Section 3.53.350. Disbursements of the AUSF.

	(a)  The administrator shall disburse on a monthly basis money approved by the commission from the AUSF for universal service support eligible in the current month for  
		(1) dial equipment minute (DEM) weighting;  
		(2) lifeline program;  
		(3) public interest pay telephones designated under 3 AAC 53.740 - 3 AAC 53.799;  
		(4) local exchange carrier of last resort support; and  
		(5) carrier common line support provided under (c) of this section and under sections 104 and 105 of the Alaska Intrastate Interexchange Access Charge Manual, adopted by reference in 3 AAC 48.440.  
	(b)  The commission will determine the universal service support required for the DEM weighting for a pooling company as part of the annual access charge process for a pooling company. The universal service support required for DEM weighting for an eligible nonpooling company is determined at the time that the eligible nonpooling company exits the pool and is based upon that company's most recent access revenue requirement. The administrator shall make a disbursement of universal service support for DEM weighting monthly to each eligible nonpooling company. The administrator shall disburse to a pooling company one-twelfth of its universal service support for DEM weighting each month. The administrator shall calculate and disburse the amount of universal service support for DEM weighting for a nonpooling company by distributing to each eligible telecommunications carrier within a study area the proportionate share of the universal service support for DEM weighting for that study area based upon the telecommunications carrier's percentage of reported number of access lines for that study area for that month.  
	(c)  The administrator shall provide support to reduce the intrastate carrier common line access charge rate element. The administrator shall provide support in an amount sufficient to reduce the carrier common line charge to zero. The support shall be provided directly on a monthly basis to the local exchange carrier.  
	(d)  The administrator shall provide support for the lifeline program in an amount sufficient to maximize the federal contribution for the lifeline program. The administrator shall disburse each month to each eligible telecommunications carrier an amount equal to the necessary state contribution per line times the monthly number of qualifying local customers in the lifeline program.  
	(e)  In the case of a shortage in the AUSF in a particular month, the administrator shall disburse the AUSF in the following order of priority:  
		(1) administrative costs;  
		(2) universal service support eligible in a prior month but not paid in that month;  
		(3) universal service support eligible in a current month for the lifeline program;  
		(4) universal service support eligible in a current month for local exchange carrier of last resort support;  
		(5) universal service support eligible in a current month to reduce the carrier common line rate element paid by interexchange carriers;  
		(6) universal service support eligible in a current month for public interest pay telephones designated under 3 AAC 53.740 - 3 AAC 53.799;  
		(7) universal service support eligible in a current month for dial equipment minute (DEM) weighting.  
	(f)  Money for public interest pay telephones designated under 3 AAC 53.740 - 3 AAC 53.799 must be disbursed as provided in 3 AAC 53.760.  

Authorities

42.05.141;42.05.145;42.05.151;42.05.431;42.05.711;42.05.800;42.05.840

Notes

Reference

3 AAC 52.372
3 AAC 53.265

Authority

AS 42.05.141 AS 42.05.145 AS 42.05.151 AS 42.05.431 AS 42.05.711 AS 42.05.800 AS 42.05.840

History

Eff. 1/10/99, Register 149; am 1/11/2001, Register 157; am 7/31/2011, Register 199