§ 35-A §7104 — Affordable telephone service

Maine § 35-A §7104

• Jurisdiction: Maine
• Title 35-A: PUBLIC UTILITIES
• Part 7: TELECOMMUNICATIONS
• Ch. 71: GENERAL PROVISIONS

Text

1.
Low-income support.
The commission shall require telephone utilities to participate in statewide outreach programs designed to increase the number of low-income telephone customers on the network through increased participation in any universal service program approved by the commission.
1-A.
Definitions.
As used in this section, unless the context otherwise indicates, the following terms have the following meanings.
2.
General availability.
The commission shall seek to ensure that provider of last resort service is available at reasonably comparable rates to consumers throughout all areas of the State in which the service is available pursuant to section 7221.
3.
Authority.
The commission shall adopt rules to implement this section and may require voice network service providers using numbers placed in service for the State's numbering plan area from the North American Numbering Plan Administrator or its successor to contribute to a state universal service fund to support programs consistent with the goals of applicable provisions of this Title and the federal Telecommunications Act of 1996, Public Law 104-104, 110 Stat. 56. A voice network service provider is not required to contribute to the state universal service fund for telephone numbers that are acquired by the provider but are not placed in service. Prior to requiring that voice network service providers contribute to a state universal service fund, the commission shall assess the telecommunications needs of the State's consumers and establish the level of support required to meet those needs. If the commission establishes a state universal service fund pursuant to this section, the commission shall contract with an appropriate independent fiscal agent that is not a state entity to serve as administrator of the state universal service fund. Funds contributed to a state universal service fund are not state funds. Rules and any state universal service fund requirements established by the commission pursuant to this section must:
3-A.
Determination of amount of prepaid wireless telecommunications service fee.
The commission shall determine by rule the amount of the fee on prepaid wireless telecommunications service that is required to be contributed to a state universal service fund established under subsection 3. The fee is a fixed amount per retail transaction established by multiplying $25 by a percentage that is determined by the commission for purposes of calculating contributions to the state universal service fund by providers of intrastate telecommunications services. The fee must be rounded to the nearest penny. The fee may not be adjusted by the commission more frequently than once every 24 months. The collection of the fee is governed by section 7104‑C. Rules adopted pursuant to this subsection are routine technical rules as defined in Title 5, chapter 375, subchapter 2‑A.
4.
Standards and reporting.
5.
Funds for Communications Equipment Fund.
The commission shall annually transfer $250,000 from a state universal service fund established pursuant to this section to the Communications Equipment Fund established under Title 26, section 1419‑A.
6.
Public-interest pay phone support.
The commission may require contributions to a state universal service fund established pursuant to this section in an amount sufficient to collect up to $50,000 each year to fund public-interest pay phones pursuant to section 7508. The commission shall maintain an accounting of all funds contributed to the state universal service fund pursuant to this subsection and all funds expended pursuant to section 7508. Funds contributed to the state universal service fund pursuant to this subsection may be expended only for the purposes of section 7508.
7.
Telecommunications relay services support.
In order to ensure the affordability of telecommunications relay services throughout the State, the commission shall establish funding support for telecommunications relay services, including related outreach programs, within the state universal service fund established pursuant to subsection 3.
8.
Maximization of support.
The commission shall pursue all activities necessary to maximize the amount of federal support received by voice service providers offering voice and broadband service in the State.
9.
Blind and Visually Impaired News Access Fund.
The commission shall annually transfer $40,000 from a state universal service fund established pursuant to this section to the Blind and Visually Impaired News Access Fund established under Title 27, section 9.
10.
Designation of eligible service providers.
The commission may designate any provider or reseller of commercial mobile radio service, as defined in 47 Code of Federal Regulations, Section 20.3, as an eligible telecommunications carrier for purposes of receiving federal universal service support and offering services supported by federal universal service support mechanisms pursuant to 47 United States Code, Sections 214(e)(1) and 214(e)(2) and 47 Code of Federal Regulations, Section 54.201. The commission may adopt rules necessary to implement this subsection. Rules adopted under this subsection are routine technical rules as defined in Title 5, chapter 375, subchapter 2‑A.

Legislative History

PL 1991, c. 654, §4 (NEW). PL 1991, c. 654, §5 (AFF). PL 1997, c. 692, §1 (RPR). PL 1999, c. 60, §1 (AMD). PL 2003, c. 553, §A4 (AMD). PL 2005, c. 131, §1 (AMD). PL 2005, c. 305, §§1,2 (AMD). PL 2005, c. 336, §3 (AMD). PL 2005, c. 683, §A59 (AMD). PL 2007, c. 224, §3 (AMD). PL 2011, c. 600, §5 (AMD). PL 2011, c. 600, §10 (AFF). PL 2011, c. 623, Pt. B, §§13-17 (AMD). PL 2013, c. 600, §2 (AMD). PL 2015, c. 462, §2 (AMD). PL 2017, c. 408, §3 (AMD). PL 2017, c. 422, §§2-4 (AMD). PL 2017, c. 422, §12 (AFF). PL 2019, c. 15, §2 (AMD). PL 2019, c. 343, Pt. UUU, §4 (AMD). PL 2023, c. 144, §§1, 2 (AMD). PL 2023, c. 568, §1 (AMD). PL 2025, c. 388, Pt. RRR, §1 (AMD).