There is established the universal service program. The purpose of this program is to:

(1) Maintain affordable, just, and reasonable rates for basic residential telecommunications service, as defined by the commission;

Terms Used In Hawaii Revised Statutes 269-41

  • telecommunications: means the offering of transmission between or among points specified by a user, of information of the user's choosing, including voice, data, image, graphics, and video without change in the form or content of the information, as sent and received, by means of electromagnetic transmission, or other similarly capable means of transmission, with or without benefit of any closed transmission medium, and does not include cable service as defined in § 440G-3. See Hawaii Revised Statutes 269-1
(2) Assist customers located in the areas of the State that have high costs of essential telecommunications service, low-income customers, and customers with disabilities, in obtaining and maintaining access to a basic set of essential telecommunications services as determined by the commission. The commission may expand or otherwise modify relevant programs, such as the lifeline program under section 269-16.5;
(3) Ensure that consumers in all communities are provided with access, at reasonably comparable rates, to all telecommunications services which are used by a majority of consumers located in metropolitan areas of the State. The commission shall provide for a reasonable transition period to support the statewide deployment of these advanced telecommunications services, including, but not limited to, the use of strategic community access points in public facilities such as education, library, and health care facilities;
(4) Ensure that consumers are given the information necessary to make informed choices among the alternative telecommunications carriers and services; and
(5) Promote affordable access throughout the State to enhanced government information and services, including education, health care, public safety, and other government services.

The commission shall administer the universal service program, including the establishment of criteria by which the purposes of the program are met.

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