State Commission Background Information

Please answer all questions using current regulations, policies, and procedures in place. Do not consider pending changes to regulations, policies and procedures.

Unless otherwise noted, please answer all questions with respect to the federal Universal Service Fund (USF) High Cost program.

1.	In addition to your agency, are the following entities involved with the Federal High Cost program in your state?
	(Check one in each row.)

		Yes	No	Don't know
1a.	Inspector General
1b.	Attorney General
1c.	Office of Consumer Advocate
1d.	Independent contracting or consulting company
1e.	Telephone association or other non-state agency
1f.	Other agency or organization (please specify below)

	If "other", please specify:

2.	Does your state commission regulate voice grade telephone service rates for rural incumbent carriers? Voice grade telephone service is defined by the Code of Federal Regulations, Title 47, section 54.101(a)(1): "Voice grade" access is 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… Bandwidth for voice grade access should be, at a minimum, 300 to 3,000 Hertz.
	(Check one.)
	1.	Yes
	2.	No (Skip to Question 4.)
	3.	Don't know (Skip to Question 4.)

3.	Does your state commission use any of the following types of rate regulation for rural incumbent carriers' provision of voice grade telephone service?
	(Check one in each row.)

		Yes	No	Don't know
3a.	Rate-of-return
3b.	Earnings sharing
3c.	Price cap
3d.	Rate freeze
3e.	Rate bundling
3f.	Other regulation type (please specify below)

	If "other", please specify:

4.	Does your state commission regulate voice grade telephone service rates for non-rural incumbent carriers?
	(Check one.)
	1.	Yes
	2.	No (Skip to Question 6.)
	3.	Don't know (Skip to Question 6.)

5.	Does your state commission use any of the following types of rate regulation for non-rural incumbent carriers' provision of voice grade telephone service?
	(Check one in each row.)

		Yes	No	Don't know
5a.	Rate-of-return
5b.	Earnings sharing
5c.	Price cap
5d.	Rate freeze
5e.	Rate bundling
5f.	Other regulation type (please specify below)

	If "other", please specify:

6.	Does your state commission regulate voice grade telephone service rates for competitive wireline carriers with competitive eligible telecommunications (CETC) status?
	(Check one.)
	1.	Yes
	2.	No (Skip to Question 8.)
	3.	Don't know (Skip to Question 8.)

7.	Does your state commission use any of the following types of rate regulation for competitive wireline carriers' provision of voice grade telephone service?
	(Check one in each row.)

		Yes	No	Don't know
7a.	Rate-of-return
7b.	Earnings sharing
7c.	Price cap
7d.	Rate freeze
7e.	Rate bundling
7f.	Other regulation type (please specify below)

	If "other", please specify:

Full Report: GAO-08-633

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