Terms Used In 47 CFR Part 54 - Universal Service

• Act: refers to the Communications Act of 1934, as amended. See 47 CFR 54.5
• Administrator: means the Universal Service Administrative Company. See 47 CFR 54.1800
• Affidavit: A written statement of facts confirmed by the oath of the party making it, before a notary or officer having authority to administer oaths.
• affordable connectivity benefit: means a monthly discount for an eligible household, applied to the actual amount charged to such household, in an amount equal to such amount charged, but not more than $30, or, if an internet service offering is provided to an eligible household on Tribal land, not more than $75. See 47 CFR 54.1800
• Amendment: A proposal to alter the text of a pending bill or other measure by striking out some of it, by inserting new language, or both. Before an amendment becomes part of the measure, thelegislature must agree to it.
• Amortization: Paying off a loan by regular installments.
• Appeal: A request made after a trial, asking another court (usually the court of appeals) to decide whether the trial was conducted properly. To make such a request is "to appeal" or "to take an appeal." One who appeals is called the appellant.
• Appropriation: The provision of funds, through an annual appropriations act or a permanent law, for federal agencies to make payments out of the Treasury for specified purposes. The formal federal spending process consists of two sequential steps: authorization
• Assets: (1) The property comprising the estate of a deceased person, or (2) the property in a trust account.
• Bankruptcy: Refers to statutes and judicial proceedings involving persons or businesses that cannot pay their debts and seek the assistance of the court in getting a fresh start. Under the protection of the bankruptcy court, debtors may discharge their debts, perhaps by paying a portion of each debt. Bankruptcy judges preside over these proceedings.
• Baseline: Projection of the receipts, outlays, and other budget amounts that would ensue in the future without any change in existing policy. Baseline projections are used to gauge the extent to which proposed legislation, if enacted into law, would alter current spending and revenue levels.
• Beneficiary: A person who is entitled to receive the benefits or proceeds of a will, trust, insurance policy, retirement plan, annuity, or other contract. ^{Source: OCC}
• broadband internet access service: has the meaning given such term in 47 CFR 8. See 47 CFR 54.1600
• broadband internet access service: has the meaning given such term in 47 CFR 8. See 47 CFR 54.1800
• broadband provider: means a provider of broadband internet access service. See 47 CFR 54.1600
• broadband provider: means a provider of broadband internet access service. See 47 CFR 54.1800
• Commission: means the Federal Communications Commission. See 47 CFR 54.1600
• Commission: means the Federal Communications Commission. See 47 CFR 54.1800
• community anchor institutions: refers to schools, libraries, health care providers, community colleges, other institutions of higher education, and other community support organizations and entities. See 47 CFR 54.5
• Complaint: A written statement by the plaintiff stating the wrongs allegedly committed by the defendant.
• connected device: means a laptop or desktop computer or a tablet. See 47 CFR 54.1600
• connected device: means a laptop or desktop computer or a tablet. See 47 CFR 54.1800
• Contract: A legal written agreement that becomes binding when signed.
• Conviction: A judgement of guilt against a criminal defendant.
• Corporation: A legal entity owned by the holders of shares of stock that have been issued, and that can own, receive, and transfer property, and carry on business in its own name.
• Database: is a n electronic system, with associated functions, processes, policies and procedures, to facilitate the detection and elimination of duplicative support, as directed by the Commission. See 47 CFR 54.400
• Decedent: A deceased person.
• Devise: To gift property by will.
• Docket: A log containing brief entries of court proceedings.
• Donor: The person who makes a gift.
• economic unit: consists of all adult individuals contributing to and sharing in the income and expenses of a household. See 47 CFR 54.400
• economic unit: consists of all adult individuals contributing to and sharing in the income and expenses of a household. See 47 CFR 54.1600
• economic unit: consists of all adult individuals contributing to and sharing in the income and expenses of a household. See 47 CFR 54.1800
• eligible household: means , regardless of whether the household or any member of the household receives support under subpart E of 47 CFR part 54 (or any successor regulation), and regardless of whether any member of the household has any past or present arrearages with a broadband provider, a household in which—

  (1) At least one member of the household meets the qualifications 47 CFR 54. See 47 CFR 54.1600

• eligible household: means , regardless of whether the household or any member of the household receives support under subpart E of this Part, and regardless of whether any member of the household has any past or present arrearages with a broadband provider, a household in which—

  (1) At least one member of the household meets the qualifications in § 54. See 47 CFR 54.1800

• eligible resident of Tribal lands: is a "qualifying low-income consumer" as defined in paragraph (a) of this section, living on Tribal lands. See 47 CFR 54.400
• Eligible telecommunications carrier: means a carrier designated as such under subpart C of this part. See 47 CFR 54.5
• Embezzlement: In most states, embezzlement is defined as theft/larceny of assets (money or property) by a person in a position of trust or responsibility over those assets. Embezzlement typically occurs in the employment and corporate settings. ^{Source: OCC}
• emergency broadband benefit: means a monthly discount for an eligible household applied to the actual amount charged to such household, which shall be no more than the standard rate for an internet service offering and associated equipment, in an amount equal to such amount charged, but not more than $50, or, if an internet service offering is provided to an eligible household on Tribal land, not more than $75. See 47 CFR 54.1600
• emergency period: means the period that—

  (1) Begins on the date of the enactment of the Consolidated Appropriations Act; and

  (2) Ends on the date that is 6 months after the date on which the determination by the Secretary of Health and Human Services pursuant to section 319 of the Public Health Service Act (42 U. See 47 CFR 54.1600

• Enrollment representative: means an employee, agent, contractor, or subcontractor, acting on behalf of a participating provider or third-party entity, who directly or indirectly provides information to the Administrator for the purpose of eligibility verification, enrollment, subscriber personal information updates, benefit transfers, or de-enrollment. See 47 CFR 54.1800
• Escrow: Money given to a third party to be held for payment until certain conditions are met.
• Evidence: Information presented in testimony or in documents that is used to persuade the fact finder (judge or jury) to decide the case for one side or the other.
• Fair market value: The price at which an asset would change hands in a transaction between a willing, informed buyer and a willing, informed seller.
• Fiduciary: A trustee, executor, or administrator.
• Fiscal year: The fiscal year is the accounting period for the government. For the federal government, this begins on October 1 and ends on September 30. The fiscal year is designated by the calendar year in which it ends; for example, fiscal year 2006 begins on October 1, 2005 and ends on September 30, 2006.
• Forgery: The fraudulent signing or alteration of another's name to an instrument such as a deed, mortgage, or check. The intent of the forgery is to deceive or defraud. ^{Source: OCC}
• Fraud: Intentional deception resulting in injury to another.
• Freedom of Information Act: A federal law that mandates that all the records created and kept by federal agencies in the executive branch of government must be open for public inspection and copying. The only exceptions are those records that fall into one of nine exempted categories listed in the statute. ^{Source: OCC}
• Gift: A voluntary transfer or conveyance of property without consideration, or for less than full and adequate consideration based on fair market value.
• Grace period: The number of days you'll have to pay your bill for purchases in full without triggering a finance charge. ^{Source: Federal Reserve}
• health care provider: is a ny:

  (1) Post-secondary educational institution offering health care instruction, including a teaching hospital or medical school;

  (2) Community health center or health center providing health care to migrants;

  (3) Local health department or agency;

  (4) Community mental health center;

  (5) Not-for-profit hospital;

  (6) Rural health clinic;

  (7) Skilled nursing facility (as defined in section 395i-3(a) of Title 42); or a

  (8) Consortium of health care providers consisting of one or more entities described in paragraphs (b)(1) through (7) in this section. See 47 CFR 54.600

• High-cost support: refers to those support mechanisms provided pursuant to subparts D, J, K, L, M, and O of this part. See 47 CFR 54.5
• household: is a ny individual or group of individuals who are living together at the same address as one economic unit. See 47 CFR 54.400
• household: is a ny individual or group of individuals who are living together at the same address as one economic unit. See 47 CFR 54.1600
• household: is a ny individual or group of individuals who are living together at the same address as one economic unit. See 47 CFR 54.1800
• Income: means gross income as defined under section 61 of the Internal Revenue Code, 26 U. See 47 CFR 54.400
• Income: means gross income as defined under section 61 of the Internal Revenue Code, 26 U. See 47 CFR 54.1600
• Income: means gross income as defined under section 61 of the Internal Revenue Code, 26 U. See 47 CFR 54.1800
• Internet access: includes the following elements:

  (1) The transmission of information as common carriage; and

  (2) The transmission of information as part of a gateway to an information service, when that transmission does not involve the generation or alteration of the content of information, but may include data transmission, address translation, protocol conversion, billing management, introductory information content, and navigational systems that enable users to access information services, and that do not affect the presentation of such information to users. See 47 CFR 54.5

• internet service offering: means , with respect to a broadband provider, broadband internet access service provided by such provider to a household, offered in the same manner, and on the same terms, as described in any of such provider's offerings for broadband internet access service to such household, as on December 1, 2020. See 47 CFR 54.1600
• internet service offering: means , with respect to a broadband provider, broadband internet access service provided by such provider to a household. See 47 CFR 54.1800
• Interstate telecommunication: is a communication or transmission:

  (1) From any State, Territory, or possession of the United States (other than the Canal zone), or the District of Columbia, to any other State, Territory, or possession of the United States (other than the Canal Zone), or the District of Columbia,

  (2) From or to the United States to or from the Canal Zone, insofar as such communication or transmission takes place within the United States, or

  (3) Between points within the United States but through a foreign country. See 47 CFR 54.5

• Intestate: Dying without leaving a will.
• Intrastate telecommunication: is a communication or transmission from within any State, Territory, or possession of the United States, or the District of Columbia to a location within that same State, Territory, or possession of the United States, or the District of Columbia. See 47 CFR 54.5
• Jurisdiction: (1) The legal authority of a court to hear and decide a case. Concurrent jurisdiction exists when two courts have simultaneous responsibility for the same case. (2) The geographic area over which the court has authority to decide cases.
• LAN: is a local area network, which is a set of high-speed links connecting devices, generally computers, on a single shared medium, usually on the user's premises. See 47 CFR 54.5
• Lease: A contract transferring the use of property or occupancy of land, space, structures, or equipment in consideration of a payment (e.g., rent). ^{Source: OCC}
• Legacy: A gift of property made by will.
• Liabilities: The aggregate of all debts and other legal obligations of a particular person or legal entity.
• Life estate: A property interest limited in duration to the life of the individual holding the interest (life tenant).
• Lineal descendant: Direct descendant of the same ancestors.
• mobile competitive eligible telecommunications carrier: is a carrier that meets the definition of a "competitive eligible telecommunications carrier" in this section and that provides a terrestrial-based service meeting the definition of "commercial mobile radio service" in § 51. See 47 CFR 54.5
• Mortgage: The written agreement pledging property to a creditor as collateral for a loan.
• National Lifeline Accountability Database: is a n electronic system, with associated functions, processes, policies and procedures, to facilitate the detection and elimination of duplicative support, as directed by the Commission. See 47 CFR 54.1600
• National Lifeline Accountability Database: is a n electronic system, with associated functions, processes, policies and procedures, to facilitate the detection and elimination of duplicative support, as directed by the Commission. See 47 CFR 54.1800
• National Verifier: is a n electronic and manual system with associated functions, processes, policies and procedures, to facilitate the determination of consumer eligibility for the Lifeline program, as directed by the Commission. See 47 CFR 54.400
• National Verifier: is a n electronic and manual system with associated functions, processes, policies and procedures, to facilitate the determination of consumer eligibility for the Lifeline program and Emergency Broadband Benefit Program, as directed by the Commission. See 47 CFR 54.1600
• National Verifier: is a n electronic and manual system with associated functions, processes, policies and procedures, to facilitate the determination of consumer eligibility for the Lifeline program and Affordable Connectivity Program, as directed by the Commission. See 47 CFR 54.1800
• Oath: A promise to tell the truth.
• Obligation: An order placed, contract awarded, service received, or similar transaction during a given period that will require payments during the same or a future period.
• off-site administrative office: is a facility that does not provide hands-on delivery of patient care but performs administrative support functions that are critical to the provision of clinical care by eligible health care providers. See 47 CFR 54.600
• off-site data center: is a facility that serves as a centralized repository for the storage, management, and dissemination of an eligible health care provider's computer systems, associated components, and data, including (but not limited to) electronic health records. See 47 CFR 54.600
• Oversight: Committee review of the activities of a Federal agency or program.
• participating provider: means a broadband provider that—

  (1)(i) Is designated as an eligible telecommunications carrier; or

  (ii) Meets requirements established by the Commission for participation in the Emergency Broadband Benefit Program and is approved by the Commission under 47 CFR 54. See 47 CFR 54.1600

• participating provider: means a broadband provider that—

  (1) Is designated as an eligible telecommunications carrier; or

  (2) Meets the requirements established by the Commission for participation in the Affordable Connectivity Program and is approved by the Commission under § 54. See 47 CFR 54.1800

• Partnership: A voluntary contract between two or more persons to pool some or all of their assets into a business, with the agreement that there will be a proportional sharing of profits and losses.
• Personal property: All property that is not real property.
• Plea: In a criminal case, the defendant's statement pleading "guilty" or "not guilty" in answer to the charges, a declaration made in open court.
• Probate: Proving a will
• Public law: A public bill or joint resolution that has passed both chambers and been enacted into law. Public laws have general applicability nationwide.
• qualifying assistance program: means any of the federal or Tribal assistance programs the participation in which, pursuant to § 54. See 47 CFR 54.400
• qualifying low-income consumer: is a consumer who meets the qualifications for Lifeline, as specified in § 54. See 47 CFR 54.400
• Quorum: The number of legislators that must be present to do business.
• Real property: Land, and all immovable fixtures erected on, growing on, or affixed to the land.
• Recourse: An arrangement in which a bank retains, in form or in substance, any credit risk directly or indirectly associated with an asset it has sold (in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles) that exceeds a pro rata share of the bank's claim on the asset. If a bank has no claim on an asset it has sold, then the retention of any credit risk is recourse. ^{Source: FDIC}
• Redlining: The alleged practice of certain lending institutions of not making mortgage, home improvement, and small business loans in certain neighborhoods-usually areas that are deteriorating or considered by the lender to be poor investments. ^{Source: OCC}
• Remainder: An interest in property that takes effect in the future at a specified time or after the occurrence of some event, such as the death of a life tenant.
• Rescission: The cancellation of budget authority previously provided by Congress. The Impoundment Control Act of 1974 specifies that the President may propose to Congress that funds be rescinded. If both Houses have not approved a rescission proposal (by passing legislation) within 45 days of continuous session, any funds being withheld must be made available for obligation.
• restricted lands: as used in this part does not include the restricted lands of the Five Civilized Tribes of Oklahoma or the Osage Nation. See 25 CFR 18.2
• restricted property: as used in this part does not include the restricted lands of the Five Civilized Tribes of Oklahoma or the Osage Nation. See 25 CFR 15.2
• rural area: is a n area that is entirely outside of a Core Based Statistical Area; is within a Core Based Statistical Area that does not have any Urban Area with a population of 25,000 or greater; or is in a Core Based Statistical Area that contains an Urban Area with a population of 25,000 or greater, but is within a specific census tract that itself does not contain any part of a Place or Urban Area with a population of greater than 25,000. See 47 CFR 54.600
• rural health care provider: is a n eligible health care provider site located in a rural area. See 47 CFR 54.600
• Rural incumbent local exchange carrier: is a carrier that meets the definitions of "rural telephone company" and "incumbent local exchange carrier" as those terms are defined in § 51. See 47 CFR 54.5
• Settlement: Parties to a lawsuit resolve their difference without having a trial. Settlements often involve the payment of compensation by one party in satisfaction of the other party's claims.
• standard rate: means the monthly retail rate for the applicable tier of broadband internet access service as of December 1, 2020, excluding any taxes or other governmental fees. See 47 CFR 54.1600
• state commission: means the commission, board or official (by whatever name designated) that, under the laws of any state, has regulatory jurisdiction with respect to intrastate operations of carriers. See 47 CFR 54.5
• Statute: A law passed by a legislature.
• Technically feasible: means capable of accomplishment as evidenced by prior success under similar circumstances. See 47 CFR 54.5
• telecommunications carrier: is a ny provider of telecommunications services, except that such term does not include aggregators of telecommunications services as defined in section 226 of the Act. See 47 CFR 54.5
• Telecommunications channel: means a telephone line, or, in the case of wireless communications, a transmittal line or cell site. See 47 CFR 54.5
• Testator: A male person who leaves a will at death.
• Toll blocking service: is a service provided by an eligible telecommunications carrier that lets subscribers elect not to allow the completion of outgoing toll calls from their telecommunications channel. See 47 CFR 54.400
• Toll control service: is a service provided by an eligible telecommunications carrier that allows subscribers to specify a certain amount of toll usage that may be incurred on their telecommunications channel per month or per billing cycle. See 47 CFR 54.400
• Tribal lands: include any federally recognized Indian tribe's reservation, pueblo or colony, including former reservations in Oklahoma, Alaska Native regions established pursuant to the Alaska Native Claims Settlement Act (85 Stat. See 47 CFR 54.5
• Tribal lands: include any federally recognized Indian tribe's reservation, pueblo, or colony, including former reservations in Oklahoma; Alaska Native regions established pursuant to the Alaska Native Claims Settlement Act (85 Stat. See 47 CFR 54.400
• Tribal lands: include any Federally recognized Indian tribe's reservation, pueblo, or colony, including former reservations in Oklahoma; Alaska Native regions established pursuant to the Alaska Native Claims Settlement Act (85 Stat. See 47 CFR 54.1600
• Tribal lands: include any federally recognized Indian tribe's reservation, pueblo, or colony, including former reservations in Oklahoma; Alaska Native regions established pursuant to the Alaska Native Claims Settlement Act (85 Stat. See 47 CFR 54.1800
• unsubsidized competitor: is a facilities-based provider of residential fixed voice and broadband service that does not receive high-cost support. See 47 CFR 54.5
• Verdict: The decision of a petit jury or a judge.