NAC704.68051. Proceedings by Commission to determine whether funding is required to ensure that rates charged do not adversely affect universal service.

     1. A competitive supplier that is a provider of last resort may request that the Commission initiate proceedings to determine whether funding is required to fulfill the purpose of subsection 1 of NAC 704.68043. Any person who has made a payment to the fund to maintain the availability of telephone service pursuant to an assessment imposed pursuant to NAC 704.68054 may participate in the proceedings.

     2. During the proceedings, the Commission will:

     (a) Establish a model of costs to calculate the cost per line for the service area or other appropriate geographic area of the competitive supplier that is a provider of last resort;

     (b) Adopt the appropriate benchmark using the cost per line to determine the cost of providing service to the high-cost area; and

     (c) Determine the appropriate amount of money to provide service to the high-cost area, taking into consideration:

          (1) The cost to maintain the availability of telephone service in rural, insular and high-cost areas while providing services that are reasonably comparable to those basic services available in urban areas at rates that are reasonably comparable to those rates charged in the urban areas in which the basic services are available; and

          (2) The overall size of the fund to maintain the availability of telephone service.

     3. On a biennial basis, the Commission will determine whether any adjustments or modifications are required to calculate the appropriate amount of money to provide service to the high-cost area, as determined pursuant to subsection 2. The Commission may conduct such a meeting annually upon its own motion or upon a request by an interested person.

     (Added to NAC by Pub. Utilities Comm’n by R006-09, eff. 10-27-2009)