the applicant provides all of the information required under state and federal law. PSC 160.06 HistoryHistory: Cr. Register, April, 1996, No. 484, eff. 5-1-96; renum. (1) to be (1) (intro.) and am. (1) (intro.), renum. (5) (a) to be (5), cr. (1) (a) to (c), am. (3) and (4), r. (5) (b), Register, April, 2000, No. 532, eff. 5-1-00; CR 13-068: renum. (1) to (1) (a) and am. (a) (intro.), 1., 2., r. (1) (a) 3., cr. (1) (a) 3., 4., (b), (c), am. (2), (3), renum. (4) to (4) (b) and am., cr. (4) (a), r. and recr. (5) Register January 2016 No. 721, eff. 2-1-16. PSC 160.061PSC 160.061 Link-up program. The commission may fund programs to identify and provide monetary assistance to low-income persons who are unlikely to be able to obtain telecommunications service without such assistance. Such programs may include customers who qualify for federal universal service fund support for eligible residents of tribal lands under 47 CFR 54.400 et seq. PSC 160.061 HistoryHistory: Cr. Register, April, 1996, No. 484, eff. 5-1-96; am. (1) and (6), Register, April, 2000, No. 532, eff. 5-1-00; CR 13-068: r. and recr. Register January 2016 No. 721, eff. 2-1-16. PSC 160.062(1)(a)(a) For purposes of subs. (2) to (7), “eligible telecommunications carrier” or “ETC” means only full and low-income ETCs, and does not include federal-only ETCs. PSC 160.062(1)(b)(b) For purposes of this section, “line” means an access line, service to an activated wireless handset, or service to an internet connection used as a substitute for a traditional telecommunications connection. PSC 160.062(1)(c)(c) For purposes of this section, “lifeline monthly rate” means the lifeline base rate under sub. (2) minus the lifeline adjustment under sub. (2g) or (2r). PSC 160.062(1g)(1g) Applicability. An eligible telecommunications carrier may apply the lifeline adjustment under sub. (2g) to any residential service that includes voice service, including bundles of voice and data services, and bundles that include optional calling features such as caller identification, call waiting, voice mail and three-way calling. PSC 160.062(1r)(a)(a) All eligible telecommunications carriers shall offer to all qualified low-income customers a lifeline adjustment to the customer’s rate for either of the following: PSC 160.062(1r)(a)1.1. Essential telecommunications service, whether stand-alone or as part of a service package. PSC 160.062(1r)(a)2.2. Internet access, if the customer demonstrates that, because of his or her disability other than cognitive impairment, certified under s. PSC 160.071 (1), the customer requires internet access that is adequate to support service that is substitutable for and comparable to essential telecommunications service. PSC 160.062 NoteNote: An example under subd. 2. is a video relay service.
PSC 160.062 NoteNote: Subd. 2. does not require a provider to offer internet access service. If provider offers a service needed under subd. 2., or bills for such a service provided by an affiliate, the provider applies the lifeline adjustment to the price of that service and collects some of the payment from the customer and some from the USF.
PSC 160.062(1r)(b)(b) An ETC taking an application for the lifeline program shall do the following: PSC 160.062(1r)(b)1.1. Unless the ETC uses a state or federal duplication prevention database, ask the applicant if he or she is currently receiving a lifeline adjustment on any other line. PSC 160.062(1r)(b)2.2. Require the applicant to certify that he or she is not currently receiving a lifeline adjustment on any other line or from any other provider. PSC 160.062 NoteNote: For example, see 47 CFR 54.410 regarding use of state databases for eligibility verification. PSC 160.062(1r)(c)(c) A customer may not request a lifeline adjustment on more than one line. An ETC shall not apply the lifeline adjustment unless the customer has certified under par. (b) that the customer is not receiving a lifeline adjustment on another line or from any other provider. PSC 160.062(1r)(d)(d) If an ETC becomes aware that a customer is receiving a lifeline adjustment on more than one line or from more than one provider, the ETC shall provide notice and take action under sub. (4) to ensure that the customer receives a lifeline adjustment on only one line.
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